Dark Market

A decent Korean thriller that fits the mold of so many similar genre films of late. Home invasion, cybercrime, stalking etc. It doesn't do much to improve the formula, but it will do for a casual watch.

The film minimizes blood and guts, instead playing up the psychological terror that victims suffer from cybercriminals. Our protagonist really does go through considerable distress with hardly any way to protect herself since the elusive villain's methods are scarily effective. He often hides in plain sight, and the screenplay cleverly keeps him hidden until late in the story. Thus we have both a mystery and a stalker thriller that plays its cards straight, with little diversion from the main plot.

It does progress into something more conventional later on, and it might have been more memorable if it strayed from the norm. But we'll have to do with what's presented here, and that's a polished piece of tension building that doesn't do anything to impress, but just about scratches that thriller itch before you move on to something better.

I didn't expect much from the premise of the movie, which is about online shopping, but was pleasantly surprised by the dramatic turn of events that happened.

The movie centers around a woman who is the victim of an online scam but when she tries to expose him she discovers that the scammer is a serial killer.

The cast's performance is pretty good with the main character Soo-hyun played by Hae Sun Shin, who is definitely brilliant when it comes to showing her range through different types of movie genres. I can feel the character's emotions really well through the screen, from anger, annoyance, despair to fear. The detective characters, played by Sungkyun and Tae-oh, did bring some flavours to the table as their presence may lighten the mood.

I find some of the action scenes pretty violent, but effective and memorable as it definitely had me on the edge of my seat especially towards the end.

Well maybe not entirely and always - sometimes it is also what you make of it ... no pun intended anyway. And also you can never know who you are dealing with. I know that when I "clap back" (metaphorically and verbally that is) with some people ... I sometimes think: maybe I shouldn't do that ... I have no idea what their mind set is after all.

So the movie takes this to a different degree one might argue. Good acting and overall structure when it comes to where this ends up and also when you think about how little "story" there is. It is just about something offered, the person receiving having an issue with it (rightfully so) ... and everything going upside down.

From start to finish, the movie had me on the edge of my seat, skillfully keeping the identity of the culprit a mystery. Initially, the possibility of a team orchestrating events added complexity, only to be overturned later, leaving breadcrumbs that pointed to a lone individual. The film skillfully navigated the suspense, making it impossible to pinpoint a suspect. What sets this thriller apart is its intense portrayal of cyberbullying. Unlike other movies in the genre, the impact felt remarkably potent. The storyline weaves through a tapestry of clues, keeping the audience guessing until the very end. With seamless pacing and a narrative that evolves organically, the movie transcends typical cyberbullying portrayals, delivering a gripping and intense experience. A must-watch for those seeking a thrilling ride with a fresh take on a familiar theme.

Should you watch this movie as you feel like watching a Korean Movie. Short answer yes. But there's always a but.

As we all know there are crazy people in online, and the best thing to do is to ignore them especially if that person have your information. But fortunately for this buyer who got scammed, decide to triggered the scammer. And paid the price.

It's actually an informative movie teaching you how or what scammer could do with your information. Should you want to try it out yourself or prevent yourself.

I really wanted to praise the movie, but it got so really stupid at the end, that maybe she deserved it all.