Do you want to know about Korean justice and power? 'Veteran'

There is a movie line that was once very popular. It is the phrase “I can’t believe it,” which is a line spoken by Jo Tae-oh in the movie Veteran. I’d like to review Veteran, the film that drew over ten million viewers, along with Yoo Ah-in’s excellent performance as Jo Tae-oh. 

1. The Plot 

Detective Seo Do-cheol, who handles high-profile cases without fear, happens to meet the third-generation chaebol heir Jo Tae-oh and his right-hand man, Executive Director Choi, and while investigating the masterminds behind a truck driver’s death, he discovers that Jo Tae-oh is connected to it and relentlessly digs into the case. 

2. The cast and Director

Detective Seo Do-cheol: The role was played by actor Hwang Jung-min, who is synonymous with natural acting.  His detective performance is praised for being so natural that it makes you wonder if he is really a detective. His other recommended film is the romance movie "You Are My Destiny," in which he acted alongside South Korea’s top actress, Jeon Do-yeon. 

Jo Tae-oh: Yoo Ah-in, an actor praised for his outstanding acting skills among younger-generation actors, took on the role. He began gaining popularity in the youth drama "Rounding Off" and later won many awards for the drama "Six Flying Dragons" and the film "The Throne." I recommend his film "Burning." 

Director Ryu Seung-wan: Although he is also well known as the older brother of actor Ryu Seung-beom, his films alone have proven that he is an indispensable director in South Korea. Starting with the film Berlin, and moving on to smuggling, Mogadishu, and Battleship Island, he continuously produced films in different genres, steadily building his reputation as a director. 

3. What to watch for 

 This film adapts and presents so well the events that could happen to a third-generation chaebol heir in South Korea and those around him, to the point that it almost feels like it was based on real events. In that process, the audience empathizes with Seo Do-cheol and becomes fully immersed in the film until the very moment he chases and catches Jo Tae-oh. In particular, one of the highlights is watching the acting showdown among actors Hwang Jung-min and Yoo Ah-in, as well as Yoo Hae-jin, who plays Executive Director Choi. On top of that, her transformation into a detective as top model Jang Yoon-ju is also worth watching. 

4. Personal Review

When I first saw The Veteran, I thought the scene where the father is assaulted in front of the child was too cruel, so I couldn’t really enjoy the film. But I felt a great sense of satisfaction in the final scene where Jo Tae-oh is arrested, and whenever an exciting action movie came to mind afterward, I would watch The Veteran again. The film unfolds with great thrills and wit, but the scenes showing how conglomerates handle and wrap up their misdeeds—though I can’t verify the facts—made me think that such a possibility could very well exist. Especially the scenes involving drug parties with celebrities were quite shocking, but I thought that too could happen without ordinary people knowing, so I felt the director might be showing that aspect to the public through the film. 

Also, I didn’t know much about actor Um Tae-goo’s supporting role when the film was released, but his performance was very good, and Ma Dong-seok’s cameo as the art box owner at the end was also very good. For two hours, the film moved forward without a dull moment, and with its thrilling final resolution, I would give it a total score of 8.7 out of 10.