A Taxi Driver is a 2017 filmed by director Jang Hoon, starring Song Kang-ho and Thomas Kretschmann. The movie is based on a true story about a German journalist, Jürgen Hinzpeter’s experience with a taxi driver during the 1980 Gwangju Uprising.
Before we dive into the movie, let’s talk about the events leading up to the Gwangju Uprising.
- Park Chung Hee was the President of South Korea from 1961 to 1979.
- South Korea had been under Park’s dictatorship for nearly two decades.
- Park was assassinated by his KCIA director Kim Jae-gyu, on October 26, 1979.
- Prime Minister Choi Kyu-ha became President in December of 1979.
- However, it was Chun Doo-hwan, Army Major General, who controlled the government via coup d’état of December Twelfth.
- Chun Do-hwan worked to suppress political activities and arrested prominent pro-democratic figures such as Kin Dae-jung.
- At the start of the new school year in March of 1980, pro-democracy movements flourished at universities.
- Chun ordered martial law on May 17, 1980.
“October 1979 – With the shooting of President Park Chung-hee, South Korea’s 18-year long era of dictatorship ends. But in contrast to people’s hope for democracy, General Chun Doo-hwan heads a military coup and seizes power. 1980. Outraged citizens protest in the streets, and their yearning for democracy intensifies.”
Opening message
Veteran actor Song Kang-ho (Academy Award Winner, Parasite) plays the taxi driver name Kim Man-seok. He is a single father behind on his rent and steals another taxi driver’s customer after hearing that the job pays 100,000 won.
Thomas Kretschmann plays the German journalist Jürgen Hinzpeter (aka Peter) who hears about the civil unrest from another journalist. He travels to South Korea under the guise of a missionary to report on the events.
The audience is taken on the journey as these two individuals make their way to Gwangju and witness the horrendous events of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising.
The film highlights the horror of the events, but also the bravery the people fighting for democracy. We see the events through Kim Man-seok’s eyes as his world view changes within just two days. When we first see him, he waves off the protesting college students as having nothing better to do than protest. He continues to dismiss the actions of the protestors as nothing more than spoiled children wanting attention. When he hears that the soldiers have beaten numerous students, he doesn’t believe it. He was also a sergeant in the army and his fellow soldiers would never harm civilians.
However, his delusions are smashed as he witnesses firsthand how a peaceful protest turned into a blood bath as soldiers and paratroopers open fire on protesters. We see the military with their tanks and heavy artillery aimed at the people.
Political Motivation
As Peter talks with his contact in Korea, we learned that King Dae-jung (President of South Korea from 1998-2003) had been arrested and Kim Young-sam (President of South Korea from 1993-1998) was under house arrest. With Park Chung-hee’s assassination, they saw an opportunity to turn the country from authoritarian rule to a democratically govern country. This was in direct opposition of Chun Doo-hwan and his grasp on power. Just as Park Chung-hee had done, Chun Doo-hwan used the military to arrest, torture, and sentence his enemies to death.
Once the protest began on May 18, Chun Doo-hwan moved his military to block roads in and out of the city along with news coverage about the protest. Driver Kim and Peter find roadblocks along the way, but they finally get inside the city limits by lying to the soldiers.
Suppression of the Press
By the time the duo gets to the center of town, the streets are empty except for debris. Graffiti on walls and banners are the only things greeting driver Kim and Peter. As Peter films the deserted street, a truck full of students pulls in front of them. The students are headed to the hospital and take Peter with them.
When driver Kim, Peter, and Jae-sik head towards the protesting center, the whole city seemed to have come out for the event. There were people of all ages from grandfathers to young children as they sing and dance on the streets. Everything indicates a peaceful gathering.
Three men head to the roof top of one of the buildings when the military show up to break up the protest. The local reporter tells Peter to be careful as the police will hunt him down and anyone helping him. Soldiers are kicking and hitting the protesters with batons including an elderly man. They drag women by their hair and tear gas fill the air.
The protestors are not deterred as they continue to shout, “Drive our Chun Doo-hwan”.
Despite close calls, the trio make it out of the protest unharmed. Peter tells Jae-sik that once the footage airs, the whole would be watching. “You are not alone”.
Reporters at the local newspaper are trying to print the articles with the day’s events. The title of the frontpage article says, “Martial Law Soldiers Massacre Civilians in Gwangju”. However, they are stopped by their Chief and his staff rush to stop the press and destroy the printed papers. They are in part afraid, but the Chief doesn’t think that anything would change.
With driver Kim’s car broken down, they head to taxi driver Hwang’s house. The kindhearted man invites them for dinner and to stay the night. We see further suppression of the truth as nightly news reports that gangsters started a riot and killed several police officers. There is nothing about the massive killings of civilians. A loud explosion gathers people near Gwangju’s MBC TV station. The movie doesn’t explain what happened because it is more or less made for the Korea audience. The explosion was at the news station as angry civilians set the building on fire for reporting false news. The next day, driver Kim leaves Gwangju alone. By the time he gets to Suncheon, he notices that people have no idea what has happened in Gwangju because of the false reporting on TV and newspapers.
Massacre
Driver Kim returns to Gwangju and sees the sea of dead bodies at the hospital including Jae-sik. He also spots Peter sitting on the floor despondent. Driver Kim urges Peter to continue his filming because people need to know. Kim and Peter decide to stay, and they head towards the Provincial Office where the protest has continued. What they witness is beyond anyone’s imagination. The military tanks have barricaded the area with soldiers shooting at even the student waving a white flag. People who are trying to help injured people are also shot. The taxi drivers get into their vehicles to rescue the injured by using their vehicles as shields.
Why We Can’t Forget the Gwangju Uprising
It is unclear how many people lost their lives during this tragic event that lasted ten days. Some put the numbers at couple hundred while other speculate that it was closer to 2,000 civilians. Chun Doo-hwan held onto his presidency until 1988 when the first freely held election took place. It would take until 1996 when Chun Doo-hwan was given to life sentence. He was pardon by President Kim Young-sam.
What the movie doesn’t show is U.S support for Chun Doo-hwan’s policies and actions. Since the ceasefire after the Korean War, U.S military presence in South Korea was constant. Nothing happened in South Korea without U.S knowing about it. There is still sentiment in Gwangju area that U.S had betrayed the very tenant of its identity – democracy. However, it would not be the first or the last time, U.S government ignored the flight of citizens and support an authoritarian leader.
In the end, citizens of South Korea fought for their freedom and democracy. It didn’t come easily, and it came with a high human cost. The movie highlights the resilience of the Korean people. This is something we have seen time and time again.
After 40 years, the Gwangju Uprising still brings painful memories to its survivors and the nation. People still feel anger and hold onto unresolved feelings as Chun Doo-hwan refuses to acknowledge his wrongdoings. The film helps keep the memory alive – people need to know what happened in Gwangju in May of 1980.