''Public Enemy'' () is a 2002 South Korean

neo-noir Neo-noir is a film genre that adapts the visual style and themes of 1940s and 1950s American film noir for contemporary audiences, often with more graphic depictions of violence and sexuality. During the late 1970s and the early 1980s, the term ...

action thriller film The action film is a film genre that predominantly features chase sequences, fights, shootouts, explosions, and stunt work. The specifics of what constitutes an action film has been in scholarly debate since the 1980s. While some scholars such as D ...

directed by

Kang Woo-suk Kang Woo-suk (; born November 10, 1960, in Gyeongsan) is a South Korean film Film producer, producer and Film director, director. He has often been called the most powerful man in Korean cinema, topping Cine21 magazine's list of '50 Most Powerful ...

. The film was well received by audiences and critics alike, being seen by almost 3 million people in South Korea,"The Best Selling Films of 2002"
. ''Koreanfilm.org''. Retrieved 2008-04-19. while winning

Sul Kyung-gu Sul Kyung-gu (; born May 14, 1967) is a South Korean actor. Upon his graduation in 1994, he appeared in numerous theatrical productions, such as the hit Korean adaptation of the German rock musical '' Subway Line 1'', and productions of Sam Shep ...

Best Actor at the

Grand Bell Awards The Grand Bell Awards (), also known as the Daejong Film Awards, is an awards ceremony presented annually by The Motion Pictures Association of Korea for excellence in film in South Korea. The Grand Bell Awards retains prestige as the oldest co ...

and

Blue Dragon Film Awards The Blue Dragon Film Awards () is an annual awards ceremony that is presented by ''Sports Chosun'' (a sister brand of the ''Chosun Ilbo'') for excellence in film in South Korea. The Blue Dragon Film Awards considers only blockbusters and popula ...

for his lead role. The success of the film led to the making of the sequel ''

Another Public Enemy ''Another Public Enemy'' is a 2005 South Korean neo-noir action thriller film and the film is a sequel to ''Public Enemy''. Plot Kang Chul-joong (Sul Kyung-gu), a prosecutor for the Seoul District attorney's office, is a unique one. He prefers go ...

'' in 2005.

Plot

The film's plot pits a tough loose-cannon cop, Kang Chul-joong, and a psychopathic killer, Cho Kyu-hwan, against each other. Kang typifies the

anti-hero An antihero (sometimes spelled as anti-hero or two words anti hero) or anti-heroine is a character in a narrative (in literature, film, TV, etc.) who may lack some conventional heroic qualities and attributes, such as idealism and morality. Al ...

cop genre, taking bribes and stealing drugs from criminals. His career is in a slump and internal affairs are investigating his actions. The antagonist Cho, on the other hand, leads a life as a successful business and family man. Under his cool exterior however, he displays a total disregard for others, killing people for the slightest perceived misdeed. The two main characters first meet by chance in a dark alley shortly after Cho brutally murders his parents for monetary reasons. Cho first asked then started begging to get his parents to leave their will to him. After his parents refuse, Cho gets a knife and stabs them both dozens of times. He sprays flour all around their body and washes the excess blood by taking a shower. Then he starts walking to get rid of the murder weapon. Kang is defecating in the dark alley during an unrelated stakeout and runs into Cho, who ends up slashing Kang in the face with a knife. Kang later joins the investigation into the murders, but doesn't recognize Cho as he didn't get a good look at his face. His instincts tell him that something is wrong about Cho, and Kang starts stalking him. Kang soon convinces himself that Cho is the murderer, although no one else believes that he has a case. He is eventually fired from the police force and becomes a traffic cop. Eventually, Kang discovers a crucial piece of evidence, a broken fingernail, at the murder scene and confronts Cho with it. This leads to the two facing off against each other in a fight, which ends with Kang beating Cho to death. Kang is restored to the force, and at the end his internal affairs tail reports that he "is getting better."

Cast

... Kang Chul-joong *

Lee Sung-jae Lee Sung-jae (; born August 23, 1970) is a South Korean actor. Among his notable works include the films ''Art Museum by the Zoo'' (1998), ''Attack the Gas Station'' (1999), ''Kick the Moon'' (2001), and ''Public Enemy (2002 film), Public Enemy ...

... Cho Kyu-hwan *

Kang Shin-il Kang Shin-il (born November 26, 1960) is a South Korean actor. Kang graduated from Kyung Hee University with a degree in electronic engineering, but he soon put aside his studies and spent most of his time in Daehangno, Seoul's theater district, ...

... Chief Investigator Uhm * Kim Jeong-hak ... Detective Kim * Do Yong-gu ... Detective Nam

Awards and nominations

;2002

Chunsa Film Art Awards The Chunsa Film Art Awards (also known as the Icheon Chunsa Film Festival) have been presented in South Korea since the founding of the prize by the Korea Film Directors' Society in 1990. The awards take their name from the pen name of the earl ...

* Best Supporting Actor -

;2002

Baeksang Arts Awards The Baeksang Arts Awards (), also known as the Paeksang Arts Awards, are awards for excellence in film, television and theatre in South Korea. The awards were introduced in 1965 by Chang Key-young, the founder of the newspaper ''Hankook Ilbo'', ...

"Public Enemy - Awards"
. ''Cinemasie''. Retrieved 2013-09-13. * Jury Prize ;2002

* Best Actor -

;2002

* Best Actor -

References

External links

* * * {{hancinema film, Public_Enemy, Public Enemy
''Public Enemy'' review
at Koreanfilm.org 2002 films 2000s Korean-language films 2000s crime action films Police detective films South Korean crime action films South Korean neo-noir films Films directed by Kang Woo-suk 2000s South Korean films