Man on the Edge (film)
Man on the Edge is a 2013 South Korean film directed by Jo Jin-kyu, starring Park Shin-yang as Gwang-ho, a trusted member of a powerful crime gang. After a knife wound changes his fate, Gwang-ho starts experiencing strange happenings and hears voices, suggesting he is destined to become a shaman. A persistent newspaper that seems to chase him leads him to a fortune teller, who reveals the spirit inside him. To accept his destiny, Gwang-ho must perform a ritual and begins living a double life: by day he runs a fortune-telling business, and by night he stays in the criminal world—a balance that becomes harder to maintain as his rival Tae-joo plots to take him down.
Production notes: This is Jo Jin-kyu’s fifth film. His debut, My Wife Is a Gangster, helped popularize gangster-themed movies in Korea. Park Shin-yang reportedly studied shaman practices for the role.
Release and reception: The film opened on January 9, 2013, with a runtime of 128 minutes. It was No. 1 at the South Korean box office for much of its run, selling about 3.9 million tickets and earning roughly US$21.9 million. Audiences generally enjoyed the performances and found it entertaining, while critics were mixed on the story’s plausibility.
In Japan: SPO organized the Park Shin-yang Festival 2014 at Toho Cinemas in Roppongi Hills from February 1–14, screening this film alongside other works featuring Park Shin-yang.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 04:57 (CET).