Based on true events, an untold story of a taxi driver.|Aug. 02, 2017|South Korea|138 Min.|Not Rated
Genre: Action;Drama;History
Description: In 1980, Kim Man-seob, a widowed father and taxi driver in Seoul, overhears a conversation about a foreign client offering a substantial fare of 100,000 won (approximately $565) for a trip to Gwangju and back before curfew. Intrigued by the lucrative opportunity, Man-seob intercepts the client.
The client is Jürgen “Peter” Hinzpeter, a West German journalist determined to report on the growing civil unrest in Gwangju. Due to strict censorship, foreign reporters are banned from entering the country, so Peter poses as a missionary. Man-seob convinces Peter to take his taxi, and they set off for Gwangju.
Upon approaching the city, they encounter military blockades. Man-seob suggests turning back, but Peter insists on continuing, refusing to pay unless they reach their destination. They deceive the soldiers by claiming Peter is a businessman and manage to enter Gwangju.
Inside the city, they find empty streets and closed shops. Man-seob downplays the situation, attributing the unrest to student protests. Peter begins documenting the scene with his camera. They meet a group of college students, including a leader named Yong-pyo and an English-speaking student, Jae-sik.
Man-seob, fearing his taxi might be damaged, decides to leave but stops to help an elderly woman searching for her son. She leads him to the hospital, where they find Yong-pyo injured. Peter and the students criticize Man-seob for his self-interest and refuse to pay him until he completes the journey as agreed.
This story highlights the unfolding events in Gwangju during a time of turmoil, as seen through the eyes of an unlikely pair—a taxi driver and a foreign journalist.
Cast director: Jang Hoon
Cast actor: Song Kang-ho, Thomas Kretschmann, Yoo Hae-jin, Ryu Jun-yeol, Park Hyuk-kwon, Ko Chang-seok, Jeon Hye-jin, Choi Gwi-hwa, Um Tae-goo, Daniel Joey Albright
Original name: 택시운전사