Inspired by the country's growing addiction to the pocket-sized devices, the movie "Handphone" revolves around the consequences of cell-phone obsession and the gruesome outcome that losing it can lead to.
Nearly four years in the making, director Kim Han-min said his film is based on the real-life stories of people who experienced the agony of losing their cell phones, an average of 1.5 million people a year.
Seung-min (Eom Tae-woong) is an ambitious celebrity agent who sleeps with his mobile next to his pillow. The phone contains the numbers of 328 people who hold the promise of money and fame for his aspiring clients, 118 photographs and one video clip that no one is supposed to see -- an actress just beginning to rise in popularity for her "pure and innocent" image engaged in a compromising act.
One day, Seung-min accidentally leaves his mobile at a cafe. The phone is then picked up by Ee-gyu (Park Yong-woo), a typical youngster who discovers his darker side when he begins to play a cruel game with the desperate phone owner.
Ee-gyu, like many of his real life counterparts, has two very different sides. The kind, hardworking employee and devoted son is also a cruel and sadistic man who blackmails Seung-min into committing crimes to get his phone back.
The film's climax leaves audiences questioning the nature of the film's anti-hero, avoiding a simple contrast between who is good and who is bad, instead confronting viewers with their own potential for both good and evil.
"The movie is not just about losing one's phone," Park, who played Ee-gyu, told audiences at the preview Wednesday. "Losing the phone is just the premise that leads to the anger, fear and anxiety that many people will relate to. It is not the story itself, but the realistic aspects that audiences will be shocked by."
Initially unaware of his darker side, Ee-gyu soon becomes engrossed in a twisted game of his own making, believing he is safely hidden behind a mask of anonymity.
Seung-min, meanwhile, runs into massive debt buying expensive drinks for big names in the film and television industry to gain a leg up in the intensely competitive entertainment market.
He and his wife live in a wealthy Seoul neighborhood, driving posh cars as their lives drift farther apart and into their own private realities.
"Handphone," the second thriller by Kim after his debut in 2007 with the widely acclaimed "Paradise Murdered," has been long awaited by fans of the filmmaker.
The film does stumble towards the end, with an abrupt shift in focus and a lengthy running time of 150 minutes, leaving audiences slightly confused and wondering where the suspense went.
"Handphone" hits local theaters Feb. 19.
Credits : Shin Hae-in ( hayney@yna.co.kr )
Source : Yonhap News
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Hmm there aren't any good korean movies out now it seems. The last one that I saw was "The Game". Was pretty alright, didn't like the ending however. Do you have any movies to suggest? Thanks and have a great weekend everyone. HAPPY VALENTINE!<3
