On the Line (2021 film)

2021 South Korean crime action film

On the Line

Official release poster

Hangul|

보이스

RR| Boiseu
MR| Poisŭ
Directed by| Kim Gok
Kim Sun
Written by| Bae Young-ik
Produced by| Min Jin-soo
Min Kyu-dong
Starring|

* Byun Yo-han
* Kim Mu-yeol
* Kim Hee-won
* Park Myung-hoon

Cinematography| Lee Seon-yeong
Edited by| Shin Min-kyung
Music by| Kim Jun-seong
Jeon Se-jin

Production
company

Sufilm Co. Ltd.

Distributed by| CJ Entertainment

Release date

* September 15, 2021 (2021-09-15)

Running time

| 109 minutes
Country| South Korea
Language| Korean
Box office| US$12.5 million[1][2]

On the Line (Korean: 보이스; RR: boiseu; lit. 'Voice') is a 2021 South Korean action crime film, directed by Kim Gok and Kim Sun for Sufilm Co. Ltd. Starring Byun Yo-han, Kim Mu-yeol, Kim Hee-won and Park Myung-hoon, the film revolves around Seo-joon, a victim of voice phishing, who penetrates the perpetrators' organization in China to recover the money.[3][4]

It was theatrically released on September 15, 2021, coinciding with Chuseok holidays.[5] As of December 12, 2021[update], it is the fourth highest-grossing Korean film of 2021, with a gross of US$11.87 million and 1.42 million cumulative admissions.[2]

## Synopsis

[edit]

Voice phishing is the use of telephony (often voice over IP telephony) to conduct phishing attacks.

A former detective Seo-joon (Byun Yo-han), now head of the field operations team at the Busan construction site, along with his family and colleagues are victims of voice phishing. He tracks down the organisation and penetrates the call center in China. Surprised by the systemic approach and scale of voice phishing, he meets Pro Kwak (Kim Mu-yeol), the head of the planning. He knew that he had a herculean task ahead of him to recover the scammed money.

## Cast

[edit]

* Byun Yo-han as Seo Joon, a voice phishing victim[6]
* Kim Mu-yeol as Pro Kwak, voice phishing designer[7]
* Kim Hee-won as Lee Kyu-ho, leader of the intelligent crime investigation team set up to eradicate the 'voice phishing' crime[8]
* Park Myung-hoon as Director Cheon at the call center, the home of voice phishing
* Choi Byung-mo Chief Park[9]
* Lee Joo-young as Kkang Chil, hacker[10]
* Won Jin-ah as Mi Yeon, Seo Joon's wife
* Shim So-young as Chinese iron factory accounting clerk[11]
* Lee Kyu-sung is the Youngest of the voice
* Yoon Byung-hee

## Production

[edit]

On November 27, 2019 Byun Yo-han's agency Saram Entertainment confirmed his casting in the film.[12] Kim Mu-yeol joined the cast in December 2019.[13]

In May 2020, the film was wrapped up and work on post-production began.[14]

## Release

[edit]

The film was theatrically released on September 15, 2021, coinciding with the Chuseok holidays. It clashed with Miracle: Letters to the President, which was also released on the same day.[5]

## Reception

[edit]

### Box office

[edit]

The film was released on September 15, 2021 on 1296 screens.[15] As per Korean Film Council (Kofic) integrated computer network, the film ranks first at the Korean box office for consecutive 2 weeks. It also surpassed a 1 million cumulative audience on the 15th day of its release.[16]

As of December 12, 2021[update] it is in 4th place among all the Korean films released in the year 2021, with a gross of US$11.87 million and 1.42 million admissions.[2]

### Critical response

[edit]

SPOTV News reporter Kim Hyun-rok, reviewing the film opined that Voice, a real crime action has been shown from the perspective of both, the victims and the criminals. She said, "[the film] takes the world of voice phishing as one axis, and the pleasure of destroying it on one axis. It added cinematic fun to the taste of looking into the world of crime that I thought I knew but didn't know." She praised the action sequences of the film and actor Byun Yo-han, who as a former police officer and a victim "is in charge of 'real action' [and] dedicated action was added to the emotions that were pressed tightly." Kim also appreciated the "realistic map of voice phishing and capitalism", she concluded, "it [the voice phishing call centre home base and process] is drawn as if it can be grasped by the hand, and the level of immersion is considerable."[17]

Jeong Hwa of Star News reviewing the film opined that the film is educative and informative. It has "a didactic character." Jeong concluded, "Voice is an infotainment movie that is faithful to the two purposes of lessons and vicarious satisfaction. What you suffer knowingly is because you dig into your hopes and fears."[18]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "On the Line". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
2. ^ a b c "KOFIC, KOBIS (Korean Box Office Information System) The Box office: Korean films of 2021". KOFIC. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
3. ^ "Voice - (Korean Movie, 2021, 보이스)". HanCinema. August 10, 2021. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
4. ^ Kim Bo-ra (August 10, 2021). '보이스' 변요한x김무열, 9월 개봉 확정…3종 포스터 공개[공식] ['Voice' Byun Yo-han x Kim Mu-yeol confirmed to be released in September... 3 types of posters released [Official]]. OSEN. Naver. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
5. ^ a b Kim Ji-eun (August 30, 2021). 변요한·김무열 '보이스', 추석 극장가 출격...9월15일 개봉 [Byun Yo-han and Kim Mu-yeol's 'Voice' to be released in theaters on Chuseok...]. Newsis. Naver. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
6. ^ Jo Ji-young (August 10, 2021). [공식] 변요한X김무열 만난 '보이스', 9월 개봉 확정..韓최초 보이스피싱 범죄물 탄생 [[Official] Byun Yo-han and Kim Mu-yeol's 'Voice' is confirmed to be released in September.. Korea's first voice phishing crime is born]. Sports Chosun (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
7. ^ Kim Yoo-jin (August 13, 2021). 보이스' 김무열, 극악무도 보이스피싱 설계자…감독 "시나리오에서 튀어나와" [The voice phishing designer Kim Moo-yeol, the worst martial artist Director "Come out of the scenario"]. Export News (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
8. ^ '보이스' 김희원X박명훈, 극과 극 캐릭터..강렬 열연 시너지 ['Voice' Kim Hee-won X Park Myung-hoon, polar and polar characters.. Intense hot performance synergy]. Herald Pop (in Korean). Naver. August 17, 2021. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
9. ^ Jo Hyun-joo (April 17, 2020). 최병모, 영화 '보이스' 출연...변요한X김무열과 호흡 [Choi Byung-mo to appear in movie 'Voice'... Breathing with Byun Yo-han and Kim Mu-yeol]. YTN (in Korean). Retrieved August 10, 2021.
10. ^ Jung Yoo-jin (August 24, 2021). '독전'·'삼진그룹' 이주영, '보이스'서도 맹활약…팔색조 변신 [Joo-young Lee of 'Solo Battle' and 'Samjin Group' is also active in 'Voice'... octagonal transformation]. News 1 (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
11. ^ 심소영 특별출연, 보이스피싱 빌런 '모범택시'에 재등장 이유는?. MK Sports. February 15, 2023.
12. ^ Pierce Conran (November 27, 2019). "BYUN Yo-han Speaks Up for VOICE". Korean Film Biz Zone (KoBiz). Retrieved August 10, 2021.
13. ^ Hyo-joo Bae (December 17, 2019). "변요한X김무열, 보이스피싱 범죄극 '보이스' 출연확정(공식입장)" ['Byun Yo-han X Kim Mu-yeol confirmed to appear in voice phishing crime drama 'Voice' (official position)]. Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved August 10, 2021.
14. ^ Jang Ah-reum (May 18, 2020). 보이스피싱 소재 '보이스', 크랭크업…변요한x김무열 "좋은 영화 확신" [Voice phishing material 'Voice', crank up... Byun Yo-han x Kim Moo-yeol "I'm sure it's a good movie"]. News 1 (in Korean). Retrieved August 10, 2021.
15. ^ "KOFIC, KOBIS (Korean Box Office Information System) Box office: Voice 2021". KOFIC. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
16. ^ Jung Yu-jin (September 29, 2021). '보이스', 100만 돌파…변요한·김무열·이주영 크루 결성 '스우파' 댄스] ['Voice' surpasses 1 million... Byun Yo-han, Kim Mu-yeol, and Lee Joo-young formed a crew to dance 'Swoopa']. News 1 (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
17. ^ Kim Hyun-rok (September 7, 2021). "[Cine리뷰]'보이스', 리얼하다 못해 무시무시…보이스피싱의 세계" [[Cine review] 'Voice', it's not real, it's scary... The world of voice phishing]. SPOTV News (in Korean). Retrieved September 7, 2021 – via Naver.
18. ^ Jeong Hwa (September 7, 2021). [리뷰] '보이스' 희망과 공포를 파고드는 인포테인먼트 [[Review] 'Voice' infotainment that digs into hope and fear]. Star News (in Korean). Retrieved September 7, 2021 – via Naver.

## External links

[edit]

* On the Line at IMDb
* On the Line at HanCinema
* On the Line at the Korean Movie Database (in Korean)

*[lit.]: literal translation