Review: In ‘Concrete Utopia, A Ruined Seoul Seeks Refuge, But The Residents Have Other Ideas

The international Oscar-nominated South Korean film Concrete Utopia is not an action-packed disaster movie, but a brutal indictment of human nature, both in terms of the desire for self-preservation and the capacity for collective care.

In this gore-soaked wonder from director M Tai Hwa, you won't find the visceral thrills of Train to Busan or Ben Wheatley-style High Rise, but rather the post-apocalyptic story that the film begs to be told. But there is no spread of an infectious virus, and only people become infected with a dangerous subtype.

Seoul lies in ruins after a devastating earthquake. As far as the eye could see, only the Hwangjun apartment complex stood amid a sea of ​​rubble. Food and water are quickly becoming scarce for the survivors of the once ordinary, but now miraculous, structure. However, Min Sun (Park Seo Joon), a young civil servant, and his wife Myung Hwa (Park Bo Young) are interested in helping those less fortunate, at least at first.

Amid the chaos, Young Tak (Lee Byung Hun), a brave middle-aged man who intervened to stop the fire, becomes the unanimous leader of the citizens. His first cases? Forced evacuation of those whose homes were destroyed and who took refuge in Huanggong. To deport these foreigners means to execute them. It doesn't matter to him.

For some time, the apartment owners managed to create a functioning microcosm with an equal division of labor, but soon their small community turned into a fascist state. Young Tak's dictatorial tactics and use of dehumanizing language against those he deems unworthy of the same privileges (a well-timed touch) are as undeniable as the resources and discipline he provides.

While the humor and acting in Concrete Utopia can feel broad at times, Lee's brutal performance anchors the high-stakes drama. Yang Tak is ready to take advantage of the disaster to transform himself into a powerful being like never before as he struggles to achieve career advancement.

However, Longboat Min-sung, the chosen and increasingly stubborn leader of the crime-fighting squad, represents the most paradoxical case. Min Sun submits to Young Tak to ensure access to resources, but Myung Hwa cannot hide his disappointment at home. What's the point of living if they lose their humanity?

In stark contrast to this moral dilemma, Cho Hyun-rae's cinematography is full of bold choices with effective visual effects. The images not only encourage aesthetic boldness, but also evoke meaning, such as the moment when the shadows of residents dancing around a fire are reflected on the façade of a beloved building, as if it were an ancient clan in a cave.

Adapted from Kim Sung-neung's webtoon "Jolly Outcast Part 2, Cheerful Neighbor", director Um and co-writer Lee Shin-ji present several characters as unbreakable bastions of goodness and innocence, without passing easy judgment on the "villains" who, despite their This situation continues to profit from the dirty work of those who put themselves on the line and risk everything to meet the basic needs of every person. Those who consider themselves virtuous will face the harsh reality that it is not always clear what the right thing to do in a crisis is.

The great sin committed by society is that for any crime one person is to blame, wanting to wash his hands of it. When external threats and conflicts bring Hwang Gong to the brink of collapse, hope for something better begins to fade.

Simple interaction between Jisoo and Ahn Bo Hyun #jisoo #ahnbohyun #couple