Holiday.2006.DVDRiP.single-cd.version

South Korea



Director: Yun-ho Yang





Script: Yun-ho Yang





cast list

Min-su Choi .... Kim An-seok

Hyun Dong .... Lee Kwang-pal

Se-jin Jang .... Kim Jang-kyung

An Jo .... Ko Hyo-joo

Bong-gyu Lee .... Lee Deok-man

Eol Lee .... Hwang Dae-chul

Sung-jae Lee .... Ji Kang-heon



"Holiday" is based upon an actual incident whose roots lie in the Korean government's preparations for the 1988 Olympics, which saw them destroy countless neighbourhoods to make way for new developments in order to impress foreign visitors. In most cases, these neighbourhoods were squatter settlements whose inhabitants were forcibly cast onto the streets. This story is brought passionately to life by director Yang Yun-ho ("Fighter in the Wind"), who crafts it into a moving and violent tale of inequality.



The film's plot follows Ji Kang Hyuk (Lee Song Jae, also in "Public Enemy"), whose best friend is gunned down during one of the clearances, and who is himself sent to prison. Here, he has the misfortune to fall under the care of Ahn Seok (played by Choi Min Soo, who starred in the director "Libera Me"), who just happens to be the man who killed his friend. After suffering under Ahn's brutal regime, Ji and a motley gang of other inmates manage to escape, planning to draw attention to the oppressive and corrupt laws which have ruined so many lives.





This film is an exciting look at some Korean politics in action. Set at a time right before the Olympics came to Seoul, the police are told to clean up some shanty villages in areas where foreigners may be visiting...in other words...run them out. In the process the crippled brother of the main character is shot by a ruthless police officer played by amazing actor Choi Min-su. After the main character is tried for resisting arrest and sent to prison, he arrives to find the new warden is the same man who shot his brother.



There is cruelty that plays a little diabolically, but there are also moments of pure humanity that tug both the heart and mind as prisoners unit to make their escape and then one by one find their fate will always be connected to their poverty level. The "Money- makes-you-Innocent" theme is heavy handed, but again, moments where the "criminals" act more humainly than the police, ring with honesty.