The Roundup

Four years after the sweeping operation in Garibong-dong, Ma Seok-do and Captain Jeon Il-man fly to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam to extradite a suspect named Yoo Jong-hoon. The heat of the city and the unfamiliar streets set a tense backdrop as they begin to stitch together a case that stretches beyond borders. Jong-hoon, when questioned, reveals a motive tied to danger from a former associate, Lee Jong-du, who allegedly tried to kill him. This admission nudges the detectives toward Jong-du’s hideout, only to discover that Jong-du is already dead, a clue that points to a far more perilous mastermind: the vicious killer Kang Hae-sang. Kang has been kidnapping and killing Koreans and tourists for money, extending a shadow that looms over every corner of the investigation. Among Kang’s victims stands a wealthy young Korean named Choi Yong-gi, whose loss intensifies the race to bring Kang to justice.

The clues pull Ma and Il-man deeper into a tangled web that runs through gardens and gambling dens. In a private garden, they confirm the chilling link between Kang and the slain family, and the pursuit intensifies. Inside a gambling den, they interrogate a Korean thug known as Raku, a man who reveals that Choon-baek, the father of the late Choi Yong-gi, has dispatched mercenaries in a bid to eliminate Kang. The revelation shifts the hunt from Vietnam to a personal feud rooted in Choon-baek’s money and influence. Kang makes a brutal appearance at a residence, wiping out the hired killers who hold crucial information about Choon-baek, but he escapes before Ma can seal the confrontation.

Back home in Korea, the trail opens again when Ma and Il-man are pulled from Vietnam via a return flight. They learn that Kang has slipped back into the country and intends to rendezvous with Choon-baek. A new lead comes through Jang I-soo, a survivor now running an export service, who fills in the gaps about a smuggling operation that may have carried Kang back to the peninsula. CCTV footage from Gongping port confirms Kang’s arrival, and the chase takes on a tighter timetable as Choon-baek announces a large bounty for Kang’s capture. The clock starts ticking toward a dramatic confrontation.

The stakes rise when Kang crashes the funeral of Choi Yong-gi, kidnapping Choon-baek in the confusion that follows. He calls Choon-baek’s wife, Kim In-sook, and demands payment in exchange for Choon-baek’s life, turning a family tragedy into a high-stakes ransom scheme. In-sook, seeing a chance to stop Kang and save her husband, reaches out to Ma and his team for help. She joins forces with Jang I-soo, who, posing as her driver, accompanies her to the crucial location where the deal is meant to take place. The plan relies on careful coordination, disguise, and timing, with Ma providing strategic backing from the shadows.

As the operation unfolds, Dong-gyun — Ma’s trusted ally — tracks Kang to his hideout and rescues Choon-baek, only to be stabbed by Kang in a brutal clash that underscores the danger in every move. Backup arrives but is overwhelmed, and Kang slips away once more, leaving Ma and his team to regroup. In a shopping complex parking lot, Jang I-soo escapes with the money, abandoning In-sook to face the consequences of the failed exchange, while Ma and his squad subdue Kang’s two main lieutenants, tightening the net around the core conspiracy.

With the extortion plan ruined, Kang pivots to a desperate escape route. He learns that Jang I-soo’s associates plan to flee to China, and he pursues this path with relentless speed. A tense pursuit leads Kang to a confrontation with Jang I-soo, who bolts, abandoning the money behind as the two men collide in a clash of wits and will. The next leg of Kang’s flight takes him onto a bus, where he hopes to vanish into the crowd. Yet Ma receives a crucial tip and halts the bus at a decisive moment. In a final, hard-fought showdown, Ma overpowers Kang and ensures his arrest, bringing an end to Kang Hae-sang’s brutal arc.

In the aftermath, the team gathers to celebrate a case solved, but the victory carries the weight of the lives affected and the toll of the pursuit. The film closes on the quiet satisfaction of justice served, tempered by the knowledge that violent crime does not respect borders, and dedicated officers must navigate a network of loyalties and danger to protect people—wherever they may be.

Last Updated: November 29, 2025 at 00:47