During the political corruption in Gangnam, Jong-Dae and Yong-Ki, two young courageous and homeless best friends, who work in collecting papers and empty bottles to earn their living, find themselves involved with political issues, after joining a gang.
Gangnam Blues does not break much new ground for its genre, but it's very well-made in what is by now a familiar Korean style, emphasising clarity, medium-to-long shots, and symmetrical compositions with actors often directly facing the camera.
Director Yoo Ha does not hold back, with torture, stabbings, hatchet attacks and beatings taking centre stage. What makes this film work, however, is its analysis of the South Korean elite prior to the reestablishment of democracy in 1987.
