OCN, 2017, 16 episodes
Genres: crime, thriller, mystery
Written by Lee Eun-mi-III 이은미
Directed by Nam Gi-hoon 남기훈, Sin Yong-hwi 신용휘
More information: Wikipédia, HanCinema
Tunnel:
A Bridge Between Eras and Justice
The title of the drama (Tunnel) refers to a real location possessing a mystical quality: it functions as a time tunnel. Our protagonist, a detective, is unexpectedly transported thirty years into the future. He soon realizes that the only reason for this displacement is to uncover the identity of a serial killer whom the police could not apprehend in his own time. The drama finds its real-life basis in the Hwaseong serial murders that occurred between 1986 and 1991.
The series easily handles the integration of the detective into a future—or, from the story's perspective, contemporary—homicide unit. Initially, Park Gwangho operates as quite an eccentric figure, having no clue about new technical developments or the changes in the world. His naive questions about these shifts serve as a source of very healthy humor. The series also skillfully plays with how the detective's "outdated" knowledge—built primarily on human capabilities like observation, intuition, manual labor, and resourcefulness—indispensably complements the expertise of his colleagues equipped with modern technical backgrounds.
It soon becomes clear that none of the people working on the case ended up in the team by accident, and discovering these connections provides one of the primary sources of the drama's tension. Meanwhile, the investigation moves forward steadily, with Gwangho's old knowledge and new discoveries merging in exciting ways. Although the identity of the perpetrators can be guessed from the character archetypes—and the show doesn't strive too hard to hide them from the audience—the plot twists remain sufficiently unexpected, and the method of cornering the culprits keeps one's attention from flagging. The story is logically constructed, with only one point where I found an inconsistency. [Spoiler: During Gwangho's second return, the culprit running before him in the tunnel should have also arrived in the future, unless the location functioned as a time tunnel solely for the detective.]
At the same time, Detective Gwangho is a romantic hero. His love story is moving, and based on the knowledge he gains in the future, he finds he has plenty of work to do regarding it. The director gifts us with one of the most charming sequences depicting the detective's first date, which—in its atmosphere, colors, and smallest elements—precisely transports the viewer back to the retro world of the '70s and '80s.
An excellent cast works to bring this story of numerous characters to life. As the time-traveling detective, Choi Jin-hyuk reliably carries the entire story on his shoulders; we haven't a shred of doubt regarding his character's professional skills. His human dilemmas, the loneliness felt in the future, and his longing for his true timeline are deeply touching. Special mention should go to his youthful courtship in the aforementioned sequence, where he portrays clumsy, virginal blushing with a charm that provokes laughter while still letting masculine desire shine through.
Since I cannot write the name of the actor playing the main villain without spoiling the plot, I will simply highlight how they depict the gradual revelation and complete dominance of the character's inner madness. Every member of the long cast list forms a vivid, lifelike character, from the leads to the smallest supporting roles. The cinematic execution leaves nothing to be desired: great locations, camera angles, and well-paced scenes follow one another. A compelling thriller element—thanks to both the directing and acting—is that the allegiance of several characters remains ambiguous for quite some time. It goes without saying that humor is not lacking either, often arising from the age differences caused by the disparate timelines of the characters.
As hoped from the beginning, every thread is eventually tied up in the reality of 2017, allowing our detective to return to his actual time. It remains unclear whether the knowledge he took back from the future allows him to influence the events occurring in the interval between the two timelines—ultimately affecting everything we saw as the "future" reality in the drama. However, imagining this can keep the drama alive in the imagination of every viewer, which is perhaps the most exciting feature of good time-travel stories.
Before the tunnel leads Gwangho back to his own time, something occurs in the future that forms an integral part of closing the case. Many might find the final episode overly emotional, as it includes a detailed presentation of the detectives' unusual series of visits. In our pragmatic world, gestures similar to those seen here are rare, yet they give a new meaning to the expression: final respects.
In light of all this, Tunnel provides excellent entertainment, and I encourage everyone to watch it.
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