Ki-joon and Hee-yeol are students at the Police Academy. Although opposites in many ways – Ki-joon is warm and relates easily to other people, while Hee-yeol is brilliant but cold and socially awkward – they work together well, and as time goes on they become friends. One thing they do have in common is that in contrast to many of their classmates, neither of them are quite sure that they really want to become policemen.
One night the two of them are out on break, and while walking down a quiet street they see some men in a van pull up beside a young woman, grab her and throw her inside. They chase after the van, noting its license plate number, but fail to stop it from speeding away. Their first instinct, of course, is to report the incident, but it soon becomes clear that the cops on duty are busy with higher-profile cases. Although they caught only a glimpse of her, and although their training at the Police Academy is far from complete, Ki-joon and Kee-yeol decide to apply what they’ve learned in an all-out effort to rescue her.
A hugely entertaining movie that manages to be funny, disturbing, and inspiring all at once, Midnight Runners is a celebration of the impulsive idealism of youth. (The Korean title translates as “Young Cops”.) Ki-joon and Hee-yeol really have no business running around Seoul chasing after these kidnappers. They’re in far above their heads, and in one sense their professor is right when he tells them they should hold off on real-world crime fighting until they finish their studies. Nonetheless, they are the only ones who step forward to make an effort. The tired, apathetic response of the professional police force throws the young duo’s determination into bittersweet relief.
In both this film and his independent feature debut Koala (2013), writer/director Jason Kim shows a real talent for creating rounded, memorable characters who are fun to watch. Each scene is so engaging that the film’s running time seems to pass by in no time. That said, there are segments of Midnight Runners that go into some pretty dark places, and the film doesn’t shy away from making its audience uncomfortable. Nonetheless, the movie enjoyed strong word of mouth during its release, and ultimately sold 5.7 million tickets. Kim seems to have a natural talent for screenwriting, so this is unlikely to be his last major hit.
Good casting is another factor in the film’s success. Park Seo-jun (Ki-joon) is a familiar face on television, but this is his first leading role in the cinema. His assured performance landed him several ‘Best New Actor’ prizes at local film awards ceremonies. Kang Ha-neul (Hee-yeol), on the other hand, is emerging as one of his generation’s busiest actors, playing a variety of comic and serious roles ranging from Dongju: The Portrait of a Poet (2016) and New Trial (2016) to thriller Forgotten (2017) and Rotterdam Film Festival premiere I Have a Date with Spring (2018). His cool intensity is a natural fit with this role.
Most films turned out by the mainstream Korean film industry these days are centered around emotional effect. Through a combination of mood, violence, spectacle and melodrama, such films aim to flood the viewer in impressions and emotions. There are times when this works well, but it’s become rarer to see films that get by merely on good storytelling and memorable characters. Perhaps that’s why, despite its fairly simple storyline, Midnight Runners feels refreshing and different.
Jason Kim
After studying foreign relations in the U.S., Jason Kim (Kim Joo-hwan) returned to Korea and began working in the marketing and investment divisions at major studio Showbox. Then in 2013 he quit his job to pursue his dream of becoming a film director. His debut feature Koala, a well-received low-budget independent film, tells the story of two friends who open a small hamburger restaurant. In 2016 he also directed the short film Retriever, which screened at various domestic and international film festivals. His first commercial feature Midnight Runners is based on his own script which took three years to write. The film opened during the peak summer box office season in 2017, and amassed an impressive 5.7 million admissions.
FILMOGRAPHY
2013 – Koala
2017 – Midnight Runners
Darcy Paquet