I'm Chinese, and I hope that, one day, my country can admit the fault about what happened in 1989 officially.
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Yaya-8 August 2020
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As a Chinese, I'm so related to this Korean film. I admire that Korean people can create this film to commemorate their own history, which we could not. The film is even banned in the largest movie-ranking platform, Douban. What Korean people have now is all because of their sustaining fight against dictatorship and the fight is still going on. Thinking about the Tian'anmen Square in 1989 and Hongkong in 2019, wish Chinese people luck.
However, objectively, I believe this film needs more efforts to do on the discription of female characters. There is only one main female character who severely influenced by two male characters. -
SolidYohanK2 January 2018This is a movie more than a movie. It's also a history, emotions and lives in Korea, 1987.
No actor(actress) has been consumed in vain in the movie.
Every moment is well directed. This is the great movie such like 'Citizen Kane' and 'Shawshank Redemption'. It's a historical movie, a humanism drama dedicated to freedom fighters all around the world.
*. 1987: The direct democracy has been declared in Korea. 2017: The corrupt government has been collapsed in Korea. -
For the past decade, South Korea has steadily presented motion pictures based on real life figures and events in its modern history. May 18 (2007) and National Security (2012) were solid movies, well-intended and meaningful, but generally deemed too serious to reach a large audience. A Taxi Driver (2017) was a huge commercial success, grossing $88 mil/12 mil admissions in the domestic box office. Still, many regretted that the movie left something to be desired in terms of cinematic quality.
And here at the end of the year that commemorates the 30 years of the June Democratic Uprising came a motion picture that delivers both an accurate account of history and ample entertainment value. Despite a complex plot with a large ensemble cast (K-movie fans will have a blast recognizing those faces!), the movie never loses its focus--not a single scene redundant or wasted. Opening with a death of a college student during a police interrogation, the movie spends the first half of its running time as a well-crafted political/crime thriller. Then more characters appear and more things happen...which all culminates in that fateful day in June 1987.
To those that are not familiar with contemporary Korean history, the plot may seem contrived. But almost all speaking roles in this move are based on real life figures, with their motives and actions intact, which I believe makes the whole story even more astonishing.
E. H. Carr defined that history is an unending dialogue between the past and present. I would say that this movie is a superb example of how a motion picture can facilitate such a dialogue.
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ops-5253513 February 2019I shall be the first to admit that i dont know much about south korean post korean war - till present day, i do though remember the student uprising that was mentioned in norwegian news, ''crazy punks'' i thought then, but that was then. after watching 1987 that covers the run up for the june struggle ,i have got another insight angle, and do see better what they fought for, that nearly let south korea into a stand still due to protests and general strikes until the regime and president were overthrown.
this is one of the best east asian movies that i have seen. the acting are very convincing, the grave violence and brutal force that the anti commi squad were using were plausible, as where the scenes of grief , sorrow and pain. espescially the screams of the captured victims were gruelling real. there are so many actors, so to accentuate any would be unfair, because the spirit seems to be filled with pride just to be a part of this project.
the cinematography are great, the unbelievable number of locations and setups, and the direction of the crews and extras are impressive.the pace are definately not slow, the narrative story are extremely well told,the plot and timeline are easy to follow, magnificent editing and the make up and bad weather department have extended their limits of their profession..
there have been used a little bit of visual effects,and some real news coverage to fill the base of the story, very well balanced.
the high tension , and the tragic loss of lifes , did really affect me. so if you are gonna watch this flick of 10 stars , do read some political history of south korea in the 1980's before viewing the film 1987, that will enhance the impression of this historical drama. its highly recommended by the grumpy old man. -
This movie goes between a nail-biting spy thriller, a gorgeous display of nature amid chaos, a hard-to-watch document of torture, and a rousing cry of patriotism all without slipping into exploitation. Contrary to what some people have said, I thought the movie found a way to celebrate the need for democracy amid oppression without painting the oppressors as cartoonishly evil. Every character had a role to play in this ensemble, in a story that truly encompassed a nation. Definitely paying more attention to this director for providing this masterpiece.
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samanthabrletich9 June 2019Amazing film! One of the best films I have seen in a while. The film starts with a simple plot and a web of characters and a subplot develops. The direction of the camera and the pauses to show names (similar to kill bill) adds a bit of humor. The beginning of the movie has a lot of humor but slowly fades and transitions into the heart of the movie. The slower introduction of characters helps build the story. I would like to see more background on some characters as that tends to be revealed in different parts of the movie.
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DoubanRefugee5 March 2019Fighting against autocracy is so hard as an armless civilian that you have to be really brave and ready to sacrifice. The leading actress shows true reaction of an ordinary college student, which tests me as an audience if I would stand up against the evil, especially I might face similar situations in the real world, living under an autocratic regime.
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hellofuture08255 April 2022Military power politics and authoritarian governments should be resolutely resisted. People need to learn from historical events rather than hide the truth. After all, the truth cannot be concealed.
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brbull-2185725 August 2018This is the best reality-adapted movie I've ever seen. The primary reason why I rate this movie so high is that it revives the history. I do hope one day Chinese movie can do the same, young students rallied at street, yelling for democracy. They really care about the future of this nation and shouldn't suffered from the thing happened in June 4th 1989. But Chinese case can not be brackets simply with Korean case, for no student had been jailed and toured for their ideas and thought before the great chaos happened. It's a sentimental movement mishandled by the government. unfortunately, I can't endorse for ccp on what they did in and after the event. no one will forgive that, let alone will forgive a government which covers the truth so hardly and shows no regret.
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deloudelouvain5 January 20191987 could have been made any other year. That's my conclusion after watching this Korean movie. Police brutality, torturing, dictatorship, those are all things that are still happening now. Controlling the media is the first thing modern countries and governments want to do when in power. What is written will always be concidered as the truth, that's just how you control a population. In 1987 When The Day Comes, the press plays a major part in the revolution, in seeking justice. The story of this movie is captivating and interesting. There are a few points that don't make any sense at all and that's why I have to score it lower. I'm not going to spoil anything about the story so I won't say anything about what didn't make any sense to me. Koreans can make good movies, that's just a fact. This one could have been better though. But the message is clear and good, the acting was also good, if you keep in mind that there always is alot of shouting in Korean movies. The press might have saved their country but such a thing is probably never going to happen in Western countries as the governments there control the media. Personally I don't believe anything anymore that is written in the press and everybody should read it with a critical eye.
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Nine stars for bloody South Koreans, salute all bravery and integrity.
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spookyrat131 July 20201987: When the Day Comes directed by Jang Joon-hwan and written by Kim Kyung-chan is a well - meaning fictional attempt to tell the story of events leading up to the real life 1987 June Democratic Uprising in Korea. This was triggered by the death of a student protester during police interrogation which the authorities conspire to cover up. The movie starts well when focusing on the actions of the honest medical examiner and prosecutor who both are disinclined to look the other way and authorise a fake mock-up of the cause of death to cardiac arrest.
However the story line flow falters when the narrative spreads outwards to include the perspectives of police, both good and bad, journalists trying to ascertain the facts of the case, other university students, prison guards, catholic priests, people on the street and established political authorities. There simply are too many characters involved on which to concentrate one's attention. Director Kim would have been well - advised to just focus on a few key personalities instead of casting his net so far and wide, albeit with the worthy aim of reflecting the general population's demand for democratic reform.
The movie is successful though at depicting the fact that South Korea, barely a year before the 1988 Seoul Olympics was for all intensive purposes, a dictatorship, something many modern Westerners may fail to realise, aware only of the vibrant democracy that is the current Sixth Republic of South Korea. In a long roundabout fashion, 1987 does manage to reflect its genesis. -
dvazp22 December 2018The story begins with a corpse, a student tortured to death by the anti-communist secret police. This should be another forgotten death, but there's a general sense of outrage and one after another, the officials whose paper trail would normally cover up the mess, refuse to cooperate. As the story snowballs, the lives of those involved, as well as the broader political situation, change significantly.
A thrilling and moving film, well directed and acted, as well as informative for those of us who don't know much modern Korean history. -
namasikanam3 August 2019Are their stories all like this, when every government recalling its building? In China, from elementary school, we're educated that, at the last time of the last government, people couldn't stand oppression and autarchy, they called out and built a new country, bringing the spring to this land and the people of this land. Is similar history telled in every country? Is similar history telled in every time? Does the world become better and better, or this is just a cursed circle?
When I was young, the blood always fires when listening the word, democracy. Dreaming to go to a country, in which people enjoy freedom and lawfulness. But do I really know what democracy means? English chose to leave the Europe, American chose Trump. They follow the law and democracy. But do they do the right things? The choice of the most people is the right choice? I were just told the democracy is right but didn't know why democracy is right.
Yes, I have to admit that 1987 successfully describes a great political movement that I dreamed in my childhood. But my blood don't fire again. A movie, song, slogan or crowd can persuade common people, but they're not part of strict and real politics.. -
yzy_jz27 July 2018I'm Chinese,movie story happens everyday in china.
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madbird-6124330 June 2019Authentic, real, stick to history. A bit too long.
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n-7852926 March 2018Although The CPC does a great job to connect with people in China,but what if the day really comes? Will Chinese have balls to perform like those Korean?
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1987: WHEN THE DAY COMES is another of the hard-hitting political thrillers that South Korea makes so well, and it provides a fitting companion piece to the even better A TAXI DRIVER. This time around the true story is the 1987 student protests in which a climate of police brutality finally bubbled over into street violence. As with many modern political movies from Korea, this is a lavish production in which every penny of the budget is put up on the screen. The cast is huge and includes such luminaries as Ha Jung woo which helps to make this a very palatable experience, and although lengthy the film is packed with drama, intrigue and surprises. Engrossing stuff.
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ziadhamedelgamed20 September 2020After finishing this movie, I stayed still for two minutes. My mind simply could not process all the greatness in it.
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m-abtahi16 January 2024This morning, I watched the South Korean film "1987," and its storyline left a profound impact on me. The narrative takes a peculiar turn as the government subjects a student to torture, attempting to suppress any form of dissent. However, their oppressive actions only escalate the situation, setting off a chain of protests that ultimately leads to the downfall of the South Korean government.
The film skillfully captures the complexity of historical events, painting a vivid picture of the interconnectedness of various elements during that tumultuous period. The domino effect of the government's actions unfolds into a series of protests, revealing the resilience of the people against oppressive regimes. -
penghui-7504615 March 2020It's so touched that they are pursuing for freedom and how evil these people who forcing public to death, by the way, the first actress is so pretty!
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jixiaodan-549564 May 2022Admire those prosecutors, doctors, prison guards who stick to their job duties. There are some interesting details in the movie, for example, the reporter hid in the toilet for the doctor for the chance to talk to him without the police surveilance.
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nomodusproject15 March 2020I love how the movie depicts history from several angles, it makes the good story more enjoyable.