There is hope
The movie was raw and so emotional that would make you feel different level of emotions. They were able to turn this to an emotional masterpiece from a real life story of a brave girl who have went through something that any kid should never experience.Sowon is a brave and smart girl. Despite all the things she went through, she did not give up and learned to heal herself from emotional and physical trauma. Her name really fits her, Hope; she was the hope of everyone around her. She was the victim but she was the one who gave healing and hope to her parents who are also suffering from what happened to her.
Her parents were very commendable for showing their child tremendous love and support despite being always on the verge of breaking down.
It's crazy that a human can do evil to a kid like that. The culprit should rot in jail but the flawed justice system failed the kid. It's an eye opener not only to the viewers but also to lawmakers to fix the holes in the justice system.
The acting was really good that I forgot I was watching a movie. I was carried away the whole time.
Although this was very heavy, it had many light moments of a kid on her way to healing. I personally won't be able to watch this again because it dealt heavy stuff experienced by a kid.
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def worth a watch but missing a lot of details
First of all, I was SO scared to watch this film as I HATE watching anything that has to do with SA, especially when involving a child and then to know how it's based on a true case made it worse, but I AM happy I watched it now! I am not going to judge the storyline as this is someone's life but knowing details that weren't involved in the film, I am glad about the way they did it in movie, they included enough real-life details to get the point across without including some of the other heartbreaking details of this case. I felt iffy about this honestly as this is a movie about someone else and i thought maybe they were just doing it to do it but either way it gives the case more attention and it def deserves more attention because of now, the monster is now released from prison even after multiple protests and petitions with other 600.000 signatures. The acting was top notch, I feel the actors did an amazing job making me feel the emotions they were supposed to act out. Such a heartbreaking movie and story. you should DEF give it a watchWas this review helpful to you?
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An amazing and heart-warming, yet sad and heart-wrenching movie
This movie is based off the true life story of the pseudonym Nayoung. Although people may criticise the movie for profiting off the suffering of another, in my opinion, the movie went through great detail in expressing the long-term effects of such an ordeal. Moreover, it actually expressed the anger of the victim, the victim's family, and society at the lack of justice received, and highlighted South Korea's weak judicial system. It also highlighted the lack of victim support and the judicial systems mindlessness to the victims pain. The movie was not 'overly dramatic' such that it managed to portray the real sufferings endured by the victim(s). The way that it was directed kept me numb with heartache for the victim and family, yet also warmed by the generosity of the community.Personally, I found that the emphasis on the long-term effects of the ordeal on the victim and family was the most important aspect of the movie. By stressing the long-term effects throughout the movie, the director, producer etc expressed and imparted onto viewers a message of hope for change in the judicial system. This was particularly seen in the final hearing whereby various characters in court spoke out to express discontentment at the verdict. In reality, this would not have occurred/ would be prevented due to court etiquette. By producing this scene, the directors were placing into the minds of viewers a question of thought as to whether justice was received and whether a mitigated sentence for rape should be deduced due to alcoholism/alcohol induced mental impairment.
Overall a really emotional and beautiful movie. I was really moved by the generosity of the community and this actually occurred in reality which is amazing.
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a new taste
Based on true events that occured at Gwangju Inhwa School and adapted from the controversial novel 'The Crucible' by Gong-ji Young, the movie does not hold back to create a lasting impact on the viewer. In fact, I was stunned that the director included explicit scenes of sexual crimes committed against children, perhaps to make the audience fill with rage against the culprits. At times it will be difficult for the viewers to hold back their tears, with the grim ending leaving a permanent impression on the viewer's mind about the sorry state of affairs of the victims. Gong Yoo gives a good enough, if not an excellent performance, though at times the child actors tend to outshine him. All in all, a good movie to watch, but brace yourselves for the tough scenes - I am sure they will be difficult to stomach even for the toughest of viewers out there.Was this review helpful to you?
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The pain.....
I don't know how to start writing the review bcoz this movie is so saddening and horrifying to watch .sorry to say but we can never understand the pain the victims and families have to go through and this movie describe that pain so well..we all will feel the pain...l like Korea and everything about Korea like kpop and series/movie ,place,but I think that the law that applied in this drama is really bad...if the perpetrator is intoxicated then the punishment will less...it should not be like that...then every person having bad thought or trying to something wrong will drink alcohol first then proceed with his bad plans...i really don't know about other laws but this law should be change....bcoz the criminal will be only get punishment and sent to jail where he can eat and sleep well and if the chances are there he will become friends with more criminal and atlast he will be release...whereas the victims and families have to face the people and society......in this drama the friend as well as neighbours was very helpful and understanding...but in real everybody is not like that ..I m not saying everybody is bad but in society there are different types who will support,respect, sympathetic or even disgust and blame the victims...... that's why in my opinion the criminal must b really punished well ....the pain that we can never understand..... the pain and feeling will always with the victims...the families and victims have to stay strong and face the world together.And I m not satisfied with the ending .....means I m happy for the girl and his family but I did not want criminal to get only to get 12 years of punishment........even if it is shown real according to law I hope thet the punishment can be should be longer in the movies which will ease my anger and hatred for him ...Was this review helpful to you?
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Heartless Monsters Do Exist!
14/01/2023
I saw this years ago and although it is disturbing, upsetting, distressful and truly heart breaking to watch there is also a side to it that shows undeniable courage, inner strength and hope.
This is definitely not a movie for everyone - not at all!
Who hasn't heard of a child or children being abducted on their way to school only to be savagely assaulted physically then left to perish or to never be seen again.
This movie is actually based on a true story from Korea regarding a little 8 year old girl that met such a fate in the hands of a sadistic male perpetrator who left her to die without a care in the world whatsoever.
The damage to her body was so extensive that it was a miracle she survived at all!
Mostly what we see is the aftermath following that attack of how she painstakingly rebuilds her life with the support of her parents/hospital/others to go onto confronting that piece of works in court in order to obtain justice and take him off the streets.
That in itself is another ordeal for her to cope with plus it is not easy as it comes down to the testimony of her, a child and victim, versus a seasoned adult criminal that knows the system.
But she does do it.
Not only is she resilient and brave, but she's also determined and strong.
The actors in this film are truly outstanding, but especially the female child actor who played her role so well.
Know that you will experience a roller coaster ride of different emotions watching "Hope", but also that the ending is somewhat satisfactory.
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DISGUSTING to think the real life perpetrator is free as of DEC 2020
This heartbreaking movie based on the true story of the Cho Doo -soon case in which a middle aged man raped, beat, and sodomized an 8 year old girl in South Korea will make you UGLY CRY and scream in fury at the perpetrator and the judicial system.Why are there so many sick and twisted evil people out there and why is the judicial system so broken?! It's disgusting to think the real life habitual sex offender has gone free as of DEC 2020.
I thought the director did a good job showing the audience the emotional trauma that the victim's family goes through , the ugly part that media has in it, and the powerful message of love to heal. The actors all did a great job. The touching moments that show the parent's love for their child made me bawl.
I'm just a war of emotions right now. On one hand, the story needs to be told to spark outrage to inspire change, but on the other, you just wish people would just leave the girl and her family alone in peace.
This is a hard movie to watch because it's difficult to stomach the true events, but it's one that you should watch.
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Based On A Real Story
Not great with reviews, but here goes...Well, I have been meaning to watch this movie for over a year now. I've been so hesitant about it cos of what it entails. But I heard that Cho Doo-Soon was recently released. I had heard of his crime a long time ago and it made me sick. I decided to push my feelings about it and watch the movie. I don't think I have cried this much through any movie in my life, until I watched Hope. I won't get into it too much. This movie is really .. an insight of what can happen. It's a really great movie, but I wouldn't recommend to people who are sensitive about this subject. Everything was great overall.
If by chance, even a small one, that the victim or the victims family sees this.
I do wish you and your family the best of luck. :)
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And lastly, the ending was really sweet, so just watch it!
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Beautiful and Horrific Film That Stays With You Forever
There are those films that are so poignantly powerful, that they stay with you forever, even if you only see it once. Such movies that have left a permanent imprint upon me are movies like this one, "Schindler's List," "Sophie's Choice," "Platoon" and still others. These are films that are so disturbingly realistic because they hit you right where you live.I'm a TEFL teacher who has taught in four different countries, including South Korea. The most depraved crime that always hits me the worst are those perpetrated on children. I've had many children as students over the years, and even the mere thought of something happening to them pains me beyond comprehension. We like to think that there aren't any monsters out there, but sadly, there are. What makes it even more frustrating are inept justice systems, like the one in Korea, that more or less, rewards the criminal based on some insane notion that, just because the criminal can't remember anything due to his intoxication, then he deserves a lighter sentence.
Still, this film is touching in the power of family and friends who rally behind Hope, doing everything that they can to help her and her family recover. I cannot imagine anything more distressful for a parent than to endure something like this. As a parent, all you want to do is protect your children and make sure that they're safe. Hope's father is especially traumatized when he attempts to help clean his daughter up after escaping the maddening media, only to discover horrifically that she's pleading and crying for him to stop. In his attempt to help her, he partially relives and reawakens her assault.
The way in which Hope's father tries to reach his daughter is pure love and magic. He feels that the only way to help her is to step back himself and take on the persona of her favorite cartoon character. If these precious moments don't strike a chord with you, then I really don't know what can.
Another powerfully touching moment is her schoolmate who comes to see her after she's come home. He bursts into tears, wracked with guilt, for not having walked with her to school on that fateful day. Hope's father is especially sweet in comforting him.
Hope has to recover, not only from the assault, but from the effects as well, both physical and psychological. I had a colostomy for the first five years of life, so I know what it's like and what it means to be different in that way. That resonated deeply with me.
The performances in this film are outstanding, especially Re Lee (Hope) who plays the role with such sweetness and purity that you cringe and pray, that what is about to happen, doesn't happen. She has the face of an angel, which makes all the more horrific. Nothing truly graphic is shown, but a couple of images are likely to stay with you.
Kyoung-gu Sul (Hope's father) also turns in a powerful performance as a distraught father trying to heal his daughter as well as deal with the his own anger and outrage concerning Choi (the assaulter) and the inept legal system. Just as he has helped to save Hope, Hope saves him in the end.
"Hope" is one of those movies that I will likely only be able to watch once, but I've already discovered that once is more than enough for me.
I can only pray helplessly that no child should ever endure something so terrible as this. If only we lived in a world where this was true. Children, with their innocence and purity, cast the brightest light, and among the brightest is certainly Hope's.
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