The Tooth and the Nail

In the years after Korea's liberation, Seoul grapples with upheaval and shadowy networks. The postwar era breeds corruption, counterfeit currency, and clandestine operations that drive the thriller. The film situates its drama within this volatile period, where truth is hard to pin down and revenge blurs with justice.

The film unfolds in late-1940s Seoul, centered on a stone mansion that serves as a hub for power and crime. The city’s postwar turbulence frames a narrative of counterfeit money, hidden identities, and dangerous vendettas, all set against a backdrop of a society reconfiguring after liberation. From the streets to the mansion’s halls, the setting underscores how wealth and memory can mask deadly secrets.

⚖️ Justice

The pursuit of truth and the legal process drive the drama, revealing how evidence can be fragile and memory can shape guilt. Prosecution, testimony, and courtroom strategy clash with personal vendettas, highlighting the tension between formal justice and moral truth. The film probes whether justice can be truly fair when driven by vengeance and secrets.

🔪 Revenge

Ha-yeon’s death ignites a relentless quest for vengeance, turning Seok-jin into a man transformed by grief. The pursuit exposes the cost of revenge on both the avenger and those around him, as disguises, manipulation, and calculated danger escalate the body count. The narrative questions whether retribution can restore what was lost without creating new wounds.

🕵️ Identity

Characters assume multiple identities to survive and uncover truth, with Seok-jin adopting the alias Choi Seung-man and Do-jin maintaining a hidden, foreign-front. This fluid sense of self blurs lines between victim and perpetrator, and between ally and foe. The theme shows how identity can be a shield, a weapon, and a trap in a world coated with deceit.