✈️ Good News (2025): A Hijacking Thriller Rooted in History, Coming to Netflix

Netflix is all set to deliver turbulence on screen with Good News (2025), a high-stakes Korean disaster thriller that blends history, politics, and suspense into one explosive ride. Directed by Byun Sung-hyun, the film is inspired by the real-life hijacking of a Japanese passenger plane in 1970, and it promises a razor-sharp mix of tense negotiations, hidden agendas, and cinematic thrills.

🗓️ World Premiere: September 5, 2025, at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)🌍 Global Release on Netflix: October 17, 2025

🎬 The Story: Sky-High Danger, Ground-Level Secrets

“When a plane gets hijacked, those on land are hell-bent on saving those in the air.”

Set in the 1970s, the film follows a hijacked Japanese passenger flight — a terrifying event that forces governments and intelligence agencies into desperate action. As the hijackers demand the plane be flown to Pyongyang, chaos erupts across Asia. But in the shadows, a covert figure known only as “Nobody” (played by Sul Kyung-gu) is tasked with executing a secretive, high-stakes operation to bring the crisis to an end.

From runway blockades to hijacked radio signals, the rescue mission becomes a deadly chess game — where every move could cost lives.

⭐ The Cast: Powerhouse Performances

• Sul Kyung-gu as Nobody, the mysterious operative pulling strings from the shadows.

• Hong Kyung as Seo Go-myung, an Air Force lieutenant caught in the web of danger.

• Ryoo Seung-bum as Park Sang-hyeon, the cunning director of Korean intelligence.

• Yamada Takayuki, Shiina Kippei, and Kim Seung-o round out the cast, adding international depth to this geopolitical thriller.

🛫 From History to Cinema

The film draws inspiration from the real March 1970 hijacking of Japan Airlines Flight 351 by the Red Army Faction, where armed militants forced the aircraft toward North Korea. Byun Sung-hyun’s film takes this historical foundation and blends it with satire, dark comedy, and suspense, creating a multi-layered political thriller that reflects the paranoia and tension of the Cold War era.

Like the director himself said in press notes: “It’s less about the hijacking, and more about how nations perform when the world is watching.”

🎥 Behind the Scenes

Filmed between September 2024 and February 2025, Good News used Gimpo International Airport, transformed to resemble Pyongyang’s airport, for authentic Cold War-era detail. With Netflix backing the project, expect high production value, meticulous period sets, and heart-pounding aerial sequences powered by modern cinematography.

📺 Streaming Details

• Premiere: September 5, 2025, TIFF (Special Presentations section)

• Streaming: October 17, 2025 — exclusively on Netflix, available worldwide

This means fans of Korean thrillers won’t have to wait long after the festival buzz to dive into the action from the comfort of their homes.

🚨 Final Word

With Good News (2025), Netflix looks ready to deliver another sharp-edged Korean thriller that balances real history, suspenseful drama, and biting satire. Between the stellar cast, grounded political backdrop, and nail-biting hijack sequences, this is shaping up to be a must-watch for fans of films like Hijack, Argo, or The Host.

As Nobody himself might say: “When the world panics, that’s when the real game begins.”

✈️ Good News lands globally October 17, only on Netflix.