I recently rewatched this movie and was still shocked by its intensity.
The film tells the story of a revenge massacre. On a desolate island, kind-hearted Kim Bok-nam is treated like an animal by the locals. After her daughter is killed and her hope is shattered, she picks up a sickle and strikes back at everyone who has ever mistreated her on the island.
Throughout the entire film, I didn't find her cruel; instead, I felt a sense of relief. A person who was once incredibly kind has turned into a revenge maniac, experiencing the nightmare of losing loved ones, the helplessness of seeking assistance from law enforcement, the disappointment of betrayal by friends, and the despair of shattered dreams... In her eyes, this world holds no expectations or help, so she decides to redeem herself...
Kim Bok-nam is guilty, and those she strikes at with her knife are also guilty. The latter did not receive legal judgment, and she does not accept legal judgment.
It is said that the movie is based on a true event, but I couldn't find the specific real event. However, it doesn't matter much because the things it portrays may be happening every day in reality, just on a larger or smaller scale.
The case of Oh Jin-jung is an example.
From what the media has disclosed, he was also a kind person who saved others and animals, but in the end, he couldn't save himself and his family. Perhaps he also experienced the complete disappointment and helplessness that Kim Bok-nam went through during his five years of iron confinement, who knows?
Oh Jin-jung is very similar to Kim Bok-nam, and their endings are also similar, but while Kim Bok-nam awakens the indifferent Hae-yoon through a massacre, what does Oh Jin-jung awaken?