The Boys

The swift closure of a robbery and murder case brought fame to the local police department of a small South Korean town and their chief in 1999. The culprits, three boys, even confessed. Soon after, contradictions in the investigation file lead the newly appointed chief of the squad “Mad Dog” Hwang Juncheol to have doubts. But when the boys confess again, the reinvestigation of the case leads nowhere. 17 years later, just when he is about to retire, he’s asked to try again. Is it even possible, after all this time, to break through the coercive tactics and corruptive camaraderie of the entire police force and finally bring justice to the boys?

The most recent feature by South Korean cinema veteran Chung Ji-young blends fact and fiction, a small-town crime investigation and political games, building up a compelling story of a cold case and a man who risks it all to stand up not only to the fading memories of murder but to the intricately corrupt system that made him and still supports him – now as well as in 1999.

Based on a real-life case, The Boys draws from the tradition of the close-knit police investigation interested in the human factors of the case, political power drama, and court melodrama. As a result, it is an engaging policier strongly stirring the sense of justice.

– Adrian Martin