“Miracle
in Cell No. 7”
It
is a South Korean comedy drama movie and it is one of the most successful
Korean movies making it the third highest grossing movie at that time. It was
released in the 23rd day of January and was directed by Lee
Hwan-kyung. The film took 4.6 million admissions which is equivalent to more
than US$30 million in its first two weeks due to strong word of mouth. The film was starred by actor Ryu Seung-ryong,
Kal So-won and Park Shin-hye.
Some of the characters in the movie
were Ryu Seung-ryong who starred as Lee Yong-gu who is a loving father who is
mentally handicapped and was falsely accused of a crime. Next is his daughter
named Ye-Seung who was starred by Kal So-won as a child and Park Shin-hye as
adult Ye-Seung. Ye-Seung is a very smart, independent and loving daughter. Next
is Lee Yong-gu’s co-inmates in the cell, Oh Dal-Su as So Yang-Ho, who is the
gang leader, Park Won-Sang as Choi Choon-Ho, Jeong Man-Sik as Shin Bong-Sik, Kim
Jung-Tae as Man-Bum, and Kim Ki-Cheon as Old man Seo. The last main character
is Jung Jin-Young who played the role as Jang Min-Hwan who is very
compassionate and fair police who helped Lee Yong-gu and his daughter.
The story started on the life of Lee
Yong-gu, a mentally impaired but loving father, along with his very smart
daughter, Ye-Seung. They both lived a very simple life but not after Lee Tong-go
had a misunderstanding with a police commissioner who just bought the sailor
moon bag that Ye-Seung wanted for so long. One day when Le Yong-go was working
in a parking lot the daughter of the commissioner told Le Yong-go that there is
another store to buy the bag and said to follow her. Along the way the child
slipped in ice and died in an accident. Le Yong-go tried to save the child but
a lady saw him and accused him of rape, sexual abuse and murder. The police then
took advantage of Yong-go’s situation and forced him to just admit the crime he
didn’t did. He was then admitted to jail specifically cell number 7.
Le Yong-go’s cellmates was very angry
to him after they read his document containing his record of crimes. But that
changed when Yong-go saved the gang leader which happens to be his cellmate from
being stabbed. As a reward the gang leader let Yong-go ask for anything and he
just said Ye-Seung. After some time, Yang-ho and the other cellmates managed to
smuggle Ye-Seung inside the cell. Time passed by and Yong-go’s cellmates became
friends. They realized after some time that Yong-go was just blamed for a crime
he never did. For that they helped Yong-go on how to defend himself in trial as
his cellmates managed to connect the stories and understand how the crime
really happened. On the other hand, Jang Min-Hwan who was the head jail superintendent
also realized how Yong-go was framed up and for that he changed the way he
treats Yong-go from being cruel to being the understanding and compassionate
one. Another thing that also changed how the way he treat Yong-go is when he
saved him from the fire inside the jail. For that, He even let Yong-go meet Ye-Seung
everyday.
Time passed by Yong-go’s trial came and
before his trial he was beaten by the police commissioner and told him to just
admit the crime or else his daughter will be in danger. Yong-go was scared for what
can happen for his daughter so he just admitted the crime that resulted him to
face death penalty. December 23rd was the date set which happened to
be Ye-Seung’s birthday. Before the date of his execution, his cellmates made a
hot air balloon mainly to escape Yong=go and his daughter but unfortunately it
was caught by a wire and it was a father and daughter moment as they saw their
last sunset together.
Time came Yong-go was executed and
police Jang Min-Hwan adopted Ye-Seung and guided her as she grows to be a lawyer.
To clear the name of his innocent father, he gathered all Yong-go’s cellmates
who has changed a lot. The gang leader even happened to be a pastor. The trial happened
and this now its better which resulted for Yong-go to be claimed not guilty by
the judge. Ye-Seung was relieved for what happened and still visits the cell to
remember some memories of her with his late father, Le Yong-go.
The movie was entitled Miracle in Cell
No. 7 for a reason, there has been really some miracles along the story. One of
those miracles was when Yong-go’s cellmates managed to smuggle Ye-Seung inside
the cell. Another miracle is about the scene with the hot air balloon. It is
really a miracle having that everything in that scene happened not really as
planned but a memorable one. Another miracle is how the lives of Yong-go’s
cellmates changed. Humans can really change for the better especially when
someone touched their hearts and that can be a reason for any person to be
better.
The movie was filled with wonderful
virtues for the viewers to learn. First is about working together as one for
one goal. It was portrayed by Yong-go’s cellmates as they act accordingly with each
other to do something much easier. Next is about sacrifice and love which was
portrayed by Yong-go and his daughter very well. Yong-go sacrificed for his
daughter, Ye-Seung have a better life in the future. He also sacrificed for he
loves his daughter so much like the way his daughter loves him. And the last
virtue I’ve learned was about kindness specifically the extreme one. Yong-go
was really kind to others even he was being abused. Humans really have something
good inside of them for that is everyone’s nature. These virtues I’ve learned
are very useful in life and if I lived up with these virtues, good karma will
take place and correspond on my acts living out the virtues I learned from the
movie.
Based on the movie, I can say the human
nature is good. Every person is good but there is a reason why people do bad. Let
us look at Yong-go’s scenario, a man with a mind of a 6-year-old child but he
lives as a very kind and loving person no matter how others treat him.
In my opinion, human person is really
good. Confucius’ claim that human person is good is true. All person’s nature
is to do good to others. We are all pure in heart and there is only a reason
for us to do something bad. St Augustine’s claim that humans are bad in nature
is wrong. Every person will do good all the time only something, someone or any
reason can flip the switch which causes for a man to do something bad. Take a
look at Yong-go, he is pure in heart and good by nature but for the police commissioner
on the other hand is bad for a reason. He was carried by his emotions and for
the fact that his daughter died he became bad for a reason.
The movie taught me some things that
are really useful in life. I realized that reason is the root of all bad things
in this world. All of us did something bad, may it be big or not is because of
reason. We have to do something like that because there is something that
pushes us just for the betterment of ourselves and/or for others. However, all
of us humans should still try and live out with our true nature which is to be
good. We are just taking one step away from our nature but will eventually come
back to it. Next thing I learned is about how our own reasons in life can push
us to do anything for example this vlog I am doing right now. I have a choice
not to do this vlog but my reason for me to do this is my dreams and goals in
life. I know that someday everything will pay off. All of these hardships we
face in life will result into something good and much better than today in the
future. In real life scenario we can look at some people seeking power as their
reason. Power pushes them to do something to take advantage to and put all the
happening around be in someone’s hand and it is also a choice for it to be used
for the better or for worst. These insights I’ve learned will help me finish my
course in Philosophy and Senior High school in St. Joseph’s Academy for my own
reason. My reason to push through is my goals in life. I know everything will
pay off and God has a better plan for me in the future along with my
perseverance, dedication and hardwork in life.
All in all the movie was great and very
recommendable. If I will rate it I will give it 5 out of 5 stars for it is a
funny and a heart touching movie. It is packed of wonderful virtues that any audience
can adapt in life.
