I must confess, this was my first foray into Korean cinema, and initially, I found myself rather bewildered by the unfamiliar educational landscape and social dynamics of Seoul. The first thirty minutes, with all the talk of school districts and educational privileges, felt quite foreign to my British sensibilities.
However, darlings, once the story shifted into the cryptocurrency scheme, I was absolutely riveted. Song Jae-rim (who I've learned, tragically, passed away after this film) delivers a performance that transcends any cultural barriers. The way he portrays Do-hyun's transformation from an ambitious young man into something far more complex is simply brilliant - rather reminds me of Michael Corleone's character arc, if I'm honest.
The mother-son relationship particularly resonated with me, despite being set in a different cultural context. Kim Hye-soo as Ok-ja is absolutely magnificent - every British mum who's ever pushed their child toward Oxbridge will recognise that steely determination in her eyes.
What began as a curious peek into Korean cinema turned into one of the most engaging financial thrillers I've seen in ages.
The latter half had me perched on the edge of my sofa, clutching my cuppa gone cold. Even my husband, who typically dozes off during foreign films, remained wide awake throughout.
A splendid introduction to Korean cinema, though I'm told this is rather different from their usual fare. Quite gutted to learn it was Song's last performance - what a tremendous loss to cinema.
