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Gangnam Blues
강남 1970
2015 135 min South Korea 18+
★6.4
Action, Crime, Thriller
Director: Ha Yoo
Trailers
Description
Jong-dae and Yong-ki make a living by picking up paper and empty bottles. Both then join different gangster clan and becomes involved in a struggle of political interests over development in Gangnam, Seoul.
US Gross:
$18,022
Starring
Lee Min-ho
Actor
Kim Rae-won
Actor
Jung Jin-young
Actor
Awards
Asian Film Academy 2016
— Best Debut
Key opinion
Gangnam 1970 is a gritty, hyper-violent crime epic that explores the dark origins of Seoul's modern landscape. While audiences are divided on the film's complex plotting and relentless brutality, many praise the lead performances and the uncompromising, cynical portrayal of human greed.
| Direction | The film features unflinching, visceral combat sequences that successfully ground the story in a harsh, realistic tone. | |
| Acting | Lee Min-ho delivers a compelling, atypically serious performance that successfully breaks away from his previous romantic roles. | |
| Screenplay | The narrative structure and complex web of gang alliances are often described as confusing and difficult to follow, making character motivations and power dynamics unclear. | |
| Acting | Kim Rae-won’s performance is frequently singled out as the emotional anchor, with many viewers finding his character more compelling and charismatic than the lead. | |
| Theme | Opinions on the film's violence are split: some applaud its sobering, realistic depiction of human tragedy, while others feel it descends into excessive and purposeless brutality. | |
| Screenplay | The inclusion of sexual scenes divides viewers, with some finding them distractingly gratuitous and others seeing them as a functional, albeit minor, part of the world-building. |