Project Y (2025): A Neo-Noir Heist of Friendship, Betrayal, and Gold

South Korean cinema has gifted us countless unforgettable crime thrillers — from Oldboy to Night in Paradise. Now, a new title is ready to etch its name into the neo-noir hall of fame: Project Y. Directed by Lee Hwan and starring Han So-hee and Jeon Jong-seo, this upcoming film promises a gripping mix of friendship, desperation, and betrayal, all wrapped around one audacious plan — to steal 8 billion won in gold bars.

The film will premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 10, 2025, before heading to the 30th Busan International Film Festival later that same month. With its mix of neon-lit Gangnam nights and shadowy moral dilemmas, Project Y looks poised to become one of the defining Korean crime dramas of the decade.

💰 The Premise – Gold, Greed, and Gangnam Nights

At its core, Project Y is a story of two women bound by friendship and crushed by poverty.

• Mi-sun (Han So-hee) and Do-kyung (Jeon Jong-seo) have nothing but each other. Living at rock-bottom in Seoul’s glittering but unforgiving Gangnam district, they hatch a dangerous plan: to steal hidden black money and gold bars.

As the film teases, “a desperate attempt to escape their rock-bottom reality” drives their every move. But as with all noir tales, the gold comes with a price — betrayal, moral conflict, and possibly blood.

🌃 Cast – A Powerhouse of Korean Talent

The cast of Project Y reads like a dream list for Korean cinema fans:

• Han So-hee as Mi-sun – Known for My Name and Nevertheless, Han embraces a darker, grittier role here.

• Jeon Jong-seo as Do-kyung – The magnetic star of Burning and Netflix’s The Call, bringing raw unpredictability.

• Kim Shin-rok (Hellbound) as Ga-yeong

• Jung Young-joo (Extraordinary Attorney Woo) as Hwang So-rang

• Lee Jae-kyoon as Seok-gu

• Kim Sung-cheol (Our Beloved Summer) as Sa-jang

• Park Bo-in as the Hardcore Young Lady

Together, this ensemble bridges arthouse intensity with blockbuster charisma.

🎥 Direction, Style & Music – A Neo-Noir in the Making

Director Lee Hwan (collaborating with writers Oh Yu-kyung and Kwak Jae-min) crafts Project Y with the stylistic DNA of a neo-noir thriller. Expect rain-slick streets, blinding neon, and the slow tightening of fate around its characters.

• Cinematography: Yoo Young-gi lenses Gangnam with a mix of luxury and menace.

• Editing: Han Mee-yeon ensures a sharp, tense rhythm.

• Music: Produced by GRAY, expect an electrifying score blending pulsing hip-hop beats with noir soundscapes — a modern heartbeat under a classic crime shell.

🌍 Festival Journey – TIFF & Busan

The global spotlight is already warming up for Project Y:

• World Premiere: Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 10, 2025 under Special Presentations.

• Asian Premiere: Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) in the Korean Cinema Today – Special Premiere section.

This dual showcase signals the film’s ambition: a festival darling designed for both global critics and domestic audiences.

📅 Release Date & Distribution

After its prestigious festival debuts, Project Y will hit theaters in South Korea and Japan simultaneously later in 2025, distributed by Plus M Entertainment. International release plans have not yet been confirmed, but given the film’s cast and TIFF buzz, streaming platforms like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video could pick it up soon after its theatrical run.

⭐ Why Project Y Could Be a Game-Changer

South Korea’s crime thrillers are renowned worldwide, but Project Y brings a female-driven narrative into the heist genre, something rarely seen in noir cinema.

With Han So-hee and Jeon Jong-seo at its center, the film doesn’t just promise action and suspense — it promises emotional weight. Their friendship could be the gold worth more than 8 billion, or the very thing torn apart by greed.

As Hercule Poirot once said in another crime mystery, “Where there is crime, there is human emotion.” Project Y looks set to explore both in equal measure.

🔑 Quick Facts – Project Y (2025)

• Genre: Neo-noir crime drama

• Director: Lee Hwan

• Starring: Han So-hee, Jeon Jong-seo, Kim Shin-rok, Kim Sung-cheol

• World Premiere: TIFF – September 10, 2025

• Busan Screening: BIFF – September 2025

• Release: Late 2025 (South Korea & Japan)

• Runtime: 110 minutes

• Language: Korean

✨ Project Y is more than a heist film — it’s a story about survival, loyalty, and the cost of ambition. When the gold bars glitter, will friendship endure, or will it shatter?