A Taxi Driver

1980. The movie starts harmless. A widowed taxi driver in Seoul struggling to make ends meet for himself and his little daughter. He more or less wants to do the right thing in a country where circumstances aren't all that well but you can live your life. The movie pulls a few heartstrings here and there but never too much. It is surprisingly tactful and the director wisely steps back from the story and lets good actors paint a picture of everyday life.

Enter a German reporter who smells a good story after being tipped off by a BBC colleague who tells him that the generally tense situation in South Korea somehow got worse recently. He needs a driver and the taxi driver needs the money. It is a relation out of necessity and neither of them actually seem to take a liking to each other.

Both soon have to come to terms with the fact that they put themselves into a situation which has great relevance to their country and their professions. Turning away just isn't possible. "Doing the right thing" means that an average person has to find extraordinary courage.

I have to commend the director and his actors for this eyewitness feeling. It is almost like you're another passenger sitting in that little taxi. You don't watch a movie but you are actually there as it happens. The fact that I was largely ignorant of those events in history makes this movie even more significant.

The end result is a movie which is well-directed, with competent acting and impressive camera work. I had very little to criticize but a lot to think about when I left the show and that -to me- often is the sign of a truly good movie. Go see it!

Seriously,I have no more tears. If well this is a film based on real facts, I think it's reflects at a good way how hard are this historical processes. Song Kang Oh shines like always. Great performance!

On May 18, 1980, the Gwangju incident in South Korea hoped to cover the truth through a news blackout, however, October 7, 2017 It's ironic that a region wants to block the film to prevent a memory of the 80s.

The truth of history can not be verified, just as we can not feel the emotions of the parties or their families, because the facts we now know may not be fully aware of the truth of the year, but what happened can not be forgotten It is now in what form is presented.

In China, we had the same movement, but we failed. We still live in the control of Chinese Communist Party. Why did we fail in 4th June 1989? What should we do for our freedom?

A Taxi Driver is a film you should not miss. It is based on real events and it is impossible to stay indifferent when watching it. To be perfectly honest, I was not aware of the tragic events at the protests in South Korea in 1980. The complete disregard for human life will send shivers down your spine. It is impossible to understand why humanity never learns anything from its darkest mistakes. Throughout the history, similar things have happened and will unfortunately continue to happen in the future for sure. The story of the two main characters is inspiring. They risked their lives to bring truth to the world. You really get to care and root for them until the end. The acting is top-notch; wonderful, natural performances from everyone. And if you are an emotional person, the ending will definitely bring tears to your eyes. Strongly recommended.