Confession (2022 film)

Confession
Official poster
Hangul
자백
Hanja
自白
Revised RomanizationJabaek
Directed byYoon Jong-seok
Screenplay byYoon Jong-seok
Based onThe Invisible Guest
by Oriol Paulo
Produced by
  • Won Dong-yeon
  • Kim Ji-hong
Starring
CinematographyKim Seong-jin
Edited by
  • Heo Seon-mi
  • Jo Han-wool
Music byMowg
Production
company
  • Realize Pictures
Distributed byLotte Entertainment
Release dates
  • March 20, 2022 (2022-03-20) (FIFF)
  • October 26, 2022 (2022-10-26) (South Korea)
Running time
105 minutes
CountrySouth Korea
LanguageKorean
Box officeest. US$5.6 million[1]

Confession (Korean: 자백; Hanja: 自白; RR: Jabaek) is a 2022 South Korean mystery thriller film directed by Yoon Jong-seok, starring So Ji-sub, Kim Yunjin, Nana and Hwang Sun-hee. Based on Oriol Paulo's 2016 Spanish film The Invisible Guest, the film depicts a story about a man who has been pointed out as the culprit of a locked-room murder and his lawyer approaching the truth.

The film had its premiere at 36th Fribourg International Film Festival on March 20, 2022,[2][3] and its Italian premium at 24th Udine Far East Film Festival on April 30, 2022, as closing film of the festival.[4] It was released theatrically in South Korea on October 26, 2022.[5]

Plot

Yoo Min-ho, CEO of an IT company, is the prime suspect for the murder of Kim See-hee, his former mistress, after the police find him with her body in a hotel room that was locked from the inside. Min-ho's lawyer recommends that Min-ho engage crack defense attorney Yang Shin-ae to defend him.

Shin-ae travels to Min-ho's remote snow-covered cabin to meet him for the first time and decide if she wants to take the case. Min-ho tells her that he and See-hee hadn't seen each other since they ended their affair two months earlier, and they only met at the hotel following the instructions of someone who was trying to blackmail them over the affair. Min-ho claims that an unseen assailant attacked him, and when he awoke See-hee was already dead.

Shin-ae advises Min-ho to be truthful with her, as she suspects that the case is connected with the disappearance of a young man named Han Seon-jae. Min-ho says that two months ago he and See-hee met at the cabin, where he ended the affair. As they were leaving in Min-ho's company car, See-hee swerved the car to avoid a deer, which caused their car to stall and another car to crash into a boulder. Fearful of having their affair exposed, See-hee convinced Min-ho to get rid of the other car and its dead driver, Seon-jae. While Min-ho left to dispose the car and body, See-hee waited in the stalled company car, and was helped by Han Young-seok, a mechanic who happened to be passing by. Young-seok is Seon-jae's father.

Min-ho and See-hee returned to their lives, and Min-ho had his lawyer destroy the implicated company car and report it as stolen. However, Young-seok reported Seon-jae's disappearance and shared a description of See-hee and the car with the police, making her a suspect.

Shin-ae suggests to Min-ho that the blackmail message he received was not about the affair, but about the incident with Seon-jae. She tells Min-ho that Seon-jae's mother, Lee Hee-jung, was the receptionist at the hotel, and that it's possible that Seon-jae's parents worked together to kill See-hee and frame Min-ho to avenge their son. Min-ho approves of this defense strategy and claims that he saw Young-seok in the room, but Shin-ae calls this out as a lie.

Shin-ae reveals that she lied about Seon-jae's mother working in the hotel, in order to force Min-ho to tell the truth. Shin-ae suggests that Min-ho was the real decision-maker of the incident instead of See-hee: he was driving the car and he decided to cover it up by disposing of the body. See-hee, however, was racked with guilt and contacted Young-seok to admit her role in Seon-jae's disappearance. There was no blackmailer; See-hee sent the message to Min-ho to meet at the hotel, where she hoped to convince him to confess as well, but Min-ho killed her and let himself be arrested by the police.

Min-ho confesses that this scenario is accurate and that he did kill See-hee. Shin-ae signs the agreement committing herself to be Min-ho's attorney and proposes that they plant evidence on Seon-jae's body to let See-hee be posthumously solely responsible for covering up his death. Min-ho points to the lake where he sunk the car on a map but adds that Shin-ae needs to destroy the wrench that is in the car; Seon-jae was still alive when Min-ho was about to push the car into the water, and Min-ho beat him to death with the wrench.

It is revealed that Shin-ae is Lee Hee-jung, Seon-jae's mother and a retired actress. She and Young-seok kidnapped the real Yang Shin-ae in order to stage the meeting with Min-ho and have him confess where Seon-jae's body is. Min-ho realizes the truth when he compares the real Shin-ae's signature with Hee-jung's. He attacks Hee-jung and reveals that he lied about the location of the body. He calls the police and makes it appear that Hee-jung tried to kill him. The police arrest Hee-Jung and Yeong-Seok, the latter of whom was outside listening in on the conversation.

However, Hee-jung has realized that Min-ho traveled to the cabin on purpose. Seon-jae's car and body are in the lake directly next to the cabin, and Hee-jung came here to find the wrench that he used to kill Seon-jae. The police dig into the frozen lake and find the car, which prompts Min-ho's arrest.

Cast

Production

In September 2019, it was announced that So Ji-sub will return to films with the film Confession,[10] and Kim Yunjin was cast to play the female lead.[11] In November 2019, Nana was cast in the film.[12] Principal photography began on December 16, 2019, and the film was wrapped up on February 29, 2020.[13]

Release

Confession had its premiere at 36th Fribourg International Film Festival on March 20, 2022[3][2] In April 2022, it was invited to 42nd Fantasporto - Oporto International Film Festival in competition section, where it won Best Director Award.[14] It was also selected as the closing film at the 24th Udine Far East Film Festival held from April 24 to April 30, 2022.[15] In July 2022, it was invited at the 21st New York Asian Film Festival, where it was screened at Lila Acheson Wallace Auditorium, Asia Society on July 23 for its North American premiere.[16][17] It was also invited to the 26th Fantasia International Film Festival and screened for its Canadian premiere on July 31, 2022.[18][19]

The film was invited at the 40th Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival and was screened for Belgian premiere on September 1, 2022.[20][21]

The film was released theatrically on October 26, 2022, in South Korea.[22][23]

Home media

The film was made available for streaming on IPTV (KT olleh TV, SK Btv, LG U+ TV), Home Choice, Google Play, Apple TV, TVING, WAVVE, Naver TV, KT skylife, and Coupang Play from December 6, 2022.[24]

Reception

Teresa Vena of Asian Movie Pulse appreciated the direction, cinematography and performance and wrote, "Thanks to its great actors not only in the two main roles, “Confession” is more than a simple crime movie. It also fascinates with its intelligent structure. Only the ending leaves one a little bit unsatisfied."[25]

Accolades

Year Award Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
2022 Fantasporto - Oporto International Film Festival Directors Week – Best Director Award (Melhor Realização) Yoon Jong-seok Won [26]
24th Udine Far East Film Festival Best Screenplay Yoon Jong-seok Nominated [27]

References

  1. ^ "KOFIC, KOBIS (Korean Box Office Information System) The Box office: Korean films of 2022". KOFIC. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Conran, Pierce (March 11, 2022). "CONFESSION and LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL to Premiere in Competition at 36th Fribourg Film Festival". KOFIC. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Confession at the Fribourg Film Festival". Fribourg Film Festival. March 20, 2022. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  4. ^ "Confession at the Far East Film Festival 24". Far East Film Festival 24. April 30, 2022. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  5. ^ Bae Hyo-joo (August 29, 2022). "소지섭 생애 첫 서스펜스 스릴러 '자백' 10월26일 개봉[공식]" [So Ji-sub's first suspense thriller 'Confession' will be released on October 26th [Official]]. Newsen (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  6. ^ Kim Nara (December 16, 2020). ""소지섭, 생애 첫 스릴러 도전"…'자백', 티저 예고편+스틸 공개" ["So Ji-sub, the first thriller challenge in his life"... 'Confession', teaser trailer + stills released]. My Daily (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  7. ^ Park Ah-reum (October 20, 2020). "'자백' 미스터리 장착 나나, 연기변신 기대되는 이유" ['Confession' mystery equipped Nana, the reason for her acting transformation]. Newsen (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  8. ^ Jung Yoo-jin (December 19, 2019). "황선희, 영화 '자백' 출연 확정…소지섭과 부부 호흡" [Hwang Seon-hee confirmed to appear in movie 'Confession'... So Ji-sub and couple breathing]. News1 (in Korean). Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  9. ^ a b c Jeon Hyung-hwa (November 2, 2022). "홍서준·한갑수·박미현, '자백' 명품 신스틸러 강렬한 존재감" [Seo-Jun Hong, Gap-Soo Han, Mi-Hyun Park, 'Confession' luxury scene stealers strong presence]. MT Star News (in Korean). Retrieved November 2, 2022 – via Naver.
  10. ^ Hwang Chae-hyun (September 26, 2019). "소지섭, 신과 함께 제작사와 영화 '자백'으로 복귀" [So Ji-sub returns with the movie 'Confession' with the producer]. Maeil Newspaper (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  11. ^ Han Hyeon-Jeong (September 27, 2019). "김윤진, 영화 `자백` 여주인공…소지섭과 호흡" [Kim Yun-jin, the female lead in the movie 'Confession'... So Ji-sub and breathing]. Maeil Business Newspaper (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  12. ^ Nayoung Choi (November 19, 2019). "[단독] 나나, 영화 '자백' 캐스팅 스크린 도약..김윤진X소지섭과 호흡" [[Exclusive] Nana leaps to the casting screen for the movie 'Confession'... Breathing with Kim Yunjin X So Jisub]. Osen (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  13. ^ "Confession - 2020". HanCinema. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  14. ^ Park, Hellen (April 15, 2022). "Confession, Which is Ahead of Its Release in Korea, Won the Best Director Award". KOFIC. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  15. ^ Lee Mi-ji (April 22, 2022). "소지섭X김윤진 '자백', 제24회 우디네 극동영화제 폐막작 선정(공식)" [So Ji-sub X Kim Yun-jin's 'Confession' selected as the closing film of the 24th Udine Far East Film Festival (official)]. Herald Pop (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  16. ^ Michael Rosser (June 30, 2022). "New York Asian Film Festival reveals Screen honourees and full line-up". Screen Daily. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  17. ^ "20th Anniversary New York Asian Film Festival, Confession". New York Asian Film Festival. July 12, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  18. ^ "Canadian premiere, Selection 2022, Confession". Fantasia Festival. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  19. ^ Angel Melanson (June 30, 2022). "26th Fantasia Fest Announces Third And Final Wave". Fangoria Publishing. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  20. ^ Lee Yul (August 26, 2022). "브뤼셀 국제판타스틱영화제 29일 개막…'마녀2' 경쟁부문 진출" [The Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival opens on the 29th... 'Witch 2' entered the competition section]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  21. ^ "Selection 2022, Confession". The Brussels International Festival of Fantastic Film. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  22. ^ Jo Ji-young (August 29, 2022). "[공식] 소지섭X김윤진X나나 '자백', 10월 26일 개봉 확정..2년 만에 관객 만난다" [[Official] So Ji-seop X Kim Yun-jin X Nana 'Confession' confirmed to be released on October 26th.. Meet the audience after 2 years]. Sports Chosun (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  23. ^ "KOFIC, KOBIS (Korean Box Office Information System) Box office: Confession (2022)". KOFIC. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  24. ^ Cho Ji-young (December 6, 2022). "소지섭X김윤진X나나 '자백', 오늘(6일) 극장 동시 VOD 서비스 시작" [So Ji-seop X Kim Yun-jin X Nana 'Confession' starts simultaneous VOD service in theaters today (6th)]. Sports Chosun (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  25. ^ "Film Review: Confession (2022) by Yoon Jong-seok". Asian Movie Pulse. May 3, 2022. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  26. ^ Bae Hyo-joo (April 22, 2022). "소지섭 복귀작 '자백' 우디네 극동영화제 폐막작 선정[공식]" [So Ji-sub's comeback work 'Confession' was selected as the closing film of the Udine Far East Film Festival [Official]]. Newsen (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  27. ^ Jeong Hyung-hwa (April 14, 2022). "'모가디슈' '자백' 세계3대 판타스틱영화제 판타스포르토 수상" ['Mogadishu' and 'Confession' won Fantasporto award at the world's top 3 fantastic film festivals]. Star News (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved June 7, 2022.