[PREVIEW] Movie "Secret"

After the death of their only child, his relationship with wife Ji-yeon (played by Song Yoon-ah) grows uncomfortable. His colleagues despise him because he is a cold-blooded bastard who imposes harsh and strict rules. Life as a father is not easy for veteran detective Kim Sung-yeol (played by Cha Seung-won) in the film "Secret". But one day, Ji-yeon comes home with a blood stain on her clothes. Shortly thereafter, he is called to the site of a murder where he recognizes traces of his wife that only he is able to notice. Discovering her earring, the button on her jacket and her lipstick smear on the glass, Kim Sung-yeol falls into a state of panic.

He then destroys all the evidence that might lead Ji-yeon into becoming a murder suspect, but the case is not that simple. Jackal (played by Ryu Sung-ryong), a mob boss who wants revenge for the death of his younger brother, comes after him and detective Choi (played by Park Won-sang), his colleague and arch-rival, starts getting suspicious about Kim. In addition, his wife keeps avoiding him and doesn't tell him the truth. With no one helping him, Kim Sung-yeol must solve the murder case before anyone else does. So then, who is the killer? Is it really his wife or another person?

Movie Points 7 (from 1-10)

"Secret" is Yoon Jae-goo's directorial debut. He had written the script for the film "Seven Days" and this is his second story, out of a four-part series, about redemption. If "Seven Days" was about a mother trying to save her child, "Secret" is about a husband trying to save his wife. But what Kim Sung-yeol wants to save is the past, which is represented by his wife. The husband, whose mistakenly caused the death of his child causing the happy family to shatter into pieces, desperately tries to solve the case. As a thriller movie, the process of the character solving the murder is pretty well expressed in the film. Other suspects appear one after another, messing with the audience's predictions, and the suspense is heightened by the many obstacles that Kim faces throughout the film. Actor Cha Seung-won, who carries the weight of the story, is convincing both as the pitiable father who loses a child and tries to protect his wife and also as a detective wearing a well-cut suit.

But as in "Seven Days", director Yoon Jae-goo goes too far in trying to emphasize his own sense of humanism in "Secret" which often collides with the film's story. For example, in one scene, Kim Sung-yeol sheds tears and fights 30 men by himself to protect Ji-yeon. Another example is when his arch-rival Choi suddenly offers camaraderie. Such moments are incoherent to the overall flow of the plot and distorts viewers' concentration. Plus, the film's ending which is shown while the ending credit is rolling seems hardly necessary. Director Yoon said at the press conference, held in Seoul on November 18, that "there are two ways to watch a thriller movie. You can try to play along and solve the puzzle with the people who made the movie or you can follow the subplots provided by the actors and the director and just enjoy it." "Secret" will probably be an enjoyable film if you use the latter method.

Reporter : Lee Ji-Hye seven@10asia.co.kr
Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@asiae.co.kr