Introduction
The Roundup (Korean title: 범죄도시2) is a 2022 South Korean action-crime thriller film directed by Lee Sang-yong. This movie follows the story of ‘The Outlaws,’ released in 2017, and continues with the character of Detective Ma Seok-do, who is a bulking figureature but has his own endearing ways, and his methods of dispensing justice are highly unorthodox. Ma Dong-seok, often referred to Don Lee, casts as the protagonist who grapples relentless wvanodies with encroaching violence as a cross border serial killer case spanning from Vietnam into Korea furiously unfolds. Upon release, the film shattered box office records in South Korea while simultaneously reigniting international interest in the action franchise.
Plot Summary
The story takes place four years after The Outlaws where Detective Ma Seok-do eagerly looks forward to performing what seems to be glorious maintenance work strutting through Ho Chi Minh City for the simple task of extraditing a Korean fugitive. He is accompanied by Captain Jeon Il-man his superior who goes along expecting an effortless day at work devoid of any difficulties. However, they soon realize that this voyage relapse faster than anticipated to tackle their deeper investigation orchestrated by pervasive silence revealing students towards unabating abductions masquerading as tourists within Koreans disappearing en masse without trace
As soon as Ma uncovers the chilling details of the case, his worst fears are confirmed: a serial killer, Kang Hae-sang, has been enticing affluent Korean businessmen to Vietnam where he kidnaps them for ransom and subsequently murders them. Choi Yong-gi, a South Korean business magnate’s son, is one of the known decease. While investigating the case, Ma faces conflicts with local law enforcement as well as shadowy criminals from both sides of the legal spectrum.
With the intense focus on Kang Hae Sang’s activities taking place in Vietnam, he attempts to escape the country using a smuggling syndicate which enables him to faster Korea. This escalates into an intense duck hunt where Ma and his crew engage in merciless hand-to-hand combat and level chase sequences through rural landscapes all while Kang is attempting to get away.. The climax of this arc features a deeply cathartic confrontation between Ma and Kang that resolves years worth of chaos.
Cast and Characters
Ma Dong-seok as Detective Ma Seok-do: Known for his commanding physical presence and deadpan delivery, Ma reprises his role with charisma and force. His character balances brute strength with moments of comedic relief and genuine empathy.
Son Suk-ku as Kang Hae-sang: The main antagonist, Kang is a cold-blooded killer whose unpredictable behavior and chilling calmness make him a formidable foe.
Choi Gwi-hwa as Captain Jeon Il-man: Ma’s superior officer who serves as Man’s level-headed counterpart and loyal partner.
Park Ji-hwan as Jang Yi-soo: An underground fixer who assists Ma at critical stages in the investigation.
Nam Moon-chul and Park Ji-young: As the parents of Choi Yong-gi, they portray deeply mourning figures which add emotional depth to the tragedy of the victims.
Heo Dong-won and Jung Jae-kwang further enhance the film’s rich supporting cast with interwoven character arcs that deepen its multi-faceted narrative.
Production and Release
The Roundup is partially set in Vietnam and filmed in South Korea, which created new challenges during mid-COVID 19 such as maintaining strict health protocols. The film’s production budget was set at 13 billion KRW (about 10.5 million USD) due to international shoots and action choreography expenses.
The Roundup was released on May 18, 2022, achieving a record-setting opening for Korean box offices since COVID 19-pandemic. It reached over 467,000 viewers for virtual premieres and hit the over ten million mark within twenty five days of attendance gained–an unprecedented feat even prior to dancer pandemic times. In summary, Korea saw phenomenal growth in ticket sales surpassing twelve point five million tickets post release making it Korea’s number one seller movie of the year
The Roundup could not be released in Vietnam due to local censors having issues with the country being portrayed as lawless and exploited by outlaws, even though the film was pre-sold to over 130 countries.
Critical Reception
As with critics, audiences also praised The Roundup for its high-octane action, brisk pacing, and captivating acting. Ma Dong-seok earned particular praise for his commanding presence on the screen while balancing fierce physicality with wit and charm.
The film also won several awards such as Most Popular Film at the Blue Dragon Film Awards and received acting accolades for its supporting cast at several other Korean cinematic award shows.
The movie was praised for the bigger picture it painted while simultaneously delivering impactful action sequences. Reviewers touted well-choreographed fight scenes, particularly between Ma and Kang. Son Suk-ku’s portrayal of the villain added depth to the plot, which greatly advanced the overall arc of the narrative structure.
Some critics believed that too much emphasis had been placed on secondary characters as little effort was made to flesh out their roles relative to primary characters. However, most people appeared to agree on fast pacing throughout coupled with ultra-violence genre-defining fighting set pieces featuring some of the strongest influences from modern martial arts films more made up for any perceived shortcomings.
Thematic Focus and Stylistic Elements
As with other films in the crime-action genre, The Roundup has several themes:
Justice and Retribution: Centered on enacting justice for the victims of violent crime, this film captures a society’s need for guardians through Ma’s dogged determination to confront evil.
Heroism and Physicality: Seok-do, portrayed by Ma Dong-seok, epitomizes old-school bodily heroism—fisting, not firearms—and is a welcome departure from CGI-laden action movies to today’s over-cgi action film era.
Moral Certainty: Unlike a lot of contemporary thrillers that navigate murky waters, The Roundup offers crystal clear morality. This simplistic rendering of good versus evil enriches the film’s appeal.
Presentation-wise, this film contains urban gritty backgrounds as well as neon-lit night scenes allongside close-quarters dynamic camerawork during movement sequences that make the viewer feel the chase instead of merely see it.
Franchise and Legacy
The Roundup is now a piece of the expanding “Crime City” franchise. It consist of:
The Outlaws (2017)
The Roundup (2022)
The Roundup: No Way Out (2023)
The Roundup: Punishment (2024)
According to Ma Dong-seok, a series star, there are plans to expand the saga to at least eight parts, confirming that a fifth film is in active development. This franchise is being positioned as the flagship of Korean action cinema and its continued success has drawn comparisons to hollywood’s John Wick or Taken series in brand tone and international appeal.
Conclusion
Korean films not only boom at the box office but also gain international recognition, The Wrap emphasized The Roundup as part of this category describing it as “exhilarating”. Reviews explain that its dynamic flow peak boredom which causes disinterest to be non-existent. This along dexterous combination of humor and seriousness provides emotional satisfaction for audiences no matter where their from turns on a crowd-pleaser while adding to moral backbone that extends far beyond its running time.
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