Plot introduction
The 12th Suspect is a full-length feature film directed by KO Myoungsung, who also directed a documentary titled Good Bye (2009) about Korean immigrants living in Japan who went to North Korea. Set in a teahouse in Myeong-dong, Seoul right after the end of the Korean War, The 12th Suspect follows the suffocating psychological showdown that takes place between a detective and the 11 suspects who find themselves caught up in a murder case. The tight narrative between the characters and the enthusiastic performances of Kim Sangkyung, Heo Sungtae, Park Sunyoung, Kim Dongyoung, and the other actors prevent the film from falling into a monotony that could potentially be caused by a limited space like a teahouse. Through symbolic spaces such as the Korean War, Myeong-dong, and Namsan, the film attempts to take a look at the dark foundation of the modern history of Korea which has been carried forth through liberation, the Korean War, and division.
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