Korean Movie Review : Miracle In Cell No.7 – A Heartwrenching Movie

Seeing that, Yong-gu was exasperated, saying that the bag belongs to his daughter. Annoyed at Yong-gu’s attitude, the commissioner hit him and a fight broke out. The day after that, the commissioner’s daughter went to see Yong-gu, telling him that she knows another store that sells the same bag pack. Yong-gu follows her and for some strange reason, the commissioner’s daughter ended up dead. Yong-gu who was with her at the time, was accused of a murdering her and was sent to prison.

A Sneak Peek Into The Story : 

This is hands down one of the most touching movie I have ever watched. This movie was actually recommended to me by a friend a few years back, but at the time, I wasn’t big on Korean related things. Moreover, the cover of the movie just didn’t appeal to me enough to make me want to watch it. And I could have not been any more mistaken, because I regret that I didn’t watch this movie earlier and only now realized what a gem this movie is.

I love the fact that this story was so simply put, it was not over exaggerated nor was it the kind of movie that was made to pull at your heart-strings. After watching this movie twice (yes, it was that good), I can positively say that this movie was more towards trying to tell us a story of the prisoners. We have always stereotyped people who go to prison as bad people, for they had did something so bad that they were thrown in prison. This movie put the viewers in the point of view of those prisoners. It was very well balanced, whether it was plot line or the emotions that was conveyed from the actors, it was very well produced.

The men who was living in cell no.7, before Yesung and Yong-gu came into their lives were a miserable lot. Since, Yong-gu got thrown into prison and join the group, not only the cell, the whole prison become a brighter and happier place because of his genuine kindness and innocence. Not to mention, Yong-gu’s daughter Yesung was really smart as well. She was wise beyond her years. She was like a ray of sunshine, wherever she went, she just made that place a little bit happier with her cheerfulness and cuteness.

Not only that, the fact that she got the gangster that has never touched a book in 7 years and illiterate to want to start learning how to read and write, that in itself is a very big accomplishment.

Most of the people who had watched this movie felt how unfair it had been for Yong-gu, how he was falsely accused and was taken advantage of because of his mental illness. But all the while I was watching this movie, I kept thinking how Yesung must have felt. Being a child and forced to take care of yourself and take care of your father and also be strong under all the problems that was on her shoulder, all the while being so happy and cheerful at the same time. She was such a precious little gem.

Review : 

This movie really wasn’t as depressing as it sounded. Like I already mentioned, this was a very well made and well balanced movie. With all the sadness and anger that this movie evoked, they balanced  it well with humor. And was it just me, or are there viewers out there as well who are curious about Yesung’s mother? I am just curious to see what kind of woman could have made Yong-gu fall in love with her.

This movie definitely wins a spot on the must watch list for me. Miracle In Cell No.7 is a movie about love and finding family in a place you least expected. This movie showed it’s viewers the ugly side of the society, the society that did whatever power men wanted them to do. After you watch thsi movie, you will feel a sense of unfairness, and maybe even anger. But what I realized that eventually, I learned to let go. I learned to take the story as it was, and stop wondering about the “what if”. I felt as if some part of me had changed after this movie, and it will always have a special spot in my heart.

“Thank you for…for being my daughter. “