The Old Woman with the Knife
| The Old Woman with the Knife | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Hangul | 파과 |
| Hanja | 破果 |
| Lit. | Breakthrough |
| RR | Pagwa |
| MR | P'agwa |
| Directed by | Min Kyu-dong |
| Screenplay by |
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| Based on | The Old Woman with the Knife by Gu Byeong-mo |
| Produced by | Min Jin-soo |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Lee Jae-woo |
| Edited by | Jung Jung Eun |
| Music by | Kim Jun-seong |
Production company | Soo Film |
| Distributed by |
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Release dates |
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Running time |
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| Country | South Korea |
| Language | Korean |
| Box office | US$3.8 million[2] |
The Old Woman with the Knife (Korean: 파과) is a 2025 South Korean action thriller film directed by Min Kyu-dong. The film, based on the novel of the same name by Gu Byeong-mo, follows Hornclaw (Lee Hye-young), a legendary assassin in her 60s who specialises in eliminating the scum of the Earth.[3]
The film premiered at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival on February 20, 2025 as part of Berlinale Special programme.[4]
Synopsis
In 1975, Hornclaw was street urchin adopted by a kind couple who owned a diner and she worked as helper in the diner. A US soldier assaulted and tried to rape Hornclaw but Hornclaw killed him in self-defense. The husband, Ji-wo discovered it and revealed himself to be an assassin of an underground organization masqueraded as a pest control company dedicated to remove people who are considered 'vermins' in society. He covered up her crime and trained her to become an assassin with codenamed Nail. Eventually, Ji-wo's assassin life took a toll on him as his enemies killed his wife and child. Ji-wo sought out the gang that killed his wife and son but was killed due to overwhelming numbers of gangster after dispatching several of them. Hornclaw came and killed the remaining gang. Seeing the demise of her mentor's family, Hornclaw swore to not have any attachments.
Decades later, Hornclaw is now a seasoned assassin in her sixties and has become a legendary figure in the underworld who is renown for quietly assassinating target with her poisoned-tipped hair pin. She has been dissatisfied with the organization directions in the present day as they are now act more like a pure assassin-for-hire organization than a noble assassin organization. She faces upheaval when Bullfight, a skilled young hitman, seeks to partner with her. Unaware of his true identity, she fails to recognize their past connection. As tensions rise, their relationship spirals into a deadly confrontation fueled by vengeance and survival.
Cast
- Lee Hye-young as Hornclaw
- Shin Si-ah as young Hornclaw[5]
- Kim Sung-cheol as Bullfight
- Yeon Woo-jin as Dr. Kang
- Kim Mu-yeol as Ryoo
- Ok Ja-yeon as Cho-yeop
- Kim Kang-woo as Director Son
- Choi Moo-sung as Jang-bi
Production
In February 2024, Kim Sung-cheol was cast in the film as protagonist.[6] In June 2024, Lee Hye-young was cast as the main character in the film.[7]
Release
The Old Woman with the Knife had its world premiere in the Berlinale Special section of the 75th Berlin International Film Festival on 20 February 2025.[8][9][10]
The film was invited to the competition section of the 43rd Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival held from April 8 to April 20, 2025.[11] Later on April 30, it was released theatrically in South Korea.[12]
The film was selected at the 24th New York Asian Film Festival held from July 11 to July 25, 2025 for its New York Premiere in Prime Picks.[13] It will have its first screening on July 12 at the Film at LOOK Cinemas W57.[14] It was also presented in the Korean Cinema Today section at the 30th Busan International Film Festival on September 18, 2025.[1]
It was invited to compete in the Crossovers Competition section of the Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival. It was screened on September 28, 2025.[15]
On 15 October 2025, it was screened at the 58th Sitges Film Festival in the 'Òrbita' section.[16]
Reception
Box office
The film was released on April 30, 2025 on 641 screens.[17][18]
As of July 5, 2025, the film has grossed US$3,852,545 from 550,316 admissions.[17][2]
Accolades
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Nominee / Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buil Film Awards | September 18, 2025 | Best Actress | Lee Hye-young | Nominated | [19] |
| Best Cinematography | Lee Jae-woo | Nominated | |||
| Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival | 5 October 2025 | Crossovers Grand Prix | The Old Woman with the Knife | Nominated | [20] |
| Blue Dragon Film Awards | November 19, 2025 | Best Film | The Old Woman with the Knife | Nominated | [21] |
| Best Director | Min Kyu-dong | Nominated | |||
| Best Actress | Lee Hye-young | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actor | Kim Sung-cheol | Nominated | |||
| Technical Award | Seo Jeong-ju (Martial Arts) | Nominated | |||
| Korean Film Producers Association Awards | December 18, 2025 | Best Actress | Lee Hye-young | Won | [22] |
References
- ^ a b "The Old Woman with the Knife: International Cut". Busan International Film Festival. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ a b "KOFIC, KOBIS (Korean Box Office Information System) The Box office: Korean films of 2025". KOFIC. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
- ^ Park Jae-hwan (January 17, 2025). 민규동 감독 신작 '파과' 베를린국제영화제 공식 초청 [Director Min Gyu-dong's new film 'Breakthrough' officially invited to Berlinale]. KBS Media (in Korean). K Star. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
- ^ Economou, Vassilis (January 16, 2025). "Berlinale Special expands its selection with diverse new additions". Cineuropa. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
- ^ Kim Kyung-hee (January 20, 2025). 배우 신시아, 베를린 초청작 '파과'로 강렬한 스크린 복귀 [Actress Cynthia makes a powerful screen return with Berlin premiere 'Breakthrough']. MBC Entertainment (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
- ^ Moon Ji-yeon (February 14, 2024). [단독] 변요한 아닌 김성철..영화 '파과' 주인공 됐다 [[Exclusive] He became the protagonist of the movie "Breakthrough"]. Sports Chosun (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
- ^ Kim Myung-mi (June 14, 2024). 이혜영, 영화 '파과' 주인공 캐스팅…60대 女 킬러 파격 변신[공식] [Lee Hye-young casts the main character in the movie 'Breakthrough'... 60's 女 killer radical transformation [Official]]. Newsen (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
- ^ Dalton, Ben (January 16, 2025). "Berlinale reveals Special, Panorama, Generation and Forum titles". ScreenDaily. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
- ^ Ntim, Zac (January 16, 2025). "Justin Kurzel Series 'The Narrow Road To The Deep North' Starring Jacob Elordi Among Titles Added To Berlinale Lineup". Deadline. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
- ^ "The Old Woman with the Knife". Berlinale. February 4, 2025. Retrieved February 20, 2025.
- ^ Yeon Hwi-seon (March 20, 2025). "이혜영, 존 윅 위협하는 치명적 노인"...'파과', 브뤼셀 판타스틱 영화제 초청 [공식] ["Lee Hye-young, a deadly old man who threatens John Wick"...'Breakthrough' invited to the Brussels Fantastic Film Festival [Official]]. OSEN (in Korean). Retrieved March 20, 2025 – via Naver.
- ^ Kim Bo-young (April 30, 2025). '파과' 오늘 개봉…민규동 작사·김성철 가창 엔딩곡 MV 공개 ['Breakthrough' opens today… Ending song MV written by Min Kyu-dong and sung by Kim Sung-chul released]. Edaily Star (in Korean). Retrieved May 1, 2025 – via Naver.
- ^ "NYAFF and FLC Announce First Highlights of the 2025 New York Asian Film Festival, July 11–27". Film at Lincoln Center. June 11, 2025. Retrieved June 19, 2025.
- ^ "New York Asian Film Festival 2025: Forbidden Fairytale". Film at Lincoln Center. June 17, 2025. Retrieved June 19, 2025.
- ^ "Programmation 2025" [Programme 2025]. Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival (in French). September 23, 2025. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
- ^ "The Old Woman With The Knife". Sitges Film Festival. September 10, 2025. Retrieved October 1, 2025.
- ^ a b "Daily Box Office". KOBIS (in Korean). Retrieved May 1, 2025.
- ^ "The Old Woman with the Knife, 2025 at KOFIC, KOBIS (Korean Box Office Information System) Box office: Korean films". KOFIC. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
- ^ Kang Hye-min (July 24, 2025). 이병헌, 현빈→김고은, 이혜영...제34회 '부일영화상' 주인공은?. MHN (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
- ^ "The Old Woman with the Knife". Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival (in French). September 23, 2025. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
- ^ Kim Na-yeon (October 21, 2025). "46회 청룡영화상 최종 후보 공개..'어쩔수가없다' 12개 부문 노미" [The 46th Blue Dragon Film Awards final nominees have been announced. "Inevitable" wins 12 categories]. Star News (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved October 21, 2025.
- ^ Park, Se-yeon (December 18, 2025). '세계의 주인' 작품상→이병헌·이혜영 남녀주연상…제12회 한국영화제작가협회상의 선택 [종합] ["Master of the World" wins Best Picture → Lee Byung-hun and Lee Hye-young win Best Actor and Actress… Selections from the 12th Korean Film Producers Association Awards [Comprehensive]]. Ilgan Sports (in Korean). Retrieved December 18, 2025 – via Naver.