Global spotlight on 'I, the Executioner,' coming to Philippine cinemas on September 25!

Ryoo Seung Wan’s new action crime movie “I, the Executioner” has been receiving its much-deserved global recognition and has been invited to the world’s most prestigious film festivals! The movie continues to prove its universal appeal and artistic merit, demonstrating the power of cinematic entertainment that transcends borders.

The hit movie received consecutive invitations to the Cannes Film Festival in May, and the Toronto International Film Festival this month.

At the 77th Festival de Cannes, the movie was a part of the Midnight Screening section in which it made its world premiere. The movie received widespread acclaim from international media. Screen Daily said, “the most flawless, astonishing action since ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ – a sequel that surpasses the original.” The South China Morning Post defined it as “more intense action, more solid storytelling, and a rollercoaster experience.”

The media also credited Ryoo Seung Wan for his directing. Reuters shared that Director Ryoo is a director who promises “fresh action and relatable themes.” At the same time, the Hollywood Reporter applauded his direction as a mix of “entertaining action with sharp psychological and social exploration.” Finally, Cinemateaser added that it is “a sequel that does not disappoint, arriving nearly 10 years after the commercially successful ‘Veteran.’”

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Director Ryoo is deeply honored and thankful to have received an invitation to Cannes 19 years later since “Crying Fist.” He said, “It took 50 years to get here (Lumière Theatre). It’s truly an honor and a meaningful moment,” reflecting his lifelong dedication to film. Moreover, Cannes festival director Thierry Frémaux’s high praise that the film is “even more impressive on the big screen.”

Meanwhile, “I, the Executioner” was also present at the 49th Toronto International Film Festival in which the movie was invited to the Special Presentations section. Director Ryoo was previously invited to the Gala Presentation section with “Smugglers” and to the Vanguard section with “Veteran” in 2015 and 2023, respectively.

“I, the Executioner” is a sequel to the 2015 box office hit “Veteran.” It follows the story of Detective Seo Do Cheol (played by Hwang Jung Min) as he and his Major Crimes Investigation Division continue to chase down criminals day and night, even if it’s at the expense of their personal lives.

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When the death of a professor showed connections to past cases, they started to be suspicious of a serial killer case. This caused the entire country to have a commotion.

The Major Crimes Investigation Division continues to solve the case with the killer publicly releasing a teaser online, identifying the next victim, and thus, more chaos.