The story of the relationship between the “kidnapper” and the victim, who hates each other and ends up loving each other, is not new to the film medium. Hundreds of films have used the same formula. However, Pawn was somehow able to cover it with a unique story. This touching drama film is directed by Kang Dae-gyu and stars Sung Dong-il, Ha Ji-won, Kim Hee-won, and the child actress Park So-yi. This film produced by CJ Entertainment has become one of the highest-grossing films in Korea during the pandemic, which has not yet ended.
Once upon a time in the early 1990s, Doo-seok and his younger brother Jong Bae worked as debt collectors in the city of Incheon. Shameless in public, Doo-seok forces a mother and her daughter to pay off their debt immediately. The mother finally asked for a day. As a guarantee, Doo-seok takes his daughter Seung-yi by force. Unfortunately, it turned out that the mother was dealing with immigrants and was deported abroad. Seung-yi is forced to live with Doo-seok and his brother. Time goes by as the inner relationship and bond between the three of them became increasingly strong.
For this kind of melodrama, South Korean films are indeed good at building a dramatic side scene by scene that can drain the eyes of the audience. Needless to say, because there are so many, Pawn is arguably one of the most unique. The story of the flash-back segment stung the audience more than the present part, which feels only as a compliment. Pawn developed his chemistry with great patience and was able to hit the audience at the right moment. In one moment at a nightclub, the audience couldn’t have eyes not swollen. The setting in the 1990s, a time when pagers and landlines were the primary communication tools became an essential element in building the dramatic intensity of the plot. Although in a few moments (the second half of the story transition), it must be admitted that it does feel less biting.
Pawn presents a touching drama between a boy and a girl through a unique story with the potent chemistry of the three main characters. Korean films seem never to miss casting, including Pawn. Sung Dong-Il is the star, which is often rude, but everyone knows he loves the little girl more than himself. Park So-yi was also able to play flexibly in responding to his uncle’s attitude. These two figures are indeed the keys that can cut the hearts of the audience.
