Fabricated City
Theatrical Release Poster

Title (English)	Fabricated City
Title (Korean)	조작된 도시
Title (MR)	Chojaktoen Toshi
Title (RR)	Jojakdoen Dosi
Directed by	Park Kwanghyeon
Written by	Park Kwanghyeon, Oh Sangho
Produced by	Kim Hyuncheol, Chang Yeong-hwan
Starring	Ji Chang Wook, Shim Eun Gyeong, An Jae Hong
Release date	February 09, 2017
Running time	126 Minutes
Country	South Korea
Language	Korean
Box Office	US$18 million

Fabricated City (Korean: 조작된 도시; McCune-Reischauer: Chojaktoen Toshi) is a 2017 action thriller drama starring Ji Chang Wook in the lead and Shim Eun Gyeong, and An Jae Hong playing the role of deuteragonist. It was directed by Park Kwanghyŏn and was distributed by the media giant CJ Entertainment. Fabricated City is Chi Ji Chang Wook's debut film in which he plays the lead role. The film began its shooting in July of 2015 and was completed by the end of the year, in December.

Cast

(The names of actors and actresses and their roles will hereby appear in the Revised Romanisation of Korean)

Lead Actors

Ji Chang-Wook as Kwon Yoo

Shim Eun-kyung as Yeo-wool

Ahn Jae-hong as Demolition

Supporting

Oh Jung-se as Min Cheon-sang

Kim Min-kyo as Daoshi Yong

Kim Sang-ho as Ma Deok-soo

Woo Hyun as the Serial Killer

Plot

Kwon Yoo is an ex-National Taekwondo athlete, who spends most of his time in PC Bangs (internet cafes), playing games because of his unemployment. In the opening scene, while he is playing his game with his online teammates RESSURECTION, his mother, who is a nurse by profession calls him to go home and turn off the gas valve which he ignores. Later, he receives a phone call from a phone lying unattended next to him. The caller tells him to bring that phone to their place. At first, he is hesitant, but later he does the needed. The next day he gets arrested under the charges of statutory rape and murder of an underage girl. Although he pleads innocence, all of the evidence collected points to him and he is sentenced to life imprisonment. In prison, he is subject to immense torture and also rape by inmates, all led by gang leader Ma Deok-soo, and the patrol guards do nothing to safeguard Kwon Yoo, if anything, they torture and beat him to a pulp even more. On the other hand, his mother tries in vain to clear her son's charges but she fails and in the end, she dies. This news brought to him by his public attorney breaks him and vows to clear his name.

People would go to jail based on the scenarios I created and with an article I wrote people'd laugh or cry or get enraged.

To his rescue, the RESSURECTION team provide him with the assistance of all sorts. He later learns that his public attorney is the reason behind his made-up crimes and his imprisonment. He is shocked to learn that his public attorney falsely accused innocent people and covered up the real criminals, who happen to be sons and daughters of rich and powerful men. He fights with his subordinates and corners the public attorney. He collects all of the data and his team broadcasts it live, exposing the public attorney and clearing up Kwon Yoo's name. In the end, they all seem to enjoy a happy meal under a tree in a traditional setting.

Analysis

The use of rice in this movie by Kwon Yoo during his battle with the gangsters tells us a critical perspective of food as a source of nourishment which is essential to keep up your health and win wars. In the scenes where it gets dark, he splashes rice grains across the room which gives him insight into where his enemies are and other objects' location. Another important feature of the film is the portrayal of the mighty. It highlights the evil social system in the rigid hierarchical society where men with money can do anything to protect their selves and throw innocent men and women under the bus. Graceful Family another hit Korean drama also explores the same theme of how the powerful for their benefit vex innocent people.

Themes

Social Class
Power
Adultery
Information

Cinematography

It is to be well appreciated that the director has portrayed the nuances of even minute things subtly. Every move captured by the camera tells a story from angles which entices us to rethink our livelihoods in this time and age. Especially, the scene where the public attorney is standing on his screen gives us the creepy feeling that someone is watching and monitoring us, our every moment and daily walks of life. The intellectual circle who know about this do nothing for the fear of going unexist (an Orwellian reference).

Release and Reception

The film was released on February 09, 2017, and it was well received widely by the general population and critics alike. Upon its release, the film made a record hit of one million viewers in the first opening days. The production company CJ Entertainment announced that the film would be released in international markets as well following the success in the domestic market and European market after premiering at the Berlin Film Festival. It made a whopping box office collection of US$18 million worldwide.

Awards and Nominations

Year	Award	Category	Recipient	Result
2017	53rd Baeksang Arts Awards	Best New Actor	Ji Chang Wook	Nominated
	53rd Baeksang Arts Awards	Most Popular Actor	Ji Chang Wook	Nominated
	2017 Korean Film Shining Star Awards	Popularity Award	Ahn Jae Hong	Won