Synopsis
The South Korean film ‘Bogotá: City of the Lost is set to be released in 2024. The film revolves around the story of Guk-Hee, a South Korean immigrant, who moves to Colombia after the Asian financial crisis. The film deals with the challenges Guk-Hee faces in his life, and how he moves from South Korea to Colombia with the hope of succeeding, only to face harsh realities.
Just as Guk-Hee and his family settle in Colombia, he is faced with the first challenge. He is robbed with his family upon landing, and is stripped of any financial aid. Guk-Hee is forced to survive in the strange land alone, with no resources. Eventually he starts doing odd jobs to survive. Later he gets involved in the Korean immigrant community, and meets Park Jang-Soo. He is a veteran businessman and a well known ‘fixer’ in the Korean community.
Guk-Hee is introduced to the dark and sinister world by Park. His first assignment is to bring Korean lingerie into Colombia. At first the idea seems ludicrous, but with time, Guk-Hee manages to prove himself by smuggling the lingerie with ease. Guk-Hee earns the trust of Park and Soo-Yeong by proving his wits and resourcefulness, and in the process, earns a mentor as well as a partner in crime.
With Guk-hee proving his worth, the operation changes. He starts selling down parkas in the colder highland regions near Bogotá. To everyone’s surprise, the jackets turn out to be a success. What starts out as small-scale contraband transforms into a complex and sophisticated illicit business empire built on bribery, fraud, and manipulation.
Eventually, Guk-hee rises to become a major figure in the Bogotá underworld, and becomes more brazen by throwing riotous rooftop parties, engaging in political business, and building an empire off the unofficial immigrant economy. As is the nature of ambition, this too has a price. New rivalries arise, corruption becomes more rampant, and alliances begin to shatter. Colombian local crime networks become interested, and the delicate balance of power starts to crack.
Guk-hee is embroiled in violent conflicts over borders, and is further back stabbed. He perpetually loses the pieces to the dream he once held, and becomes instead a survivalist; stripped of the ideals he once held. He now exists as a product of the city instead of a dreamer, and the film traces this change, leading to a violent confrontation where Guk-hee needs to confront how he has changed and what he has lost in the process.
Main Cast and Characters
Song Joong-ki as Guk-hee
As the film’s lead, Song Joong-ki delivers a compelling performance. Guk-hee’s evolution is striking. In the beginning, he is a soft-spoken, desperate young immigrant. Later in the film, he is a morally gray and cunning figure. The transformation is believable and emotionally grounded in the vulnerability and steeliness Song demonstrates.
Lee Hee-joon as Soo-yeong
Soo-yeong is Guk-hee’s customs broker mentor and is quite cunning. He can be described as practical, charming, and manipulative. While he helps Guk-hee learn the ropes of the underworld, he is quite willing to throw Guk-hee under the bus when the situation calls for it, hence manipulative.
Kwon Hae-hyo as Sergeant Park Jang-soo
Jang-soo is described as a patriarchal figure in the Korean community of immigrants where he is Guk-hee’s early employer and protector. He is a guide and a warning— a man who has survived by adopting nearly every principle he once held, surrendering almost every principle he once held.
In addition, Park Ji-hwan, Cho Hyun-chul, and Kim Jong-soo have also been cast portraying members of Guk-hee’s inner and criminal circles in significant supporting roles.
Direction and Production
The film was directed by Kim Seong-je, who also co-wrote the film. His direction shows artistic and story-driven ambition. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the production suffered severe interruptions. While filming was set to occur in Bogotá, Colombia, plans were changed. After capturing sufficient location footage, the crew returned to South Korea, where the remaining scenes were recreated and finished in a controlled environment.
In capturing the atmosphere of Bogotá, the cinematographic team achieved visually authentic results. The sound design, lighting, and pacing build a gritty immersive world under constant danger, vibrance, and unpredictability.
The film is around 108 minutes long. Released in South Korean theaters in late December 2024, it will debut globally on Netflix in early February 2025.
Themes and Interpretation
Immigration and Survival
Ultimately, Bogotá: City of the Lost is a portrayal of immigration and the lengths to which people will go to survive in desperate situations. In this case, Guk-hee’s journey is a resilient one despite facing abandonment. The immigrant community is shown to be both supportive and cutthroat. Morally dubious actions must be taken in order to survive.
The Corrupting Power of Ambition
Guk-hee’s illegal activities are scrutinized as the film critiques uncontrolled ambition. The gradual erosion of his once intact moral compass. It remains uncertain if he is trying to survive or if he is simply attempting to dominate by the end.
Cultural Identity and Displacement
Individuals like Guk-hee reside in a hybrid state in between Korean and Colombian. It is shown through Guk-Hee as both opportunity and alienation. The Korean enclave acts as a shield providing protection, but it becomes a kind of prison, a closed system with its own set of rules, codes, and consequences.
Capitalism and Criminal Enterprise
The story reveals how capitalism, particularly in a deregulated and corrupt environment, parallels organized crime. The initial absurdity of parkas and lingerie smuggling becomes a commentary on supply and demand, as well as exploitation.
Reception and Impact
Reviews for the film Bogotá: City of the Lost were not entirely positive. Most critics noted Song Joong-ki’s performance and his emotional breadth. Critics also noted the film’s visuals and pacing to be rich, particularly in the first half.
Other critics found the film too varied in over the top gangster drama and gritty realism. Other noted criticisms were lack of character development (besides Guk-hee), and the lack of character arc in secondary characters. Some viewers were left frustrated over the lack of moral clarity in the film’s ending.
Regardless, there was notable interest from viewers, especially with regard to Song Joong-ki’s international appeal. The film was trending on international streaming services soon after digital release.
Conclusion
Bogotá: City of the Lost traces the journey of hope transforming into mere survival, and the ruthlessness that follows in trying to attain and maintain power. It depicts the lengths to which people would go to risk safety nets (or lack thereof), through the eyes of a Korean immigrant in Colombia.
The movie stands out as a captivating social critique and a spine-tingling thrill ride owing to a remarkable lead performance, stunning immersive world-building, and captivating moral dilemmas. Questions of moral ambiguity may be left imperfectly answered and its structure may be a little off, but the story unravels the universal motifs of dislocation, human aspiration, and the price of self-transformation.
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