[Limelight] A World of Fouls, Courage of Principles, Solutions of Irregularities

Movie 'Gyeonggwan-ui Pi' Jo Jin-woong, Gwangsu-dae's Face of Crime Eradication Who Goes All Out
"Principles Are Important, But When Cases Remain Unsolved, Isn't Park Kang-yoon's Investigation Also Necessary?"
Contrasted with the Principled Choi Min-jae to the Bone... Simplified Adaptation Breathes New Life

"If the game that was once favorable to us turns against us, we must have the patience to wait for the tide of the game to change. Then we gain another chance to win a game we thought we would lose. Because that game is played with our principles at stake." This is a maxim by American politician Thomas Jefferson (1743?1826), emphasizing unwavering principlism. Choi Min-jae (Choi Woo-shik) in the film Blood of a Police Officer lives by the same belief. He prioritizes fulfilling his responsibilities without compromising moral values. His profession is also a police officer. Inspired by his father, he decided to follow the same path. Though branded as inflexible and stubborn, he is chosen as the right person for internal affairs. "Grandfather Choi Eul-young, father Choi Dong-soo, and you, Choi Min-jae. Three generations of police officers. The blood of the police flows in your veins."

The subject of the background investigation is Park Kang-yoon (Jo Jin-woong), the face of the Metropolitan Investigation Unit. He is suspected of protecting criminal organizations and pocketing huge interests. His appearance alone sets him apart from ordinary police officers. He wears luxury suits and drives high-end cars. Investigation expenses range from thousands to hundreds of millions of won. The source is unclear. In reality, these are all warrants of sorts to approach upper-class criminals. To eradicate violent crimes that are difficult for the police to handle, he even compromises with criminals. He is an enthusiastic figure who spares no effort when it comes to criminal investigations.

Blood of a Police Officer deals with the clash between two police officers who approach the goal of eradicating crime differently. Choi Min-jae’s belief is the best indicator that civilized society should aim for. Especially in public duties, trust and morality are essential. When personal interests intervene, the value of the process is diminished regardless of the outcome. It may bring temporary benefits, but enormous costs are latent. Lengthy excuses hold no persuasive power. Not everyone uses shortcuts, and even if they do, such behavior is not justified. At this point, Park Kang-yoon seems absolutely disadvantaged. However, director Lee Kyu-man grants him legitimacy no less than Choi Min-jae. He criticizes the police as powerless and regressive to the extent that only blind investigations are effective. This aligns with dramas like Bad Guys (2014) and Taxi Driver (2021), which gained popularity by punishing criminals by any means necessary.

Director Lee balances the conflict by casting Jo Jin-woong. His concrete-like solid physique and resonant voice have already demonstrated appeal in various films. A representative example is prosecutor Yang Min-hyuk, played in director Jeong Ji-young’s Black Money (2019). In the final scene, he steps forward to the public to expose the reality of massive financial corruption. "Article 234, Paragraph 1 of the Criminal Procedure Act states that anyone who believes a crime has been committed may report it. As a citizen of the Republic of Korea, I accuse the political prosecutors who are trying to cover up this case." His firm and decisive tone reexamines the seriousness of the film’s motif, the Lone Star Gate, while raising awareness.

This film emphasizes investigations without sacred cows by pointing to numerous unsolved cases. Jo Jin-woong introduced Park Kang-yoon as "a character who believes that even if inappropriate investigations are exposed and criticized or punished, the value gained from those actions is greater." "I thought everyone could empathize. There are countless unresolved cases in our society. Even when they are spotlighted against public sentiment, many are concealed or manipulated. The victims bear the full burden. Investigations based on principles are, of course, important. But if things remain unresolved to this extent, wouldn’t investigations like Park Kang-yoon’s be necessary? Because that would be more beneficial to our society."

Jo Jin-woong’s thoughts appear exactly in Blood of a Police Officer. There is a scene where Park Kang-yoon confronts Choi Min-jae, whose internal affairs activities have been exposed, and talks about his beliefs. It is not portrayed as an authoritarian or coercive lecture. He calmly asserts his position while acknowledging freedom of choice. "Let me ask you one thing. The instructions from the internal affairs guys conflict with what I order. Who will you follow? Listen carefully. You’re my subordinate, and we’re a team. So just follow my orders." "Even if that goes against the rules and is illegal?" "Chasing criminals can never be illegal. In any case, by any means. It’s a matter of choosing between becoming a real cop or a cowardly bureaucrat. Soon, the time will come to choose one of the two." "I will follow the mission of the police." "Nothing between you and me changes because of this."

Jo Jin-woong does not rely on personal emotions for clear expression. He thoroughly distances himself from exaggerated acting. As a professional, he focuses solely on his mission and anguish, revealing a firm belief even in stylish scenes. Thanks to this, the hesitation on his face when blocked by unjust reality carries the weight of professional ethics. Beyond a fragile nature, it manifests as self-esteem, making us feel how difficult it is to fulfill duties as a professional. This passage is also emphasized in the original novel by Sasaki Jo. Jo Jin-woong’s consistent portrayal breathes valuable life into the simplified adaptation of the era and family background.

"Our police officers stand on the boundary. Neither black nor white, but on the boundary." "Neither? Is that possible?" "It is. As long as citizens support what we do, we can stand on that boundary. If we do something foolish, the world will push us toward the black side."