South Korean Film 2022
Decibel (South Korean Film Review & Summary)
Decibel poster
- Genre: Thriller, Drama, Navy
- Release Date: 16 December 2022
- Origin: South Korea
- Film: 1hr 50min
Cast
- Kim Rae Won as Kang Do Young
- Lee Jong Suk as Jeon Tae Seong
- Jung Sang Hoon as Oh Dae Oh (Reporter)
- Park Byung Eun asCha Young Han
- Lee Sang Hee as Jang Yoo Jeong [Naval E.O.D superior/Kang Do Young’s wife]
- Jo Dal Hwan as No Jeong Seop
- Lee Jong Wook as Lee Joon Wi
- Cha Eun Woo as Jeon Tae Ryeong [Naval Submarine acoustic detection officer]
- Kim Seul Gi as Han Mi Nyeo (police officer/Oh Dae Oh’s wife)
- Lee Min Ki as Hwang Yeong Woo [Navy captain]
- Kang Kyung Hun – [Superintendent]
- Bae Sung Jae – [Soccer announcer – Voice]
- Nam Tae Hoon as Soo Yeong
- Han Min Yeop as Kim Seong Jin
- Han Sang Kyung as Yeong Man [Safety guard ]
- Shin Yun Ju as Seol Yeong
- Park Jin Soo as Kim Dong Hoon [Minister of National Defense]
Whoa, so many A-lister actors here, but it is still somehow lacking. I think the script is not tight enough.
Anyway, the story is a revenge drama,
Kang Do Young is a commander of a submarine. They were deep in the water when an intelligent torpedo targeted them. No matter how they maneuver, the torpedo followed them.
So Kang Do Young ordered to use a sunk ship, a wreck as a cover. ‘The derelict ship could then take most of the blast from the torpedo.
Unfortunately, the submarine took a beating and could not surface. However, they were able to contact the navy for rescue.
The thing though was that the high-ups were not in a hurry to rescue them. In fact, if the crews of the submarine all perished then so much the better. The reason for this was that the torpedo was homemade, meaning it was South Korea’s own and they do not want the wider world to know about their runaway torpedo.
Kang Do Young got a message from the navy that the rescue will be at least another 14 days. This was a problem as the sub had only 20 percent oxygen and the carbon dioxide was increasing. The oxygen could only sustain them for four days.
So Kang Do Young proposed that some great sacrifices had to be made. They would draw strings from a red scarf. Those who get the short strings will have to sacrifice their lives.
Jeon Tae Seong was against the idea. He was worried for his younger brother who was with him as a sonar technician.
Jeon Tae Ryeong though told him that he wanted to do it. So left with no choice the draw began.
And Jeon Tae Ryeong did draw a short string. Jeon Tae Seong was very upset especially when his brother refused to exchange strings with him.
Before the torpedo situation, Hwang Yeong Woo, a captain, had learned that he had just become a father to a son. He drew a short string. Kang Do Young told him that he will die in his place but Yeong Woo said that Do Young needed to live to lead the men and the rescue.
One year later…
Kang Do Young received an anonymous call telling him that he will be busy that day. The caller said that bombs had been planted all over the city. The bombs were sound-activated. When the sound reached 100 decibels, the bomb will go off just like what happened at the football stadium that day.
So it was raced against time for Kang Do Young especially when his daughter and wife became hostages of the bomber. The mother and daughter were strapped with bomb vests.
Kang Do Young found out that the bomber was Jeon Tae Seong who was tortured by the death of his brother. He felt that the death of his brother and their other comrades was whitewashed. They were forgotten as victims of an accident. The navy refused transparency for accountability of what really happened.
It is exciting enough but many scenes would leave you scratching your head. Still, I can recommend it because there are many eye candy in this film and some parts are really taut.