A Korean Historical Drama Film base on true story' A Taxi Driver'

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If someone asked me to recommend just one historical film about South Korea, I would recommend the film "A Taxi Driver." It was set against the backdrop of the May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising, one of the most important days in our country, and it was not only historically accurate but also perfectly cinematic. 


1. The Plot 

Man-seob, a taxi driver in Seoul, takes a foreign passenger to Gwangju to pay off his monthly rent. Knowing that he could earn a hefty 100,000 won if he returned before curfew, Man-seop risks everything and goes into Gwangju, growing increasingly anxious at the thought of his daughter being alone, and wanting to go home. This film brings to life Gwangju in May 1980, when the voice of the people was at its loudest. 


2. The Cast and Director

National actor Song Kang-ho played taxi driver Man-seob, professional German soldier actor Thomas Kretschmann played German reporter Peter, actor Ryu Jun-yeol played university student Goo Jae-sik, and actor Yoo Hae-jin gave a powerful performance as Gwangju taxi driver Hwang Tae-sul. And the direction was handled by director Jang Hoon, famous for the film The Front Line. 


3. What to watch for 

Since it is based on a real incident, I thought it might be interesting to check after watching the film how much of the story is based on real events and how much of it is fictional. After watching the film, I also looked up the materials one by one and found myself enjoying the small pleasures of realizing, “Ah, this part was fiction, and this part was fact.” And it might be good to check how well the real people and the actors are in sync. And one more thing: since it is historical and the events are the backdrop, I thought it might be good to show the film to teenagers in the second year of middle school or older as a resource for history education.


4. Personal review

I first heard about the Gwangju Democratic Uprising on May 18 from my parents. I think it came across as even more terrifying and frightening the moment I heard how terrifying and scary that moment was, and it struck me even more shockingly when I finally saw it properly in the film. I thought the taxi driver was a film that handled a real incident well from a humanistic perspective. Especially through Man-seob, as the story unfolds through his perspective, viewers were able to experience the fear and terror he felt alongside him. And many people probably think the final iconic scene is fictional, but this scene actually happened. My favorite actor, Um Tae-goo, appeared as a soldier, and I think that might be the film’s biggest highlight. And personally, I would like to express my gratitude to the German journalist who brought the tragedy of South Korea to light overseas. 

It may not be very cheerful, but if you’d like to watch a film that captures an important part of South Korea’s history, I recommend the movie "A Taxi Driver."


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