Directed by: Jeong Yoon-soo (정윤수) Starring: Kim Seung-woo (김승우), Yunjin Kim (김윤진), Choi Min-soo (최민수), Kim Sun-ah (김선아), Jeong Eun-chan (정은찬) Release Date: June 13th, 2002
Yesterday was among the early Korean Sci-Fi efforts along with 2009: Lost Memories (2002), Resurrection of the Little Match Girl (2002) and Natural City (2003) that was given an enormous budget (relative to the times) in the hopes that it would kick-start enthusiasm for the traditionally lucrative genre during these initial boom years of New Korean cinema. But like its peers, the the novelistic and otherwise intriguing conceptual ideas found within Yesterday proved too broad for the time constraints of even a two hour feature film. The resulting story feels rushed in places and muddled at best in others which contributed to its tanking at the box-office. One can’t help but imagine how the story of Yesterday might be different if it had been developed in a long-form narrative series on Netflix today. But despite Yesterday feeling full of unrealized potential, there are many areas that the film excels in and I’m happy to call it one of my favorite Korean Sci-Fi movies full of intense action, colorful characters, and a mind-boggling story open to interpretation.
During a yearlong investigation into a series of at least five murders all being linked to the same killer, authorities grow desperate to catch the mysterious culprit as peace and safety on a now unified Korean peninsula drop to a new low. As all available resources and manpower in pursuing new leads get stretched to their limits, an emerging theory called “Genetic Determinism” takes center stage in the investigation. The theory claims to have found a link between the propensity to commit violent crimes and certain genetic traits, and identifying individuals with the outlined traits before they can do harm becomes a promising step towards establishing a world without violent crimes.
But when an international conference covering this very topic is hijacked by a fringe group of terrorists that sees the chief of police kidnapped, a strange necklace linked to the serial murders is found within the police chief’s belongings put on display by the kidnappers. With the kidnapping and serial murders now related, the investigation takes a giant new turn as the lead investigator on the case, Seok (Kim Seung-woo), begins to embrace the bold new theory of Genetic Determinism pioneered by the police chief’s own daughter, Hee-soo (Yunjin Kim) a forensic analyst and key spokeswoman at the conference he was abducted from. Working alongside law enforcement, investigators utilize all available advanced technology and new genetic profiling techniques to identify the serial criminals and get the police chief back safely.
I for one really appreciate how Yesterday doesn’t try to hold the audience’s hand through its story. From the very first scene, Yesterday drops you smack into the middle of an ongoing conflict. In this way, it becomes very intriguing if you like to try and figure things out on your own. There are about a dozen characters immediately recognizable with unique personalities and looks that are given no formal introduction. I so looked forward to getting to know each and every one of them on this adventure. Unfortunately, many of the supporters remain undeveloped by the film’s ending if not their own demise.
It’s evident, however, that great care and detail went into the styling of the various investigators and agents that take part in the search for the criminals. Character wardrobes scream both futuristic and cool, especially the supporting agents May (Kim Sun-ah) with her leather getup and face tattoos and Joe (Jeong Eun-chan) with his white blazer and bleached hair. The corrupt gangs and lead villain, Goliath (Choi Min-soo), are fierce and not to be messed with which intensifies the clashes when they erupt in lengthy shootouts and chases through back alleyways and underground tunnels. The ultramodern design of the city was also well realized and there are many richly textured locations and environments throughout.
Yunjin Kim (House of the Disappeared, Shiri) as the forensic analyst and daughter to the kidnapped police chief suddenly joining the dangerous field investigative work might be a stretch for some. But Yesterday writes the character with enough dimensionality that it comes across as rather fitting considering the character’s personal investment in the case. Both her professional life’s work and her father’s life are at stake. It also helped that her character was written to have at least undergone some kind of basic training to have her welding and firing a gun too. Overall she provides an excellent counterweight to the lead detective and team in general as she gives deep insight into the psychology of the serial killer at large.
And while the action, including one of the best outdoor shootouts in all of Korean movies, in Yesterday is mostly good at a distance, some of the car chases and hand to hand fights can be hard to follow. This is due to them being shot in a lot of close ups which are usually used to mask rough choreography. Also, some perps emerge a little too conveniently for investigators to track which can come across as lazy writing, but it’s understandable to an extent since the scope of Yesterday is just so broad that it would probably be a four hour movie if they clearly connected every dot.
There’s an interesting curveball Yesterday throws halfway into it that addresses secret government research projects akin to MKULTRA as well as a human cloning subplot. These are interesting sci-fi concepts to explore and while they add unique layers to the film, they contribute to the overwhelming sense of confusion most will feel on a first viewing. What begins as a high-concept police procedural akin to the superiorly realized Minority Report (which released the following month), turns into a bizarre tale of self-imploding Rambo-esque revenge as characters become unwilling participants in a psychotic’s master plan based in nonsensical science.
That being said, Yesterday is an awesome film on so many levels. The narrative is difficult to follow at times because the film doesn’t show all its cards even by the finale. But I enjoyed thinking for myself and putting the pieces of the puzzle together in a way that works best for me. This makes repeat viewings much more interesting. Without a doubt, Yesterday is a film that shines brightest on its second or third watch.
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