Sul Kyung-gu
Nobody
Overview
When hijackers seize a Japanese flight and demand to fly to Pyongyang, a mysterious mastermind hatches a zany scheme to reroute the plane to Seoul.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
5 min readThe Art of the Lie: How Good News Turns Geopolitics Into a Farce Worth Believing
I’ve seen this trick before. A plane full of hostages, a ticking clock, a government that would rather spin than save. It’s the kind of story that usually ends in either tragedy or triumph, but Good News—Byun Sung-hyun’s latest Netflix-backed black comedy—chooses a third path: farce so elaborate it circles back to something like truth.
The film takes the 1970 hijacking of Japan Airlines Flight 351 by the Red Army Faction and asks, What if the real crime wasn’t the hijacking, but the cover-up? Not the kind of cover-up that hides bodies, but the kind that manufactures reality itself. And in doing so, it becomes one of the most audacious satires of bureaucratic cowardice I’ve seen in years.
Byun isn’t new to morally compromised professionals—his Kill Boksoon gave us a hitwoman with a day job and a conscience—but here, he scales up the stakes to geopolitical proportions. The premise is simple: a group of Japanese radicals hijack a plane, demanding to be flown to Pyongyang. The South Korean government, caught between Tokyo’s panic and Pyongyang’s silence, decides the best solution is to trick the hijackers into landing in Seoul instead.
The plan? Build a fake North Korean airport at Gimpo, complete with propaganda posters, costumed extras, and a script so convoluted it makes Wag the Dog look like a documentary. It’s a high-wire act of satire, and for the first two acts, it soars.
The film’s greatest strength is its willingness to let the absurdity breathe. Take the moment when the Japanese pilot, played with deadpan exhaustion by Kippei Shiina, abandons his plane mid-standoff and sprints across the tarmac like a man who’s just realized he left the oven on. It’s a visual gag so simple it shouldn’t work, but the way Byun frames it—wide, static, the camera holding on the empty plane like a punchline waiting to land—turns it into something darker.
Audience Opinions
"Early buzz highlights strong performances and a gripping premise, but audience reactions remain limited ahead of wider release."
Viewers who have seen early screenings praise the cast, particularly Sul Kyung-gu and Ryoo Seung-bum, for delivering intense and compelling performances. The blend of comedy, history, and thriller elements has intrigued some, though others find the tonal shifts uneven. Feedback is sparse, making it difficult to gauge broader audience sentiment at this stage.
What viewers praise
- Strong lead performances Sul Kyung-gu and Ryoo Seung-bum are frequently highlighted for their powerful and engaging portrayals.
- Intriguing premise The mix of comedy, history, and thriller genres has sparked curiosity among early viewers.
Common complaints
- Uneven tone Some find the shifts between comedy and thriller elements jarring or inconsistent.
- Limited feedback Early reactions are too few to form a definitive consensus on the film’s overall appeal.
Recommended for
Fans of Byun Sung-hyun’s work Korean crime thriller enthusiasts Award-season drama seekers
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsByun Sung-hyun’s "Good News" (2025) Assembles a Star-Studded Cast—But Details Remain Scarce
The upcoming film Good News (2025), directed by South Korean auteur Byun Sung-hyun, is already generating buzz for its powerhouse ensemble cast. Yet, despite the star power—including Sul Kyung-gu, Jeon Do-yeon, and Park Hae-soo—concrete details about the project remain frustratingly thin. Here’s what we know (and don’t know) about the highly anticipated movie.
A Cast That Spans Continents
Good News boasts an international lineup rarely seen in Korean cinema. Veteran actor Sul Kyung-gu (The Attorney, Kingdom) leads the pack, joined by Ryoo Seung-bum (The Unjust, Taxi Driver) and Hong Kyung (Weak Hero, Moving). The film also marks a crossover for Japanese stars Takayuki Yamada (Gintama, Danganronpa) and Show Kasamatsu (Drive My Car), alongside veteran actor Kippei Shiina (Out, First Love). Rounding out the cast are Kim Seung-o (The Childe), Nairu Yamamoto, and two of Korea’s most celebrated actors: Jeon Do-yeon (Secret Sunshine, The Housemaid) and Park Hae-soo (Squid Game, Narcos: Mexico) 
.
The inclusion of such a diverse, high-profile cast suggests Good News could be a genre-bending project—perhaps a crime thriller or a multi-narrative drama, given Byun’s past work (The Merciless, Kingdom: Ashin of the North). However, no official synopsis has been released, leaving fans to speculate.
TIFF 2025: A Glimpse Behind the Scenes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2743whcJW2A
The first real peek into Good News came at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2025, where a cast and crew Q&A session was held [3]. While the snippet doesn’t reveal specifics, the mere fact that the film was featured at TIFF hints at its potential prestige. Byun Sung-hyun has a history of premiering his work at major festivals (The Merciless debuted at Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight), so Good News could follow suit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKYDlua8D-U
A separate Netflix "Making Of" featurette [4]—likely a promotional clip—offers a brief look at the production process, though details remain vague. The video’s existence suggests Netflix may be involved in distribution, but neither the platform nor the film’s team has confirmed this.
Confusion and Misinformation
The lack of official updates has led to some online confusion. Rotten Tomatoes lists multiple entries for Good News, including one with a completely different cast (Ilja Stahl, Dennis Scheuermann) and another for a 2020 film . These appear to be unrelated projects, underscoring the need to focus solely on Byun’s 2025 film. The correct cast is confirmed by both Rotten Tomatoes [1] and TMDB, which lists the full ensemble [TMDB link].
What’s Next?
With no release date, plot details, or even a teaser trailer, Good News remains one of 2025’s most intriguing mysteries. Given Byun’s track record, the film is likely in post-production, with a festival premiere possible later this year. Until then, fans will have to settle for the occasional behind-the-scenes clip and the promise of a star-studded collaboration.
For now, the biggest good news is that this project exists at all—and that it’s bringing together some of the most compelling actors in Asia.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.
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