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Secretly, Greatly is an action-comedy film about three young North Korean undercover spies, Lieutenant Won Ryu-hwan / Bang Dong-gu, Rhee Hae-rang / Kim Min-su, and Rhee Hae-jin (Lee Hyun-woo). They infiltrated a small village in South Korea with the mission of having a unified country.

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Secretly, Greatly got my attention when I stumbled upon an article about it bagging several box-office records on its release. These include the highest single-day opening of all time, the highest-grossing webtoon-based film, the fastest movie to reach the million-audience mark, and several other records by a domestic film in South Korea. It sounded like a great film, so I decided to watch it, and I absolutely enjoyed it. Here are five reasons why Secretly, Greatly should be in your “must-watch list” of Korean movies.

1. Great plot with balanced elements

Secretly, Greatly’s is about a group of North Korean spies infiltrating a small South Korean village with the ambitious goal of unifying a “one” Korea. With this rationale, you can expect action-filled scenes with guns and martial arts. It is also typical for a spy or soldier movie to revolve around the subjects of patriotism, friendship, and betrayal. This spy film would make you question the extent and boundaries of patriotism when measured against love and loyalty towards your own family or people you consider as such.

The plot thickens and becomes more interesting when the main characters must become members of the community and live among the people they would potentially need to destroy to carry out their mission. For two hours, expect to laugh, cry, be touched, and be entertained by the amazing elements of Secretly, Greatly.

Random Facts about Secretly, Greatly
Secretly, Greatly holds the box office records for being the fastest domestic film to reach the one million audience mark. It’s also the largest admissions total in a single day, and several records for being the fastest film to hit 2, 3, 4, and 5 million audience marks. The highest-grossing webtoon-based film, after 19 days since its release, officially became the fourth-highest-grossing film of 2013.

2. Interesting and complex characters

The main protagonist is Lieutenant Won Ryu Hwan. He was the first spy sent to the small village, trained by the Elite Special Forces since childhood. A member of the 5446 Corps, their ambitious goal is to unify Korea or die as legends, serving the Republic.

While waiting for his main mission, he disguised himself as a village idiot known as Bang Dong Gu. He lived and worked for an old woman and his only son, who treated him as family. He was also a loving son who longed to see his mother again, safe and sound, after completing his mission.

Won Ryu Hwan was followed by Rhee Hae Rang, the son of a high-ranking North Korean officer. He had to deal with his own issues while trying to complete his mission. While awaiting orders, he disguised himself as Min Su, a musician wannabe who needed to pass an audition.

Also came Rhee Hae Jin, the youngest North Korean spy in history. Though considered the youngest spy, Hae Jin is one of the more ruthless and focused. While awaiting orders, he became a seemingly innocent high school student who resided in the village with two older people.

They are the main characters you will get to know in the movie. Three characters with diverse personalities connected by their mission. They eventually bonded by friendship. The community also welcomed them with open arms, not knowing the disaster headed their way.

Random Facts about Secretly, Greatly
It took 5 months to complete the whole movie, from October 7, 2012, to March 8, 2013.

3. Good and seamless casting

The complex and interesting characters will be lifeless if unsuitable actors are cast for the roles. This definitely didn’t happen in Secretly, Greatly. Let’s get to know the actors who portrayed the main characters:

Kim Soo Hyun

Lieutenant Won Ryu Hwan was portrayed by Kim Soo Hyun, currently one of the hottest and highest-paid South Korean actors. His good looks and noteworthy performances made him popular in dramas and movies. Some of his works include Dream High, Moon Embracing the Sun, and The Thieves, respectively.

His performance in Secretly, Greatly earned him the Best New Actor Awards in the 50^th Grand Bell Awards and the 50th Baeksang Arts Awards. He is one of the most successful product endorsers in South Korea. He also starred in the fantasy-romance series My Love from the Star. This drama was one of the highest viewership ratings in his country and internationally.

Park Ki Woong

Rhee Hae Rang was played by Park Ki Woong. He is a South Korean actor who became popular after appearing in a phone commercial. He made his entertainment debut in 2004 and started acting in 2005. In 2008, he became the honorary ambassador of his hometown Andong. He is popular for his roles in the television series The Slingshot and Bridal Masks and the films War of the Arrows and My Tutor Friend 2.

Lee Hyun Woo

Lee Hyun Woo played the role of Rhee Hae Jin. He is a South Korean actor and singer. He was a child actor for the popular television series The Return of Iljimae and Queen Seondeok. In 2011, he began hosting Music on Top. In recent years, He acted in the series Master of Study, Man from the Equator, and To the Beautiful You. He also received several nominations as Best New Actor and Best Young Actor for his role in this film.

More about Secretly/Greatly: Plot, Casts, and Awards.

4. The cinematography and fight scenes did not disappoint

The fight scenes and combat exhibitions of this movie were exceptional. The scenes, effectively strewn all throughout the movie, have successfully shown the toughness while also establishing the depth and humanity of the characters.

The three main actors, Kim Soo Hyun, Park Ki Woong, and Lee Hyun Woo, were amazing with their characters’ fight scenes and stunts. I am wondering, though, if they did all the stunts themselves or if they hired doubles to do the more complex ones. One thing is for sure: the stunts and fight scenes of Secretly Greatly did not disappoint.

Random Facts about Secretly, Greatly
Kim Soo Hyun won some awards for his work in Secretly, Greatly from several award-giving bodies. Firstly, the Men’s Fantasia Award at the 17th Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival. Secondly, the Best New Actor at the 50th Grand Bell Awards. Thirdly, the Dream Icon in Cosmo Beauty Awards (China). And finally, the Best New Actor (Film) and Most Popular Actor (Film) in the 50th Baeksang Arts Awards.

5. Honest and meaningful humor

True to its comedy-action genre, this movie will make you chuckle, giggle, and laugh out loud. From the wild, baffling humor brought about by the character of the village idiot and his freaky spy friends to the meaningful laughs mostly embedded in the differences in lifestyle and way of living of the citizens from the North compared to the people from the South. It was honest and meaningful. It’s amazing how a film can entertain and make you laugh, while also showing intensity and raising awareness of reality.

These were my 5 reasons why I think Secretly, Greatly should be a part of your must-watch list. Let me know if you have other thoughts once you have watched this movie.