Overview
Directed by Woo Min-ho, The Drug King (2018) depicts the politically turbulent era of the 1970s South Korea through the life of a small-time smuggler turned drug lord, Lee Doo-sam. The film, based on true events, features Song Kang-ho in the leading role and showcases the systematic exploitation of power alongside the obsessive pursuit of wealth.
While commentators often draw parallels from the film to Scarface, The Drug King provides a distinctive approach, weaving in elements of Korean politics and history. It features notable performances alongside painstaking attention to detail in set design, striving to capture the societal fractures that stem from unbridled ambition.
Plot Summary
Beginning as a petty counterfeiter in Busan, Lee Doo-sam transforms into a key player in the smuggling of gold and luxury goods. Following a brief prison sentence, Lee shifts to methamphetamine, recognizing it as a more lucrative and easily scalable business model.
He partners with chemists and associates from Japan to produce and export meth, quickly establishing a drug empire that spans overseas. With his growing wealth and influence, he begins bribing government officials, manipulating the legal system to his advantage, and gradually becomes an important figure in Korean high society. Lee spends lavishly to gain access to the new elite, adorning himself in tailored suits, mingling with politicians while behind the guise of a carefully crafted public persona.
Alongside his growing empire, Lee’s personal life begins to fall apart. He becomes consumed with paranoia as he withdraws from society. His marriage disintegrates, and he becomes estranged from his children. The second half of the film focuses on Prosecutor Kim In-goo, an idealistic lawman set on revealing Lee’s empire while bringing the rot of government and law enforcement corruption to light. The cat-and-mouse tension thickens as Lee’s empire begins collapsing under the weight of betrayal, public scrutiny, and Kim’s relentless investigations.
Ultimately, Lee is arrested, brought to justice, his empire dismantled, and his legacy reduced to that of a cautionary tale. The film’s emphasis on Lee’s journey highlights the journey of self-discovery through abandonment and loneliness. Rather than dramatic exits, his journey ends alongside quiet isolation.
Characters and Performances
Song Kang-ho as Lee Doo-sam
Song delivers an extraordinary performance, interpreting Lee as both charming and loathsome. He undergoes character change from an ambitious sycophant to a ruthless juggernaut and finally a man destroyed by his own hubris. His tragicomic blend of nuanced expressions and emotional control make him compelling, and even when the film sags in momentum, he shores up the narrative as best as he can.
Jo Jung-suk as Kim In-goo
Jo brings intensity and moral conviction to the role of the prosecutor. As a character, Kim In-goo serves as the counterbalance to Lee’s corruption representing the hope of justice in a compromised system. He brings urgency and order to the latter half of the film.
Bae Doona as Kim Jeong-ah
Bae Doona portrays a politically astute Lee’s lobbyist cum aide who pursues her own interests while helping him. Though her role is limited, her portrayal enriches the shadowy world of social and political manipulation with a dimension of depth that is appealing.
Themes and Symbolism
Corruption and Power
The Drug King, at its heart, illustrates the notion of absolute power corrupting. Lee’s evolution from a street-level thug to a politically connected figure shows the intersection of crime and politics. The film displays how societal order can be subverted by wealth, rendering justice powerless until the conclusion.
Greed and Moral Decline
Escaping poverty and taking care of his family motivates Lee to pursue wealth. However, this spirals into an unwavering obsession with unfettered capital accumulation. The film distinguishes aspiration from avarice and demonstrates how relationships, ethics, and sanity collapse under relentless greed.
Social Commentary
The film is set during a turbulent period in South Korea’s history, reflecting on the relationship between crime and politics. It proposes that criminal enterprises flourish in lawless political environments, particularly where officials are willing to turn a blind eye. Lee’s ability to conduct business freely with government support is a scathing indictment of institutional failure.
Loneliness of the Powerful
Lee’s journey, despite outward success, is inherently a lonely one. Unchecked ambition, like his, leads to a desolate existence, a theme reinforced by the film’s quiet concluding scenes of solitude.
Visual Style and Direction
Director Woo Min-ho creates a visually stunning film and takes great care to capture the details of the time. The costumes, cars, and sets immerse the audience in 1970s South Korea, a period bursting with social and economic contradictions.
The cinematography juxtaposes dark, claustrophobic interiors that represent moral decay with bright and lavish Lee’s visuals as he ascends to power. Warm, vibrant hues later give way to cooler, starker tones as his world closes in, depicting his descent.
Reception and Criticism
The Drug King has received mixed reviews for its pacing and narrative structure, alongside praise for its performances and production design. Several viewers were bored by the film, feeling that it was slow and some plot points were either underdeveloped or forgotten altogether. It struggles with focus, at times oscillating between character study and political thriller, epic in scope, but lacking grounding.
Still, critics have praised the film for boldly engaging with complex themes and depicting a morally ambiguous antihero. Unlike the stylized entries in the genre, the film stands out for its unadorned portrayal of crime.
Conclusion
The Drug King is an audacious crime drama that examines the life of a man who is deeply corrupted by power and greed. While the film suffers from loose pacing and disjointed structure, it is bolstered by Song Kang-ho’s superb acting and rich historical settings. It serves as a reminder of the cost of ambition untethered from ethics and compassion.
The Drug King will resonate with fans of character-oriented crime dramas and Korean films. It is a multi-layered and reflective work that remains in one’s thoughts long after the credits roll—not with a bang, but with the profound silence of existence wasted chasing misplaced aspirations.
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