Bear (2018)

"Everything is fine, right?"

Ordinary People aka The Villagers had Ma Dong Seok playing the new gym teacher at a rural school in a town full of corruption and deadly secrets. The late Kim Sae Ron, in a role reminiscent of the one in Nowhere Man, was a high school student desperately searching for her missing best friend.

Yuk Ki Chul takes a teaching job in a rural area after losing his boxing coach position. It’s not long before he realizes the people are on edge. The school staff and police are more concerned about protecting the governor who also chairs the school and is up for re-election than a missing high school girl. Senior Kang Yu Jin refuses to give up on her friend despite every adult she asks for help not only rejecting her but shaming her as well. When Ki Chul rescues her from a dangerous situation a glimmer of hope builds within her that she has found an adult to trust.

Let’s just get my bias out of the way. I will watch almost anything the best ahjussi hitter is in. MDS may not be the greatest actor but I find his screen presence comforting and it usually hits my groove. This film was a by the numbers story of powerful men abusing women and young girls and thinking they could get away with murder. Dang. It really hits hard with what is going on in the world right now. Kim Sae Ron’s Yu Jin made for a dogged sidekick to Yuk’s man with a conscience. The bad guys’ team was weakly drawn, but managed to give Yuk reasons to punch them in the face and kidneys or break through their doors with his fists. Given that nearly everyone in the film was on the take or prejudiced against girls, I was ready to bust some heads.

Ordinary People played to Ma Dong Seok’s strengths and went no further yet still kept me entertained. It was sad seeing the talented Kim Sae Ron who we lost too soon. If you aren’t super picky about your corrupt small-town mysteries, it might be one to give a try. Small ratings bump for MDS.

19 June 2026

Trigger warnings: Girls in jeopardy, but no sexual assaults. The few fights weren’t graphic compared to the Roundup series.

School note: For a rural area they had a huge high school.

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Don't expect much or you'll be disappointed

I get it: 80% of the times, Korean movies always have some kind of comedy-relief in the middle of their plot. Even if it's tagged as an action, mystery and/or crime. And I have nothing against it.

However, omitting any to those humorous moments or characters in the genre, trailer, storyline and/or poster it is seriously misleading., and it's starting to get on my nerves.

Can we (and the industry) start adding «comedy» or a similar tag to this kind of movies and dramas? Because, if you don't, and then see «The Man from Nowhere» as a recommendation, then I am expecting a serious, action filled kind of movie, and this was not it - even though Ma Dong Seok always kicks ass.

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