Amid the darkness of drugs, gangs, and human exploitation, young and bubbly So-mi (Sae-ron Kim) is a ray of light. Her single mother warns So-mi to stay away from their quiet, reclusive neighbor, Tae-sik (Won Bin), but to no avail; the two seem to share a special bond, both being ostracized, troubled, and judged in their own ways. When So-mi’s mother becomes wrapped up in a drug deal gone wrong, she and her daughter are taken captive by a vicious gang that trades in harvested organs. Tae-sik, haunted by his past life as a highly-trained government operative, makes it his mission to rescue his only friend, So-mi, while blurring the line between justice and vengeance. Now a fugitive wanted by the police, he must employ all of his cunning and deadly skills to track down So-mi’s ruthless captors, whatever the cost.

 

The Man from Nowhere (2010), by director Jeong-beom Lee, was a huge critical and commercial success in South Korea; it combines elements of the traditional gangster flick with aspects of thriller, action, and gritty police films. Each screening includes a brief discussion of Korean cultural and social themes from the film.

 

 

Doors open at 6:00 pm for a selection of light Korean snacks. The film (119 minutes) will begin promptly at 6:30 pm. This event is part of the Korean Cultural Center's Korean Cinema Series, presenting free bi-monthly film screenings and discussions. All films are presented in Korean with English subtitles.