Very realistic in tone but with the film makers perspective tacked on, this gangster flick doesn't take itself too seriously. It sure seems like it could be happening somewhere in Korea right now and that's what may be the gimmick that will hook you.
Imagine a hungry, low level gangster on the rise and the murders and betrayals that go along with it. Throw in an old friend, who happens to be a scriptwriter, who picks the gangster's brain for authenticity for a script he is working on and there you go. After watching it a second time around, I was impressed by the portrayal of the Gangster Byung Doo. When he kills it kills him inside, when he fights he unleashes a fury and when he plots he is quietly cold. He is loyal to his boys to a fault; but those who stand in his way, no matter what their position or rank may be, better watch their backs. Watch the story of the gangster on the rise and then see the consequences unfold before your eyes. The clean cut killer has his day in the sun and his heart of gold is stained with blood. The backs he stabbed return to him in a "novel" way in this one, literally. "What goes around comes around," so they say.
The fight scenes are chaotic and violent instead of ultra stylish. Pace is a little slow and of course there is the obligatory love interest and sad upbringing back story that tries to garner sympathy for the tragic anti-hero. "Running Wild(Ya-Soo)" is more intense a drama and "Bittersweet Life(Dalkoman Insaeng)" is better in the action department. Those two movies had me pumped throughout but this one required a bit more patience. This is more of a brooding type of film that comes at you with the unique angle of the film maker as an actual character who is pivotal to the story that unfolds.
Imagine a hungry, low level gangster on the rise and the murders and betrayals that go along with it. Throw in an old friend, who happens to be a scriptwriter, who picks the gangster's brain for authenticity for a script he is working on and there you go. After watching it a second time around, I was impressed by the portrayal of the Gangster Byung Doo. When he kills it kills him inside, when he fights he unleashes a fury and when he plots he is quietly cold. He is loyal to his boys to a fault; but those who stand in his way, no matter what their position or rank may be, better watch their backs. Watch the story of the gangster on the rise and then see the consequences unfold before your eyes. The clean cut killer has his day in the sun and his heart of gold is stained with blood. The backs he stabbed return to him in a "novel" way in this one, literally. "What goes around comes around," so they say.
The fight scenes are chaotic and violent instead of ultra stylish. Pace is a little slow and of course there is the obligatory love interest and sad upbringing back story that tries to garner sympathy for the tragic anti-hero. "Running Wild(Ya-Soo)" is more intense a drama and "Bittersweet Life(Dalkoman Insaeng)" is better in the action department. Those two movies had me pumped throughout but this one required a bit more patience. This is more of a brooding type of film that comes at you with the unique angle of the film maker as an actual character who is pivotal to the story that unfolds.