Judgement (1999)

Other name:

Description:

Set against the backdrop of the tragic 1995 Sampung department store collapse in Seoul, Judgement is a dark, satirical short film directed by Park Chanwook. The disaster, caused by human negligence, leaves hundreds dead and prompts a massive indemnity payout of half a million dollars. In a cold, black-and-white morgue, a grotesque battle of greed unfolds over the body of a deceased young girl. A man and a woman arrive, claiming to be her distraught parents to secure the compensation. However, a morgue employee suddenly claims the corpse as well, sparking an absurd dispute over the rightful beneficiary. As a squabbling journalist and police detective look on, the characters engage in pathetic dialogues that expose the depths of human selfishness under rampant capitalism. Halfway between Hitchcock and Polanski, this gripping narrative delivers a tragic and ironic conclusion about a shabby humanity willing to make vile compromises for money.

Country: Korean

Status: Completed

Released: 1999

Genre:Drama; Short