The Roundup: No Way Out (Korean: 범죄도시3; RR: Beomjoedosi3) is a 2023 South Korean action crime film directed by Lee Sang-yong, starring Ma Dong-seok, Lee Joon-hyuk and Munetaka Aoki. It is the third installment of The Roundup series and the sequel to The Roundup (2022). The film is based on a real-life 2017–2018 illegal drug smuggling case in South Korea involving methamphetamine, which was caught through a collaborative effort of South Korea, Japan and Taiwan.
The Roundup: No Way Out was released theatrically on May 31, 2023. A sequel, The Roundup: Punishment, was screened at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival on February 23, 2024.
Contents
Plot
After a promotion, Detective Ma Seok-do and his team join the Metropolitan Investigation Unit. Their first major case involves the mysterious death of a woman named Go Sun-hee. An autopsy reveals she had a new, potent drug called "Hiper" in her system. Ma's investigation leads him to a local nightclub, where he uncovers a connection to a yakuza member named Hiroshi, who is supplying the drug from Incheon. Ma's team successfully apprehends Hiroshi and seizes a significant shipment of 20 kilos of Hiper. However, their victory is short-lived. A corrupt police captain, Joo Sung-chul, orchestrates an ambush, steals the confiscated drugs, and kills Hiroshi to cover his tracks. It is revealed that Joo is working for a powerful criminal syndicate known as the White Shark Clan. The theft of the Hiper angers the original Japanese yakuza owners, who dispatch a ruthless and skilled hitman named Ricky to Korea to reclaim their product.
As Ma Seok-do closes in on another supplier named Tomo, Ricky assassinates the man, sparking a violent turf war between the hitman and the corrupt cop. Ma finds himself caught in the middle of this escalating conflict. He sets up a sting operation on a yacht to recover the drugs and trap Joo Sung-chul, using an informant named Chorong. The plan goes awry when Joo double-crosses everyone, making a separate deal with Ricky. Ma Seok-do is captured and taken to a remote location by the yakuza hitman. After a brutal interrogation, Ma manages to turn the tables and overpower his captor. Using a hidden tracker, he follows the stolen Hiper to Joo Sung-chul's office for a final confrontation. The police subsequently move in, arresting Joo and dismantling the yakuza network, allowing Ma and his team to celebrate another hard-won victory.
A mid-credits scene sets up the next sequel, showing Ma Seok-do recruiting the informant Jang Yi-soo for a new investigation.
Cast
Main
Ma Dong-seok as Ma Seok-do, Lieutenant of the Seoul Police Agency Metropolitan Investigation.
Lee Joon-hyuk as Joo Sung-cheol (Japanese: チュ・ソンチョル, Hepburn: Chu Sonchoru), a dirty cop and the Captain of Seoul Guryong Police Station Narcotics Investigation.
Munetaka Aoki as Ricky (Japanese: リッキー, Hepburn: Rikkī) Ichijo-gumi's Gang Leader.
Supporting
Lee Beom-soo as Jang Tae-soo, Captain of the Seoul Police Agency Metropolitan Investigation.
Kim Min-jae as Kim Man-jae, Seok-do's subordinate detective of the Seoul Police Agency Metropolitan Investigation.
Lee Ji-hoon as Yang Jong-soo, a detective sergeant of Seoul Police Agency Metropolitan Investigation.
Kim Do-geon as Jung David, a rookie detective of Seoul Police Agency Metropolitan Investigation
Ko Kyu-pil as Cherry (Chorong), a White Shark Gang member and Used Car Dealer.
Jeon Seok-ho as Kim Yang-ho, Good Distribution Boss.
Ryu Sung-hyun as Jung Gyung-sik, Captain of the Incheon Bukbu Police Station Narcotics Investigation.
Choi Dong-gu as Hwang Dong-goo a detective of the Incheon Bukbu Police Station Narcotics Investigation.
Lee Se-ho as Gong Tae-il, a detective of the Incheon Bukbu Police Station Narcotics Investigation
Han Kyu-won as Kim Yong-guk, Joo Sung-cheol's subordinate detective of the Gyeonggi Guryong Police Station Narcotics Investigation.
Choi Woo-jun as Lee Kang-ho, Joo Sung-cheol's subordinate detective of the Gyeonggi Guryong Police Station Narcotics Investigation.
Hong Joon-young as Maha (Japanese: マハ, Hepburn: Maha), Ichijo-gumi's Gang member and Ricky's subordinate.
Lee Tae-kyu as Martha (Japanese: マーサ, Hepburn: Masa), Ichijo-gumi's Gang member and Ricky's subordinate.
Others
Park Sang-nam as Club Orange's MD
Shin Hyun-yong as Automatic Door
Kim Won-kyung as Yasuda Ryuichi (Japanese: 安田 龍一, Hepburn: Ryuichi Yasuda), Tomokawa Ryo's subordinate.
Park Sang-won as Hayashi Yoshiaki (Japanese: 林 義明, Hepburn: Yoshiaki Hayashi), Tomokawa Ryo's subordinate.
Gong Teyu as Kimura Shokichi (Japanese: 木村 翔吉, Hepburn: Shokichi Kimura), Ricky's subordinate.
Park Joon-hyuk as Ricky's subordinate.
Gong Kyeong-bae as Ricky's subordinate.
Kim Min as Ricky's subordinate.
Choi Won-seok as Ricky's subordinate.
Jeon Ah-hee as a forensic doctor
Lee Jin-han as Tattooed man 1
Kim Tae-yoon as Tattooed man 2
Baek Nam-jun as Tattooed man 3
Park Tae-san as Tattooed man 4
Kang Hee-jae as a Cyber Club Prayer Yakuza
Kang Han-byeol as a Yacht interpreter Yakuza
Hong Lee-joo as Sang-cheol's girlfriend.
Bae So-young as Sang-cheol's junior.
Park Sang-nam as a Club Orange's MD.
Special appearance
Jun Kunimura as Ichizō Yoshio (Japanese: 一条 吉雄 Hepburn: Ichijō Yoshio), Ichijo-gumi's chairman
Park Ji-hwan as Jang Yi-soo (Chinese: 張夷帥, Zhang Yishuai), Cookie Video
Production
In May, 2022, Lee Joon-hyuk was reported to play the new antagonist in the third installment of Crime City series. In an interview in June 2022, Lee Sang-yong revealed that he is currently auditioning for Crime City 3. Principal photography began on July 20, 2022. On November 15, 2022, Ma Dong-seok posted on Instagram that the filming of The Roundup: No Way Out has ended.