Born in 1973, he is an appreciated director and screenwriter. He made his debut behind the camera in 2006 with "Like a Virgin" which he co-directed with colleague Lee Hae-jun. His latest film "Believer" was a box office success so much so that it was the first Korean film to have exceeded five million admissions in 2018.
Critique
A fast-paced thriller with impeccable direction that is the remake of the film "Drug War" directed by Johnnie To in 2012. Cho Jin-woong, in the role of the rigorous Detective Won-ho, finds in the young star Ryoo Joon-yeol, the weakest element of a chain that leads to the heart of drug trafficking, a perfect interlocutor. As much as the policeman is linear and clear in pursuing his goal, as Seo Young-rak is disturbing and enigmatic, as in the exchange of jokes that the two have during the interrogation in which the first is anxious and excited and the second responds slowly by measuring his words. Cho Jin-woong's interpretation is very physical and not only for the numerous action scenes but, above all, for that crucial moment in which his character, engaged in a delicate undercover operation, is forced to play the role of a psychopathic criminal putting his life at risk. A singular game of mirrors implemented thanks to the encounter that Detective Won-ho has with the crazy boss Ha-rim (the last interpretation of the late Kim Ju-hyeok).
