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The clock above counts down to Humint, Ryoo Seung-wan's espionage thriller and the most-anticipated Korean theatrical release of early 2026, opening on Lunar New Year week — February 11, 2026.
Humint takes its name from "human intelligence" — the espionage tradecraft of running and managing human assets — and centers on a Korean intelligence operative working under cover. Director Ryoo Seung-wan returns to the action-thriller territory of Veteran and The Berlin File, his first feature since 2023's Smugglers. The Lunar New Year release in South Korea is one of the two biggest theatrical windows of the year, alongside Chuseok.
CJ ENM produces and distributes the film, anchoring it as the studio's flagship Korean tentpole for the first quarter of 2026.
Ryoo's filmography emphasizes practical action choreography, gritty realism, and morally complex protagonists. Humint is expected to deliver the Berlin File-style espionage drama at a higher production tier, with international location shooting reported across multiple Asian capitals. Lunar New Year openings in Korea regularly clear three to six million admissions, and Humint is positioned as the genre standout of that window.
Humint opens in South Korean theaters on February 11, 2026, with Asian-region rollouts following over the same week. North American and European bookings will follow through specialty distributors.
For more 2026 Korean theatrical events, see the Hope countdown for Na Hong-jin's return to feature filmmaking.
When does Humint release? February 11, 2026, around Lunar New Year. Who directs Humint? Ryoo Seung-wan, of Veteran and The Berlin File. What does "Humint" mean? It is intelligence-community shorthand for "human intelligence" — espionage tradecraft involving human assets. Where can I watch Humint internationally? Asian-region theatrical releases follow Korea; international bookings will be handled by specialty distributors.
