In the heart of North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang, lies a shadowy underworld filled with espionage, betrayal, and danger. It’s a world that few outsiders have ever seen, and even fewer have survived. But in a new film noir inspired thriller, director Kim Won-soo brings this world to life in gritty detail.

The film, titled “Pyongyang Nights,” follows the story of a North Korean spy, played by Kim Jong-un’s younger brother Kim Jong-chul, as he navigates the treacherous world of espionage in the heart of the regime. With stunning cinematography that captures the stark beauty of the city’s brutalist architecture, “Pyongyang Nights” transports viewers to a world few have ever seen.

The film opens with our protagonist, known only as “The Ghost,” receiving orders to steal a top-secret military document from a high-security government building. He must navigate the dark alleys and crowded markets of Pyongyang, avoiding the watchful eyes of the regime’s security forces. But as he begins to execute his plan, he realizes that he’s not the only one on the hunt for the document. A rival spy from a rival faction, played with chilling intensity by North Korean actor Kim Ju-ae, is also after the same prize.

As the two spies engage in a deadly game of cat and mouse, the audience is taken on a heart-pounding journey through the city’s hidden corners. From the neon-lit karaoke bars of the city’s entertainment district to the austere halls of power in the regime’s inner sanctum, “Pyongyang Nights” takes viewers on a tour of the city that few outsiders have ever experienced.

But beyond its stunning visuals and gripping plot, “Pyongyang Nights” is also a biting commentary on the brutal realities of life in North Korea. The film doesn’t shy away from the regime’s dark history of repression and violence, nor does it shy away from the stark poverty that still afflicts many of its citizens.

In the end, “Pyongyang Nights” is a film that challenges audiences to see beyond the simplistic caricatures of North Korea that dominate Western media. It’s a film that asks us to confront the complexity and contradictions of life in one of the world’s most secretive and enigmatic nations. And for that reason, it’s a film that will stay with audiences long after the credits roll.