Unforgivable ~ A Dark Mystery That Keeps You Guessing
“Unforgivable” is a 2023 Korean film, categorized as Thriller, Crime, and Murder Mystery; and streaming free with ads on Tubi TV.
SUMMARY: They hit him with the hammer after he was already dead? The killer clearly hated the victim.
♦ “This too shall pass.”
In “Unforgivable”, Detective Lee Dong-geun is assigned to investigate a brutal murder. Based on the autopsy, even though the victim was already dead, his head was bashed with a hammer. Not only that, but it appears he was sodomized. But there was nothing to extract DNA – no pubic hair, blood, etc. Also, drugs had been used on the victim. It was the kind of drugs that are used on animals. Finally, the most significant clue is a handwritten note that was shoved into the victim’s mouth. The note said: “This too shall pass”.
The investigator found out that the note came from a notepad that belonged to a person who had died 10 years earlier from suicide. Choi Young-hoon, the young man who committed suicide, had been bullied by the man who had been murdered. It appears the crime was carried out because of a grudge and for revenge. The mother of the suicide victim was clueless. She didn’t even know her son had a notebook.
But a friend who recognized his handwriting when he saw the note, knew about the notebook, and told the police. By the time the investigator tracked down the notepad, one of the prime suspects had tried to destroy it in fire. The notepad contained details about the abuse and bullying the young man had been subjected to. The brutality he endured was unforgivable. Everyone knew about it, but nobody said anything or did anything to stop it.
But it wasn’t just the one murder. Those responsible for tormenting Choi Young-hoon and causing the suffering that led to his tragic death also meet gruesome fates. Detective Lee Dong-geun knew Choi Young-hoon in the past, and his conscious is bothering him because he thinks he may have played a role in the events leading up to his death. Nevertheless, he needs to put aside his personal feelings and investigate objectively, because the body count is rising. If the murderer who is seeking vengeance thinks Detective Lee Dong-geun had a part, the detective could become a victim.
- Memorable quote: Shouldn’t you ask the perps why they did it, instead of asking the victims why they were victimized?
Main Characters:
- Detective Lee Dong-geun (played by Kim Jung-hyun, “Mr. Queen”, “Kokdu: Season of Deity”, “Iron Family”, “The Time”, “Crash Landing on You”)
- Detective Kim (played by Choi Chan-ho)
- Choi Young-hoon’s mother (played by Gil Hae-Yeon)
- Seong-hyeon (played by Park Sung-Hyeon)
- Detective Jeong (played by Lee Hyung-goo)
- Young Lee Dong-geun (played by Da Won)
Viewership and Rating:
- IMDb: 7.2 out of 10 stars
- My Drama List: 7.5 out of 10 stars
My personal rating is 8 out of 10 stars.
“Unforgivable” is tough to watch. It starts out with a horrific crime scene. But as soon as you find out just a little bit about the character of the murdered victim, you don’t feel any sympathy or empathy for him. It’s like: “Oh well! That’s one less menace to society for law-abiding people to live with.” But then, of course, bad guy or not, you need to find out WHO DID IT and WHY because your “inner Sherlock Holmes” has been awakened.
LINKS OF INTEREST:
Unforgivable (2023) | The Movie Database (TMDB)
TRAILER/TEASER:
fifthofapril. “[ENG] Kim Jung Hyun (김정현) – Movie Is Good: Unforgivable (비밀) (2023).” YouTube, 20 Nov. 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRXJuWZdROk.
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