“Citizen of a Kind” (Korean: 시민덕희) is a 2024 South Korean crime film directed by Park Young-ju, featuring Ra Mi-ran, Gong Myung, Yeom Hye-ran, Park Byung-eun, Jang Yoon-ju, Lee Moo-saeng, and Ahn Eun-jin. The plot is inspired by the true story of Kim Seong-ja, a laundromat proprietor in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, who exposed the leader of a voice phishing syndicate in 2016. The movie hit theaters on January 24, 2024.
CHARACTERS
- Ra Mi-ran portrays Kim Deok-hee, who suffers a significant financial loss due to a voice phishing scam and embarks on a mission to locate the responsible individual.
- Gong Myung takes on the role of Kwon Jae-min, a clandestine informant who aids Deok-hee by disclosing information about the voice phishing syndicate.
- Yeom Hye-ran embodies Bong-rim, Deok-hee’s resourceful colleague and friend of Korean-Chinese heritage, offering both practical and emotional support.
- Park Byung-eun stars as Park Hyeong-sik, a detective with the intelligence team trailing behind Deok-hee in her pursuit of justice, aiming to apprehend the perpetrator.
- Jang Yoon-ju portrays Sook-ja, a determined character akin to Deok-hee, providing unwavering support in the pursuit of the voice phishing ringleader.
- Lee Moo-saeng assumes the role of Oh Myung-hwan, the leader of a Chinese-based voice phishing organization with control over vast sums of money.
- Ahn Eun-jin plays Ae-rim, Bong-rim’s younger sister residing in Qingdao.
- Lee Joo-seung depicts Kyeong-cheol, a member of the voice phishing group torn between fleeing or remaining with the company under the false pretense of a lucrative part-time job.
- Sung Hyuk appears as Dae-woo, another member of the voice phishing syndicate.
- Kim Yool-ho portrays Detective Kim, an intelligence team detective collaborating with Detective Park to dismantle voice phishing operations.
- Seo Ji-hoo embodies Detective Shin, a junior detective working under Detective Park’s command.
STORYLINE
Deok-hee (Ra Mi-ran) finds herself in need of a loan following a fire at her laundromat. When the bank offers a seemingly generous upfront loan over the phone, she accepts without hesitation. However, Deok-hee soon discovers that she has fallen victim to a voice phishing scam, losing all her funds and ending up homeless with her children. Unexpectedly, the perpetrator of the scam, Jae-min (Gong Myung), contacts her again, this time to reveal details about the criminal organization that ensnared him. Despite the police abandoning the case, Deok-hee, accompanied by her colleagues, travels to Qingdao with the aim of both rescuing Jae-min and recovering her lost money.
