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Phantom

Phantom

A spy is hiding among them.

2023133 minMidcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
Director
Lee Hae-young
Starring
Sul Kyung-gu, Lee Hanee, Park So-dam, Park Hae-soo

In 1933, when Korea was under Japanese occupation, five people in Gyeongseong are suspected to be "Phantom" spies of the anti-Japanese organization.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Phantom?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove does not list Phantom on any major US streaming service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Phantom?

Phantom earns 1 badge: Award Winner.

Reception

Is Phantom worth watching?

Phantom's Midcredits score is the 58th percentile of all films, from 4.8K ratings across 4 sources. 47% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

58th percentile

Better received than 58% of films

74th percentile among Action60th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)67th
Approval (how many liked it)48th

66 /100

67th percentile of all films

81st percentile among Action67th percentile among 2020s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.2 — solid but not unanimous.

47% liked it

48th percentile of all films

62nd percentile among Action49th percentile among 2020s
47% rated it 7–1053% rated it 1–6

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 5 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

82nd percentile

4.8K ratings across platforms

71st percentile among Action83rd percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 5% in 30 days

Box office

Worldwide gross$24K

9th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A visually beautiful film with a talented cast let down by a weak, illogical screenplay.

Fans praised

  • visually stunning cinematography
  • propulsive action and fight choreography
  • strong cast performances

Detractors panned

  • idiotic Japanese officers with plot armor
  • convoluted and poorly woven story
  • unrealistic action and contrived plot

What stands out

Cinematography85

stunning visuals and camera work

Acting75

talented cast wasted on weak script

Effects and spectacleDivisive60

decent action choreography but unrealistic gunfights

Atmosphere60

exaggerated cliff mansion setting

TensionDivisive45

interrogation setup fails to sustain suspense

PacingDivisive40

slow first hour, sudden action

CharactersDivisive35

unlikable resistance, cartoon villains

Plot and storyDivisive30

contrived spy story with poor logic

Watch experience

What is Phantom like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Fun ride: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a fun ride.

It leaves you fired up.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Fun ride.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseThrilling
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Adventurous · 11% of filmsMelodramatic · 9% of films: Heightened emotion, played large.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Single location · 5% of films: Confined to essentially one place throughout.
ToneThe film plays its colonial resistance drama straight with sincere conviction, while the action sequences are staged with heightened, glossy style; comic relief provides a wry counterpoint.
The rideThe film builds tension through a slow-burn interrogation, then erupts into relentless action in its second half.
StructureThe story follows a conventional three-act structure: set-up in a remote hotel, interrogation and suspicion (first half), then a breakout and action-filled escape (second half), with much of the film confined to the hotel and its cliffside surroundings.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Fired up.

The answer rests on this: Rousing · 10% of filmsFun
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves viewers feeling inspired by the resistance's bravery and entertained by the stylish, high-octane action, despite some plot flaws.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MysteryPuzzle
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7% (this title): Puzzle 1% (this title) · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Puzzle: A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).

7% of films fit this archetype

with Overcoming the monster underneath

Why this archetypeThe film is structured as a locked-room whodunit where five suspects are trapped and interrogated to identify the 'Phantom' spy, but it also involves a fight for survival against Japanese colonial oppression, blending puzzle-solving with action escape.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFreedomPower
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5% (this title)
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% (this title) · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Power

Freedom · 5% of filmsJustice · 13% of filmsBetrayal · 5% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on the fight for freedom against Japanese colonial rule, explored through a tense spy thriller where trust is uncertain and betrayal lurks among the suspects.
StanceThe film celebrates the Korean resistance's fight for freedom against colonial oppression, with an ensemble of suspects working together to outwit the Japanese.

The world

Early 20th centuryInstitutionalWildernessStylized realism
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Dalpalan
SettingAn isolated hotel on a cliff in 1933 Japanese-occupied Korea
MusicThe score blends atmospheric tension with period-appropriate motifs, supporting the film's slow-burn mystery and explosive action.

Content guide

Is Phantom okay for kids?

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • UK15
  • South Korea15
  • Spain16
  • Taiwan12+

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Phantom have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Phantom?

Cast

Sul Kyung-gu
as Junji Muramaya
Lee Hanee
as Park Cha kyeong
Park So-dam
as Yuriko
Park Hae-soo
as Kaito Takahara
Seo Hyun-woo
as Cheon Gye-jang
Kim Dong-Hee
as Lee Baek-ho

Crew

Directed by

Lee Hae-young

Written by

Jia MaiLee Hae-young

Cinematography

Sung-Lim Ju

Music by

Dalpalan

Produced by

Jung Chang-hoonPark Un-kyung

More like this

What are movies like Phantom?

Movies like Phantom include The Age of Shadows (2016), Assassination (2015) and Yaksha: Ruthless Operations (2022). Of the 10 closest matches, most are spy films, and several are hero-versus-nemesis stories.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

3 of these 10 share its world: Japanese occupation of Korea. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Phantom?

832 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: spy. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.