A Single Spark

The protagonist of this Korean drama is a composite of three union activists from the 1970s, the era in which the primary story is set. It is a three-fold tale that shows the parallel courses of two activists from different eras framed by documentary-like footage at the film's beginning and end. Activist and law school graduate Kim is being persecuted by the mid-'70s Park regime for trying to write a book about Jeon Tae-il (a real person), a union activist who immolated himself at age 22 to protest government hypocrisy. Kim hides himself from authorities in the apartment of his pregnant girl friend Jung-soon and continues his research, secretly visiting Jeon's old hangouts. The sequences dealing with Jeon's life are filmed in black and white. While he researches and wrestles with the consequences of his book, Jung-soon must deal with authoritarian harassment. Eventually she is arrested and in seeing her bravely go off to meet her fate, Kim fines the strength to complete his task.~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide