A North Korean pilot who flew a MiG-19 fighter jet across the border to defect, causing a major air-raid scare in Seoul—an event mirrored in a tense sequence in the film.
A student-led protest against the military regime that was brutally suppressed, resulting in hundreds of deaths. This event fuels the moral conflict and motivations of the main characters.
An actual assassination attempt on the South Korean President during a state visit to Myanmar (then Burma) that killed several high-ranking officials. The movie's climax is a reimagined version of this event. Why the Plot is so "Twisty"
This was Lee Jung-jae's first time directing. He reportedly worked on the script for four years after it was initially shelved in 2017. He also brought on his long-time real-life best friend, , to play his rival agent, marking their first on-screen collaboration in over 20 years.