Breathless

Sang-Hoon founded a debt collecting company with a friend. His friend is the boss, but Sang-Hoon prefers to do the dirty job.

Sang-Hoon has only seen violence all of his life. He suffered domestic violence at home, so he goes around treating every body the only way he has ever been treated. He insults and disrespects the boss (his friend) in front of the workers, he sometimes even punches his work colleagues, but he beats the hell out of every body else he encounters. Nothing seems to matter to him, he seems unstoppable, until he meets a senior high school girl who seems not to be afraid of him. Sang-Hoon, doesn't know that like him she has suffered domestic violence at the hands of her father, seems to appreciate and respect her attitude. They establish a friendship. Life changes...

Breathless (original title: Ddogpari, which apparently translates as something like "shit-fly") is an unrelenting and uncompromising film from the very first frame. There are constant beatings and fights. Violence pervades every frame. The structure of the film seems repetitive, moving in circles, as if to mirror the circle of violence that the characters are trapped in. Yang Ik-Joon (writer, director, producer, and lead actor) has crafted a film that explores themes of domestic violence and its effects on people. The film seems a bit loose and unfocused in the middle but it is a powerful film for those who manage to reach the end.

Extreme and brutal violence on screen. More swearing than Scorsese's Goodfellas. But a powerful first film with amazing performances from Yang Ik-Joon and Kot Bi-Kim playing the school girl with attitude.

Breathless is a bleak, relentless and emotionally raw movie from South Korea. An uncompromising look at the violent underbelly of a section of poverty ridden urban South Korea, Breathless is the directorial debut of lead man and scriptwriter Yang Ik-joon, and has rightly been bestowed with a healthy array of awards.

As the films pace allows layers to build and relationship dynamics to be understood and interwoven, nausea and discomfort evolves into empathy and worry, characters you are sure are irredeemable surprise you. The shaky documentary style photography adds to the grittiness and rawness.

Breathless is stark, dark and uncompromising. Well directed and with expertly judged emotional performances, this film has dared to expose the terrible unbreakable cycle of violence in an apparently progressive and evolved society. JM

this is my first comment for any movie on IMDb... this movie touches deepest corner of your heart. it is not only brilliantly acted by all the cast , it is as well superbly directed. it takes violence as tool to show evil aftereffects of domestic violence . take my advice and just watch it alone you wont regret it. but first let me clear that this movie wont be digested by weak hearted people because it picks a very stubborn truth of society we live in . which is domestic violence. i bet you will seriously give a thought about it.

if you are ready to face the truth just go watch it.. this movie also sheds light on a subject which is ignored by most of us living in a family which is to give respect to others, although it does not directly strikes it but it indirectly touches it.

Sang Hoon is the protagonist of this film, he is deeply affected by his past due to his fathers domestic abuse which in turn lead to his mother and sisters death. The film, at first, has a dark comedy feel to it, mainly due to Sang Hoons constant cursing and random outbursts of violence. Sang Hoon literally beats people up to live, in more than one sense. Sang Hoon meets Yeon-Hue, a high schooler, when he spits on her uniform, Sang Hoon was surprised when Yeon-Hue called him back and stood up for herself, likely due to his experiences with domestic abuse.

Sang Hoon and Yeon-Hue spend more and more time with each other, as she gets to know Sang Hoon she grows to think of him as a father, her desire for a father figure likely comes from her own father being mentally ill and you guessed it, violent.

I really don't want write more about this wonderful film, I really encourage you to watch it for yourselves. If i could compare it to another film it would be American History X as the story lines are very similar, so much so that i got a little deja vu.

Having been to Korea on numerous occasions I went out of my way to ensure I saw this film at the 2009 Vancouver International Film Festival and I am very happy that I did.

As this is Yang Ik-Joon's first full-length picture here is a presentation that is shown in true raw passion and with emotion. I found the movie and it's engaging story-line to be very powerful. The audience and I laughed at the dark humour contained within then cried as the eventuality of the plot is brought to bear.

For those that can stomach the violence I highly recommend finding this film to view. The movie takes place in a world that most of us are simply not willing to face however the issues presented therein relating to abuse are very important and very relevant.

Every action has consequence and truly each of our lives glow so bright before we fade.

I hope that one day Breathless (Ddongpari) can be given a Region 1 DVD release so that I may purchase and watch again.