[go: up one dir, main page]

    Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysSan Diego Comic-ConSummer Watch GuideBest Of 2025 So FarDisability Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Breathless

Original title: Ddongpari
  • 2008
  • 12
  • 2h 10m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
5.7K
YOUR RATING
Breathless (2008)
CrimeDrama

A bitter loan shark strikes a friendship with a troubled schoolgirl as he faces his own troubled past with his abusive father.A bitter loan shark strikes a friendship with a troubled schoolgirl as he faces his own troubled past with his abusive father.A bitter loan shark strikes a friendship with a troubled schoolgirl as he faces his own troubled past with his abusive father.

  • Director
    • Yang Ik-joon
  • Writer
    • Yang Ik-joon
  • Stars
    • Kim Kkobbi
    • Hwan Lee
    • Yang Ik-joon
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.5/10
    5.7K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Yang Ik-joon
    • Writer
      • Yang Ik-joon
    • Stars
      • Kim Kkobbi
      • Hwan Lee
      • Yang Ik-joon
    • 31User reviews
    • 52Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 31 wins & 8 nominations total

    Photos4

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster

    Top cast99+

    Edit
    Kim Kkobbi
    Kim Kkobbi
    • Yeon-hee
    • (as Kot-bi Kim)
    Hwan Lee
    • Young-jae
    Yang Ik-joon
    Yang Ik-joon
    • Sang-hoon
    Jeong-soon Park
    • Seung-chul
    Lee Seung-yun
    Lee Seung-yun
    • Hyeon-seo
    Hee-soo Kim
    • Hyung-in
    Jin-sook Lee
    • Sang-hoon's Mother
    Choi Yong-min
    • Hyeong-seok
    Gil Hae-Yeon
    • Yeon-hee's Mother
    Kim Sang-won
    Kim Sang-won
    • Young Sang-hoon
    Seon-ae Ji
    • Sang-hoon's Younger Sister…
    Jeong Man-sik
    Jeong Man-sik
    • Man-sik
    Yoon Seung-hoon
    • Hwan-gyu
    • (as Seung-Hoon Yoon)
    Jee-hye Oh
    • Yeon-hee's Homeroom Teacher
    Seung-il Hong
    • Beating Man
    Ahn Lee
    • Beaten Lady
    Jeong In-gi
    Jeong In-gi
    • Bi-level Dad
    Seon-jin Jang
    • Bi-level Mom
    • Director
      • Yang Ik-joon
    • Writer
      • Yang Ik-joon
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews31

    7.55.7K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    7dongseong-hwang

    Pride of Korean indie movie

    Ik-Joon Yang is the director, writer, and main actor in this movie. He produced this movie using his private money.

    The home of Yeon-Hue, the main actress, is Ik-Joon's renting house. After recording all scene in the house, he moved out from his home because his money run out and he needed his deposit in the house.

    He spent his every money to this movie, and fortunately this movie hits the 5rd best in the Korea indie movie history. Many Japanese also watched this movie in the theater.

    I really appreciate his marble art; Breathless and King of the pigs

    For more information, please refer to this wiki. https://mirror.enha.kr/wiki/%EB%98%A5%ED%8C%8C%EB%A6%AC This is written in Korean but Google translator might help you.
    8trentreid-1

    An Insightful Film Well Played Out

    Breathless will probably garner comparisons to early Scorsese, considering the subject matter. It is not that good, but neither is it that derivative. If anything, it favorably reminded me of the later TV work of Alan Clarke. Despite the summary above, it is not about characters seeking redemption, but family and solace from a cycle of criminal abuse fueled by misplaced ancestral reverence. Without giving away the end, it is more about insight gained by sacrifice that plays upon cyclical reincarnation themes than a solitary quest towards forgiveness.

    The multi-talented Yang Ik-Joon does a great job portraying a man so damaged that he expresses affection for a child by repeatedly shoving his head and calling him a bastard. Whether you find it disturbing or funny, the gradual manner in which the characters' darker and more intimate aspects are revealed is excellent.

    Instead of credulous explication, back-story or flashbacks, the relationships emerge out of frankly rude and often violent interactions which also advance the plot. I might have had a few gripes about the cinematography, especially in relation to scenes of violence. I kind of expected a bit more from Yang Ik-Joon in this regard. But for a film by an actor as first-time director/writer/editor/star, this is incredibly good.
    8thisissubtitledmovies

    Breathless is stark, dark and uncompromising

    Breathless is a bleak, relentless and emotionally raw movie from South Korea. An uncompromising look at the violent underbelly of a section of poverty ridden urban South Korea, Breathless is the directorial debut of lead man and scriptwriter Yang Ik-joon, and has rightly been bestowed with a healthy array of awards.

    As the films pace allows layers to build and relationship dynamics to be understood and interwoven, nausea and discomfort evolves into empathy and worry, characters you are sure are irredeemable surprise you. The shaky documentary style photography adds to the grittiness and rawness.

    Breathless is stark, dark and uncompromising. Well directed and with expertly judged emotional performances, this film has dared to expose the terrible unbreakable cycle of violence in an apparently progressive and evolved society. JM
    8akash_sebastian

    A Thought-Provoking Tale on the Cycle of Violence; A Hard-Hitting Drama.

    'Breathless' revolves around the life of an abusive debt-collector named Sang-Hoon, an isolated and hateful person. Having lost his sister and mother at a very young age, due to accidents relating to domestic abuse, he is eternally angry on his father and fate. His despise for the people who can't stand up for themselves (stemming from witnessing his helpless mother) makes him even more violent towards his debtors. His attitude towards people and life starts changing after he bumps into a high school girl named Yeon-Hue. Being a father figure to his divorced half-sister's nephew Yeong-in, and his affection for Yeon-Hue brings out the compassionate side in him. But, as most times, cruelty has a price to pay...

    This inspiring film marks the Writing & Directorial debut of talented actor Yang Ik-Joon, who stars as the lead as well. The passionate camera-work by Yun Jong-ho follows the characters in an intriguing way, using which the Director tells a compelling story about violence and abuse, interspersed with moments of humour and warmth. All the main characters are developed quite well, and are given proper depth and screen presence. All the actors involved give commendable performances.

    The movie is as visceral as the punches thrown by the characters in this hard-hitting drama; it's a thought-provoking tale on the cycle of violence.
    10sh-bh2009

    Breathless performance by Ik-Joon Yang

    Let me start by saying that this piece of art took me by surprise. I didn't feel that I was watching a movie, Instead the acting was so realistic that I felt I was part of it. Please watch this movie and feel the greatness of Asian Cinema. It is also a tearjerker!!!! This can be a very sad film as well. I doubt if I've ever watched this without a few tears in my eyes at certain points.

    PS: I would like to recommend this to every movie buff who admire Asian Cinema.

    "In this life, it's not what you hope for, it's not what you deserve -- it's what you take."

    Thank you

    More like this

    Dirty carnival
    7.3
    Dirty carnival
    The Unjust
    6.6
    The Unjust
    The Murderer
    7.3
    The Murderer
    Mong-ta-joo
    7.4
    Mong-ta-joo
    Geomsaoejeon
    6.7
    Geomsaoejeon
    Banghwanghaneun Kalnal
    6.7
    Banghwanghaneun Kalnal
    Haebaragi
    7.2
    Haebaragi
    Friend
    7.2
    Friend
    The Agent
    6.6
    The Agent
    Tajja
    7.1
    Tajja
    Hard Day
    7.2
    Hard Day
    Silmido
    7.0
    Silmido

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Quotes

      Sang-hoon: [after beating up an abusive husband/father] Fathers in this country's all fucked up. They're pathetic fucks but when it comes to family, they're Kim Il-sung. Isn't that right, fucker? Think you're Kim Il-sung?

    • Connections
      Features Sonic & Knuckles (1994)

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ16

    • How long is Breathless?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 14, 2010 (France)
    • Country of origin
      • South Korea
    • Official site
      • Official site (France)
    • Language
      • Korean
    • Also known as
      • Nghẹt Thở
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross worldwide
      • $686,703
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 10 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Breathless (2008)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Breathless (2008) officially released in India in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.