Sae-yi yaeseu (2001)

Sae-yi yaeseu: Directed by Sung-Hong Kim. With Joong-Hoon Park, Sang-mi Choo, Ju-hyuk Kim, Ju-bong Gi. After one year of marriage, things could not look better for Jeong-hyun and Yun-hie. In order to celebrate the publishing of Jeong-hyun’s manuscript, the couple decide to take a winter vacation along the East Sea. It turns out to be a trip neither will ever forget…if they survive. They meet a man calling himself “M” and agree to give him a lift. His expressionless face and penetrating eyes are disturbing enough but his rude actions and speech begin to interfere with the couples happiness during there trip, although they try to have a good time in spite of him. There contentment with this situation is short lived when they learn that “M” was in prison for a brutal crime. Meanwhile, the police have begun an investigation of a series of cruel murders along the highway…

“This movie begins well as the young couple are tricked into giving a ride to a sullen, brooding man. Tension mounts as the man is apparently stalking them after they finally get him out of their car. However, once it has been established that the passenger is dangerous–which happens within the first 30 minutes of the film, the movie is unable to maintain any real suspense. In lieu of suspense, we are given graphic violence. The torture scenes are extended, disturbing, and unnecessary and the battle that should have been the climax of the film comes 30 minutes to early. Everything that happens after that, which is meant to be shocking, comes across as anti-climactic and predictable. The final scene also seems so out of character for the person involved that it is ridiculous and should have been omitted. I left the theater with a headache.”