The Killers (2024) | Netflix Thriller Review

Four Directors, Four Killers, One Sinister Theme

💡 Introduction

The Killers (2024) is a bold Korean anthology film streaming on Netflix, uniting four directors—Kim Jong-kwan, Noh Deok, Jang Hang-jun, and Lee Myung-se—to explore the darker side of human nature through murder and irony.

Rather than simply adapting the text, every director transforms its core question—“What drives people to kill?”—into a visually distinct narrative. From brooding noir to dark comedy and surreal fantasy, these four shorts mirror the violence, absurdity, and fragile morality hidden within human nature. The result is not a mainstream blockbuster but a cinematic experiment that challenges the viewer’s comfort zone and aesthetic expectations.

🎥 Basic Info

Category	Details
Title	The Killers (더 킬러스)
Genre	Crime, Thriller, Black Comedy
Directors	Kim Jong-kwan, Noh Deok, Jang Hang-jun, Lee Myung-se
Main Cast	Shim Eun-kyung, Yeon Woo-jin, Hong Sa-bin, Ji Woo, Oh Yeon-ah, Jang Hyun-sung, Kwak Min-gyu
Runtime	119 minutes
Rating	19+ (Restricted)
Released	October 23, 2024
Available on	Netflix

🩸 The Killers (2024) Episode 1 – Transformation

Director: Kim Jong-kwan | Cast: Yeon Woo-jin, Shim Eun-kyung

A man with a knife in his back staggers into a mysterious bar called “Wolya.”
The bartender (Shim Eun-kyung) offers him a blood-red cocktail that changes him forever.
He transforms—literally—into something monstrous and unstoppable.

This opening short blends gothic visuals with metaphorical horror, though its symbolism may feel opaque.

★★★☆☆ (6/10) — Stylish but somewhat abstract.

💰 The Killers (2024) Episode 2 – The Contractors

Director: Noh Deok | Cast: Hong Sa-bin, Ji Woo, Lee Ban-seok, Shim Eun-kyung

A woman hires a hitman to kill a corrupt professor for ₩600 million.
But after multiple layers of subcontracting, the final killers receive only ₩3 million—and kidnap the wrong person!

Absurd, darkly funny, and brilliantly paced, The Contractors is the film’s sharpest social satire.
Through laughter, it exposes the chaos of modern capitalism and the ridiculousness of hierarchical outsourcing.

★★★★☆ (8/10) — Sharp, witty, and effortlessly entertaining.

🕰 The Killers (2024) Episode 3 – Everyone Waits for Him

Director: Jang Hang-jun | Cast: Oh Yeon-ah, Jang Hyun-sung, Park Sang-myun, Lee Jun-hyuk

1979, South Korea.
During the curfew era, a group of strangers gathers at a dimly lit bar, all hunting for a serial killer named Yeom Sang-gu.
Each man suspects the other—until the shocking twist: the killer was the bar owner all along.

Retro aesthetics, 70s mood, and taut dialogue create the most cinematic episode of the four.
Oh Yeon-ah’s performance as the femme fatale murderer is hauntingly effective.

★★★★☆ (7.5/10) — Atmospheric, tense, and perfectly executed.

🎭 The Killers (2024) Episode 4 – Silent Film

Director: Lee Myung-se | Cast: Shim Eun-kyung, Go Chang-seok, Kwak Min-gyu, Kim Geum-soon

Set in a dystopian underground city called “Diaspora City,” this episode follows a trio of restaurant owners as they prepare for a visit from a mysterious guest—and two assassins arrive to kill him.

It’s visually mesmerizing but narratively ambiguous, reminiscent of Sin City with a Korean twist.
Artistic ambition takes center stage here, for better or worse.

★★☆☆☆ (5/10) — Visually stunning but emotionally distant.

🎞 Overall Review

The Killers isn’t about the killings themselves—it’s about how people become killers.
Each director takes the same concept and transforms it into a different cinematic language.

Shim Eun-kyung appears in three out of four episodes, showing incredible range—from eerie bartender to powerless victim to dystopian survivor.
Her presence alone threads the anthology together.

While not every segment lands perfectly, the film as a whole is a bold and refreshing experiment—especially in today’s formulaic movie landscape.

★★★☆☆ (7/10) — Ambitious, uneven, but artistically brave.

💬 One-Line Summary

“Four killers, four mirrors — and one reflection of human desire.”

The Killers (2024) | A Bold, Gripping Netflix Thriller You’ll Love