

The Spy Gone North
In the lasting days of the Cold War.
South Korea, 1993. An agent of the National Intelligence Service is sent to Beijing to infiltrate a group of North Korean officials with the ultimate goal of obtaining information about their nuclear program.
TMDB
7.3/10
228 votes
IMDb
Not rated yet
View on IMDb
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $17M
- Box office
- $3.2K
- Language
- Japanese
- undercover agent
- spy
- based on true story
- political campaign
- beijing, china
- nuclear threat
- political corruption
- 1990s
- 2000s
- inter-korean relations
- national intelligence service (nis)
Top billed cast

















Behind the camera
Where to watch
Availability for United States. Provided by JustWatch through the TMDB API.
Stream
Rakuten Viki
Gallery












Videos
Release dates
United StatesUS
- TheatricalPG-1317 Aug 2018
United KingdomGB
- PremiereLondon Film Festival12 Oct 2018
- Digital / OTT15 Oct 2018
AustraliaAU
- PremiereMelbourne International Film Festival17 Aug 2018
- TheatricalM23 Aug 2018
FranceFR
- PremiereCannes Film Festival11 May 2018
- PremiereL'Étrange Festival7 Sept 2018
- TheatricalU7 Nov 2018
- PhysicalDVD & Blu-Ray12 Apr 2019
- Digital / OTT12MyCanal20 Sept 2021
- Digital / OTTVOD1 Oct 2021
Hong KongHK
- TheatricalIIA6 Sept 2018
JapanJP
- TheatricalG26 Jul 2019
NetherlandsNL
- PremiereIFFR - International Film Festival Rotterdam25 Jan 2019
South KoreaKR
- Theatrical128 Aug 2018
SpainES
- PremiereSitges Film Festival10 Aug 2018
- Theatrical (limited)20 Jun 2019
Frequently asked questions
The Spy Gone North was released on 8 August 2018.
Audience reviews
2- S8/10
SWITCH.
9/9/2019
Along with impressively slick cinematography via Choi Chan-min and some outstanding production design (Taipei stands in for Beijing and North Korea), the film provides some fascinating insights into Korean history following the Cold War and the transition from a tightly-controlled to a more democratic South Korea. You don’t need to know much about Korean politics to enjoy ‘The Spy Gone North’; you only need an apprec…
- A10/10
Alunauwie
9/29/2025
The Spy Gone North masterfully adapts the true story of ex-spy Park Chae Seo, offering a gripping espionage thriller grounded in real-world politics. With flawless cinematography, compelling performances, and impressively realistic sets (all filmed in South Korea), the film delivers both suspense and substance. This is a must-watch for fans of spy dramas craving authenticity and cinematic excellence. Read the full…
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