1987

This movie goes between a nail-biting spy thriller, a gorgeous display of nature amid chaos, a hard-to-watch document of torture, and a rousing cry of patriotism all without slipping into exploitation. Contrary to what some people have said, I thought the movie found a way to celebrate the need for democracy amid oppression without painting the oppressors as cartoonishly evil. Every character had a role to play in this ensemble, in a story that truly encompassed a nation. Definitely paying more attention to this director for providing this masterpiece.

The story begins with a corpse, a student tortured to death by the anti-communist secret police. This should be another forgotten death, but there's a general sense of outrage and one after another, the officials whose paper trail would normally cover up the mess, refuse to cooperate. As the story snowballs, the lives of those involved, as well as the broader political situation, change significantly.

A thrilling and moving film, well directed and acted, as well as informative for those of us who don't know much modern Korean history.

As a Chinese, I'm so related to this Korean film. I admire that Korean people can create this film to commemorate their own history, which we could not. The film is even banned in the largest movie-ranking platform, Douban. What Korean people have now is all because of their sustaining fight against dictatorship and the fight is still going on. Thinking about the Tian'anmen Square in 1989 and Hongkong in 2019, wish Chinese people luck.

However, objectively, I believe this film needs more efforts to do on the discription of female characters. There is only one main female character who severely influenced by two male characters.

I'm Chinese, and I hope that, one day, my country can admit the fault about what happened in 1989 officially.

This is a movie more than a movie. It's also a history, emotions and lives in Korea, 1987.

No actor(actress) has been consumed in vain in the movie.

Every moment is well directed. This is the great movie such like 'Citizen Kane' and 'Shawshank Redemption'. It's a historical movie, a humanism drama dedicated to freedom fighters all around the world.

*. 1987: The direct democracy has been declared in Korea. 2017: The corrupt government has been collapsed in Korea.