The Point Men ~ Korean Political Thriller Based on a True Hostage Crisis

“The Point Men” is a 2023 Korean movie, categorized as Action, Thriller, and Political, and it is streaming on Viki. The film is based on a true event.

• Memorable Quote: “If we fail, it’s not just the mission. It’s the lives of our people.”

SUMMARY: In 2007, 23 Korean missionaries were abducted by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Sadly, two hostages were killed during the negotiations.

♦ Walking a Path Littered With IEDs Might Be Easier

“The Point Men” is set in 2007. The film dramatizes South Korea’s response to a harrowing real-life hostage crisis. In 2007, 23 South Korean missionaries were abducted by the Taliban while traveling through Afghanistan. The captors demand the release of Taliban prisoners in exchange for the hostages’ lives.

The South Korean government dispatches Jung Jae-ho, a seasoned but by-the-book diplomat, to negotiate their release. He’s soon joined by Park Dae-sik, a rugged NIS agent with deep knowledge of the region and its volatile politics. The two men, with vastly different approaches and temperaments, must work together under immense pressure. As diplomatic channels stall and the Taliban’s threats escalate, the duo turns to unconventional methods. They enlist the help of Qasim (Lee Bong-han), a Korean expat fluent in Arabic and familiar with local customs, to navigate the treacherous terrain of tribal politics and militant factions.

The trio must walk a path that might as well be littered with IEDs (improvised explosive devices). They explore the moral and political complexities of hostage negotiations, the limits of diplomacy, and the personal toll of high-stakes missions. Tensions rise when the first hostage is executed, forcing Jung Jae-ho and Park Dae-sik to consider a direct negotiation with the Taliban, a move fraught with danger and ethical ambiguity.

Main Characters:

• Jung Jae-ho (Hwang Jung-min, “Narco-Saints”, “12.12: The Day”, “The Battleship Island”, “Mission: Cross”, “The Unjust”, “Korean Peninsula”)
• Park Dae-sik (Hyun Bin, “Harbin”, “Rampant”, “Crash Landing on You”, “Memories of the Alhambra”, “Ireland”, “The Fatal Encounter”)
• Qasim / Lee Bong-han (Kang Ki-young, “Exit”, “Queen of Divorce” , “The Uncanny Counter S2”, “I Am Not a Robot”, “My Secret, Terrius”,)

Where to Watch

Viewership and Rating:

• IMDb: 6 out of 10 stars
• My Drama List: 7.6 out of 10 stars
• Viki viewers rated this series 9.1 out of 10 stars

My personal rating is the same as the Viki viewers.

“The Point Men” was primarily filmed in Jordan, which doubled for Afghanistan. The realism is gritty and offers a sobering look at geopolitical conflict and international diplomacy under fire. The event occurred in 2007, but it’s a hauntingly relevant narrative for today.

Brief Timeline of the Real 2007 Crisis:

• July 19, 2007: The group was kidnapped while traveling by bus from Kandahar to Kabul.
• Demands: The Taliban demanded the release of imprisoned Taliban fighters in exchange for the hostages.
• Tragic Outcome: Two male hostages were executed during the standoff.
• Negotiations: South Korean officials engaged in direct negotiations with the Taliban.
• Resolution: After weeks of talks, the remaining 21 hostages were released by the end of August 2007.

The incident sparked intense debate in South Korea about missionary work in conflict zones and the government’s approach to hostage diplomacy.

REFERENCES:

1. Asia Society Korea. “War on Terror: Reflecting on the 2007 South Korea-Taliban Hostage Crisis.” Asia Society, https://asiasociety.org/korea/war-terror-reflecting-2007-south-korea-taliban-hostage-crisis.
2. “Taliban ‘Kills S Korean Hostage.’” Al Jazeera, 25 July 2007, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2007/7/25/taliban-kills-s-korean-hostage.
3. Rashid, Ahmed. “Afghanistan in 2007.” Asian Survey, vol. 48, no. 1, 2008, pp. 154–163. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/as.2008.48.1.154.

LINKS OF INTEREST:

The Point Men (2023) Reviews. | MyDramaList

The Point Men (2023) Movie Review – A Slow-Moving Action Thriller. | The Review Geek

Erik, the Asian Movie Enthusiast. “The Point Men (2023) – Korean Movie Review.” YouTube

TRAILER/TEASER:

AsianCrush. “The Point Men.” YouTube, Video, 19 Jan. 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCjFhsp6gO4.

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