🗡️The Old Woman with the Knife (2025) – A Deadly Comeback Starring Lee Hye-young | On Digital November 25

Boxofficehype
Oct 22
4 min read

“Age sharpens the blade, not dulls it.”From the studio behind Train to Busan and The Ip Man Franchise comes an action thriller that slices straight to the heart — The Old Woman with the Knife (파과). This South Korean masterpiece, directed by Min Kyu-dong, stars Lee Hye-young, Kim Sung-cheol, and Kim Mu-yeol, and premieres on digital November 25 via Well Go USA Entertainment.

🎬 Aging Assassin. Unfinished Business.

Once known as “Nail” in the shadows of Seoul, Hornclaw (Lee Hye-young) has spent decades erasing the filth of society — one target at a time. A legend in her sixties, her weapon of choice isn’t a gun or a sword, but a poison-tipped hairpin — as silent as her vengeance.

But when a reckless young hitman named Bullfight (Kim Sung-cheol) barges into her world, Hornclaw finds herself mentoring someone who could either save her… or end her.

As their unlikely bond grows, betrayal brews in the shadows. Someone wants her dead — and in a world where loyalty means nothing, survival demands one thing: stay sharp.

“There’s no retirement plan in our business,” Hornclaw mutters. “Just a slower death.”

⚔️ The Past That Won’t Die

The film traces Hornclaw’s journey from a street urchin in 1970s Seoul to a feared assassin for a secret organization posing as a pest-control company. Trained by her mentor Ji-wo, she became a ghost — eliminating “vermin” that society couldn’t cleanse. But decades later, the mission has changed. The noble assassins have turned into contract killers, and Hornclaw’s faith begins to crumble.

When she discovers that Bullfight has ties to her forgotten past, everything unravels — loyalty, morality, and her fragile sense of peace. In the underworld, everyone’s a weapon. And even legends bleed.

🌑 From Page to Screen – A Powerful Adaptation

Based on the acclaimed novel The Old Woman with the Knife by Gu Byeong-mo, this adaptation brings raw humanity to the assassin genre. Director Min Kyu-dong (All About My Wife, The Treacherous) infuses the film with emotional realism and brutal grace, making it less about killing — and more about living when death is all you know.

At its heart, it’s a story of age, regret, and rediscovery — told through the eyes of a woman who refuses to fade quietly.

“She’s not a killer because she’s heartless,” says Min. “She kills because the world gave her no other choice.”

💥 Cast & Characters

Lee Hye-young as Hornclaw – the aging assassin with a haunted past.
Kim Sung-cheol as Bullfight – the brash young killer who challenges her worldview.
Kim Mu-yeol as Ryoo – a shadowy figure pulling strings in the underworld.
Yeon Woo-jin as Dr. Kang – Hornclaw’s confidant and quiet observer.
Ok Ja-yeon as Cho-yeop – a fellow assassin whose loyalty is uncertain.

🎥 Film Details

Title: The Old Woman with the Knife (파과)
Directed By: Min Kyu-dong
Based On: The Old Woman with the Knife by Gu Byeong-mo
Genre: Action | Thriller | Drama
Starring: Lee Hye-young, Kim Sung-cheol, Kim Mu-yeol
Runtime: 122 minutes
Country: South Korea
Language: Korean
Premiered: February 20, 2025 (Berlinale)
South Korean Release: April 30, 2025
Digital Release (North America): November 25, 2025
Distributed By: Well Go USA Entertainment
Box Office: US$3.8 million

🔥 Why You Should Watch

If Kill Bill met The Man from Nowhere and Peppermint, you’d get The Old Woman with the Knife.It’s an adrenaline-fueled, character-driven thriller that refuses to glamorize violence — instead, it stares straight into the soul of it.

For those who love sharp, emotionally charged storytelling, this is a must-watch. Lee Hye-young delivers a career-defining performance, proving that power doesn’t fade with age — it evolves.

🌍 Streaming Details

The Old Woman with the Knife arrives on digital November 25, 2025, via Well Go USA Entertainment.It will be available worldwide, bringing one of South Korea’s most anticipated thrillers to audiences across the globe.

❓ FAQs About The Old Woman with the Knife

Q1: What is The Old Woman with the Knife about?

The film follows Hornclaw, a 60-year-old assassin who’s forced to confront her past when a young hitman enters her life — and a deadly conspiracy emerges.

Q2: When is the movie releasing digitally?

The movie releases on digital November 25, 2025, through Well Go USA Entertainment.

Q3: Who plays the lead role?

Veteran actress Lee Hye-young stars as Hornclaw, supported by Kim Sung-cheol and Kim Mu-yeol.

Q4: Is the movie based on a novel?

Yes, it’s adapted from the best-selling Korean novel The Old Woman with the Knife by Gu Byeong-mo.

Q5: What genre is it?

It’s a South Korean action-thriller, with deep emotional and psychological undertones.

Q6: Who directed the film?

The movie is directed by Min Kyu-dong, known for All About My Wife and The Treacherous.

🩸 Final Thoughts

The Old Woman with the Knife isn’t just another assassin story — it’s a haunting meditation on survival, memory, and the thin line between justice and vengeance.

As Hornclaw reminds us: