National Security (2012)

Original title

남영동1985

Directed by

Chung Ji-young

Genre

drama film, prison film, biographical film

Country

South Korea

Runtime

1h 50m

Rated

15

Rating

7.3 of 10 from 24 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

Based on true events, the film follows Kim Geun-tae, a democracy activist who was kidnapped and tortured by police for 22 days in 1985 during South Korea's military dictatorship. It depicts his endurance under interrogation and the brutality of the regime.

harrowingclaustrophobicintensesomberhistoricalslow-burnbleakvisceral

What happens

National Security (Korean: 남영동 1985; RR: Namyeongdong 1985) is a 2012 South Korean biographical drama film based on the memoir by Kim Geun-tae, a democracy activist who was kidnapped and tortured by national police inspector Lee Geun-an for 22 days in 1985 during the Chun Doo-hwan regime. Calling the film "the most painful experience in my 30 years as a filmmaker," director Chung Ji-young wanted the audience to reflect on the theme of torture. He said he found the courage to make the film so that Korean viewers will "engage with our sad history and the sacrifices of great people like Kim Geun-tae in a concrete, meaningful way. If we triumph over the past, we can move forward with unity and reconciliation." (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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