Films·Jun 10, 2020

A Taxi Driver

Metadata

Director	Jang Hoon
Year	2017
Writer	Eom Yu-na
Stars	Song Kang-ho, Thomas Kretschmann, Yoo Hae-jin, Ryu Jun-yeol

Summary: A Taxi Driver follows a Seoul taxi driver who unknowingly drives a German journalist to Gwangju during the 1980 uprising. At first, he is mostly concerned with earning his fare and getting home, but the violence he witnesses changes his understanding of what is happening. The film turns one ordinary man’s reluctant journey into a moving portrait of courage, witness, and moral awakening.
Overall theme: The movie is about what happens when an ordinary person can no longer look away. It explores state violence, civic responsibility, and the importance of testimony when the truth is being suppressed. Its emotional power comes from the idea that heroism does not always begin with bravery; sometimes it begins with inconvenience, guilt, and choosing to stay.
Cinematography style: The film starts with warm, everyday realism, using the taxi and city streets to create a grounded, human perspective. As the story moves into Gwangju, the visuals become more chaotic, crowded, and urgent, reflecting the shift from personal comedy-drama into historical trauma. The camera often stays close to the taxi driver’s point of view, making the violence feel discovered rather than explained.