Kim Woo Bin is bad in his new film, “Criminal Designer.” He is criminally bad. That is, he plays a bad character, a safe-cracking con artist with a fondness for acquiring jewelry and antiques.
And given his last few drama roles, viewers can expect that he will do a good job of playing a bad but charming thug. He was bad-der than the bullies in “School 2013” and he was Lee Min Ho’s endearing bad boy rival in “The Heirs.”
‘Criminal Designer,” also previously called “The Technicians,” is the story of a group of professional con artists. They are hired by a mob boss to rob the almost $150 million supposedly hidden in an Incheon International Airport vault. And they have to do it within 40 minutes. You could almost see them as contract workers hired by other criminals to do the dirty work. And they are not afraid of a little danger.
The film was first screened at the 2014 Busan International Film Festival, where it won praise from viewers. After it was shown at the Asian Film Market, the rights were sold to China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Philippines. According to Lotte Entertainment, the film will be screened again at the American Film Market in the U.S. in November. “Criminal Designer” is set to premiere in Korea in December.
Part of the film’s appeal to buyers is Kim Woo Bin’s star power among younger viewers. But the cast also contains the appealing Lee Hyun Woo and some impressive veteran actors.
Lee Hyun Woo recently appeared in the films “Secretly Greatly” and the “Battle of Yeonpyeong.” He previously worked with Kim Woo Bin in the comedy “To The Beautiful You.” In “Criminal Designers” he plays Jung Bae, a genius hacker and Kim Woo Bin’s best friend.
Also in the cast are Lim Joo Hwan, Go Chang Suk, Kim Young Chul and Jo Yoon Hee.
Lim Joo Hwan, seen in “Ugly Alert,” plays a sidekick of the mob boss. Jo Yoon Hee, last seen in “Nine: Nine Time Travels” and soon to appear in ‘The King’s Face,” plays Eun Ha.
Kim Yong Chul, who appeared in “Iris II,” plays the mob boss who hires Kim Woo Bin and Lee Hyun Woo. Go Chang Seok, last seen in “Diary of Night Watchman” is the man who comes up with the plan. Kim Hong Sun, who directed “Traffickers,” is the film’s director.
Are you excited about this movie? Check out the trailer and let us know what you think.