<서울의 봄> '12.12: The Day' Movie Review


  The night everything changed, December 12, 1979. This day remains to all Koreans as an unbelievable historical event. After the 10.26 incident when President Park Chung-Hee was assassinated, a time so called "Seoul's spring" comes, citizens celebrating the end of 18 years of dictatorship. However, on December 12, Chun Doo-Hwan overthrows the government by a coup along with his military faction and secret organization 'Hanahoe(하나회)', finally becoming the president of Korea. He then starts a cruel monocracy, resulting in many uprisings from citizens followed by the government's violent oppression and massacres of innocent citizens that are still remembered to this day.

  12.12: The Day deals with the hidden truth of the day Chun Doo-Hwan stages a coup. Chun's irrational and insane acts are depicted realistically throughout the entire movie. Very few soldiers are righteous and loyal to the country, since most soldiers succumb to power. Every audience already knows the outcome of their futile but desperate attempt to protect the country. Everyone knows that their attempt is in vain, but still, you will find yourself wishing for even a slight glimpse of luck...

  Actor Jung Woo-Sung's acting as a righteous officer was precious. His incredibly superb and heartwarming acting was legendary. His desperate screams for help echoed in my head for a long time... They say the past is in the past, but what if the past is so heartbreaking that it can't be forgotten and forgiven? Yes, the 12.12 incident, along with other wrongful events throughout Korean history, should never ever be forgotten and forgiven. And that's what our movies are for.

Review: Hasty hopes for spring turns out to be winter's darkest despair.

P.S. Pictures of only the people "worthy" to be remembered.







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