A Taxi Driver

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(This film is based on true events.)

(Spring 1980, Seoul)

That girl who once gave me a bouquet of flowers...

Why do I miss her so much today?

Her neatly bobbed hair,

like a rain-soaked blade of grass...

Her sparkling eyes still shine in my heart.

At times when I feel lonely, I remember that day...

At times when I miss her, I begin to dream...

That longing I can't forget...

How cruel that time has taken her away.

(A TAXI DRIVER)

Private Taxi

- Lift the state of emergency!

- Lift it! Lift it!

No more martial law!

- Lift the state of emergency!

- Lift it! Lift it!

No more martial law!

No more! No more!

What, is it an accident?

Disperse, or we will act with force!

I repeat.

Disperse,

or we will act with force!

I wondered why today was so quiet.

Did they go to university to protest?

Enough is enough...

Spoiled bastards need

to be shipped off to Saudi Arabia.

Work themselves to death in the burning desert,

then they'll realize, "Wow, my country is great!"

How can you dash at my car?

If you jump out like that...

Run!

Hey, where are you going?

Hey, you!

Get back here!

- Stop!

- Taxi!

Taxi!

That...

To the hospital, quickly!

Mister, please go faster.

The first baby takes a long time,

even after the water breaks.

My wife spent 12 hours in the delivery room.

The first baby's always like that.

Hey, hey, hey...

No more martial law!

Don't tell me you're that close!

Oh, whatever.

(Throw out the dictatorship and bring in democracy!)

We're here, honey.

My best driving ever!

This way.

Other taxi drivers won't take pregnant women.

But I did, remembering my daughter's birth.

Thanks... Honey, where's my wallet?

You packed the damn bag!

Take another look, it must be there.

Sorry but I left my wallet behind.

Tomorrow, I promise...

You know how many times I heard that?

I could've bought a house with all that taxi fare!

No, I promise...

There she goes again!

It's coming!

Hold on just a second!

Here's my business card.

Call me tomorrow, I'll pay double! So sorry!

Pay me double instead?

Best of luck in there, okay?

Best of luck!

This is no place to play soccer.

Go play over there!

Did she go out?

Hey princess, sleeping already?

You should eat dinner.

Huh?

Who did this to you?

I fell down.

Sang-gu, that brat!

It wasn't Sang-gu! I really fell.

Are you gonna lie to your dad?

Eun-jung! Should I hit you instead?

Ma'am! Sang-gu!!

Ah, Eun-jung's daddy-whom I wanted to see.

What do you say about this?

How could she do this to our precious son?

But she also has...

Really, I've never seen

a girl as wild as Eun-jung!

You're too soft on her 'cause her mother died!

That's a bit...

And since you're here, one more thing!

I've held my tongue because I know your situation.

But you owe me 100,000 won in rent!

I'm sorry. Ma'am, I'll...

You're 4 months late,

at least tell us when you'll pay!

100,000 won is a lot of money for us too.

Sang-gu, you're sleepy! Must have eaten too much.

I don't care what my husband says,

I've had it this time.

And discipline your daughter, will you?

Breaks my heart to see my son like this.

Oh, I'm hungry!

Bean sprout soup?

Hey, don't fold the backs of your shoes.

Not answering again.

Those shoes are too small. Dinner's ready.

Then ask me to buy you new ones!

Wow, tastes great.

You could get married tomorrow!

Sang-gu's mom brought that over.

Right, I thought it was too salty.

Lift your head.

Dad, do we have to move?

Yup, we're gonna buy Sang-gu's house.

After I get rich.

So don't worry and study hard.

Okay?

Ouch, it stings.

Then why don't you listen?

What did I say? Play nice with him, don't fight.

But he started it!

Just ignore him.

Learn to bear it. Life is never going to be fair.

Want to go on a picnic this Wednesday?

No school on Buddha's Birthday.

You should work. More customers on holidays.

Oh my, you're even worse than your mother.

Who do you take after, to be so sweet!

Under the emergency decree starting on May 18,

martial law is in force,

all political activity is banned,

the nation's universities are temporarily closed,

and labor strikes are strictly forbidden.

The recent street demonstrations by students...

So does this mean I'll lose passengers again?

(May 19, 1980,Japan)

Tokyo Press Center

Beer and sushi again?

Hey Peter, how was the parliament today?

Same as always, nothing different.

This is Jrgen Hinzpeter from ARD-nDR, Germany.

He's been living in Japan for about 8 years.

It might be helpful to know him.

It's good to meet you,

Mr. Hinzpeter. David John, BBC.

Just call me Peter.

It's my first time in Japan.

Anything I should look out for?

It's comfortable.

That's tricky... as a journalist,

you shouldn't be in a place that's too comfortable.

Excuse me?

Nothing. Where were you based before?

South Korea. It's very tense over there now.

I heard their government declared martial law.

It's always tense there.

I think it's much worse this time.

On top of the martial law,

several opposition leaders were arrested,

and the universities got locked down too.

What else have you heard?

I've been trying to contact some people I know,

but it's... it's almost impossible to get through.

Since when?

Since last night.

(Seoul, Korea)

I work for the Church.

I'm a missionary.

It's been a long time.

I need to get back soon. Something doesn't feel right.

How bad is the situation?

It's been 3 days since the martial law.

Kim Dae-jung has been taken in,

and they've got Kim Young-sam under house arrest.

Gwang-ju?

It's a city down south.

And there's no article about Gwang-ju?

No coverage, nothing?

This is the local paper from Gwang-ju.

They censored the whole page?

What exactly happened over there?

No one knows.

We got word of the first casualty

at 3 AM on the 19th...

But now,

even the phone lines have been cut.

What about the foreign press?

Today is Kim Jae-kyu's trial. They all went there.

But the government has eyes on them.

They can't move as they wish.

You must be careful.

I should go to Gwang-ju, first...

By yourself?

But how will you get there?

For a guy so paranoid about his car,

how'd you break a mirror?

A worthless punk. He ran off after busting my car.

Why be a student if you can't be

a decent human being?

All right. I'll only charge 5,000 won, okay?

What? Just take 4,000. I've had a rough day.

Have a heart, man! How can you be so cheap?

And get an inspection sometime.

The engine doesn't sound right.

An inspection? I inspect my car every day.

After 600,000 km, this car is past retirement.

Easy on my car!

Try fixing it after it breaks, it'll cost you more.

Don't give me bad luck! I'm already pissed.

3,000 won, then.

That is so unfair! You know how much parts cost?

- Throw this out?

- No way. I'll use it later.

Leave it.

Dammit!

Hey, what're you doing?

God, you're pathetic.

Pathetic?

So, the kids fought again?

I gave Sang-gu a good scolding.

Ma'am! Over here!

- What?

- Another portion for us.

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