Forgotten:
The Labyrinth of Memory and National Trauma
What could be more thrilling than having to search through the hidden depths of one's own mind? And what if we cannot even be certain that our mind isn't playing a deceptive, illusory game with us? The king of cinematic excitement is the psychological thriller, where nothing is ever certain. We lose our grip on reality and cannot tell whether we are wandering through the labyrinths of the world or the maze of our own delusions.
The film Forgotten (Korean title: Night of Memories) leads its protagonist—and through him, the audience—onto this very threshold of uncertainty. Jang Hang-jun has written a masterly screenplay and directed a film worthy of it. There is no greater sin than spoiling the "punchlines" of such a movie, so I shall attempt to write in riddles about what interested viewers might expect.
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| Director and writer Jang Hang-jun |
A shocking twist occurs almost exactly halfway through the film's runtime. Looking into the mirror alongside the protagonist, we catch a glimpse of the unbelievable reality, and this scene splits the events into two. In the first segment, we see a family where the younger son, Jinseok, struggles with psychological issues. His family members treat him with loving care—at least, so it seems, until an unexpected event awakens a suspicion in the boy that something is wrong. He begins to tail his older brother, and as a result, the truth that overturns the boy's world is revealed—not only about Yooseok but about the rest of the family as well. Following the turning point, we learn the motives behind why they deceived Jinseok. However, they did not achieve their goal because Jinseok’s memory contains nothing regarding the things he is accused of, despite being informed in detail about what supposedly happened to him. Convinced of his innocence, the boy flees. Yet, due to an accidental mishap, his memory returns, and we finally discover what truly occurred. The moment of truth fulfills the fates of both Jinseok and Yooseok.
Meanwhile, we receive everything one would expect from a thriller: ominous sounds, mystical settings, bloody thrills, and diabolical conspiracies. The key moments involve not only delusions of the soul but also a professional collaborator who aids the deception. Forgotten is a psychological thriller where we even encounter the active intervention of a psychologist. Certain scenes are shown multiple times, gaining new meaning through repetition.
In the lead role, Kang Ha-neul delivers a flawless performance, and one must seriously wonder whether we are seeing two different actors for the two manifestations of Jin-seok’s character. But no, it is Kang who creates the deceptive illusion throughout, aided greatly by excellent makeup and prosthetic artists. Besides the physical transformation, Kang Ha-neul is able to portray all the psychological states of the character with superb intensity—from a kind, peaceful face to a distraught one, and even to psychotic symptoms.
Though without such vast discrepancies, Kim Mu-yeol, playing Yooseok, also appears before us in various forms. In one of his appearances, he plays excellently even with his movements. The nuances of his character range from kind to vengeful, yet even in his most innocent guise, a certain threatening undertone can be felt.
The director employs cinematic tools for building tension with restraint but effectiveness: magnified details, sharp-contrast highlights, or mysterious shadows. We are presented with unique visual compositions through the combination of cold and warm colors and unusual camera angles.
Although psychological thrillers do not require temporal concretization, Jang Hang-jun nonetheless anchors the triggering cause of the events in the recent history of Korea. The consequences of the 1997 economic crisis (the IMF crisis) force the protagonist onto a wrong path, and the instigator likewise seeks escape from these same circumstances. While this motif can offer no absolution to anyone, it certainly creates a stronger bond for viewers who still vividly hold the drama of these events in their collective memory, linking them to the human tragedies evoked.
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