''Gangster High'' is a 2006 South Korean

action film Action film is a film genre in which the protagonist is thrust into a series of events that typically involve violence and physical feats. The genre tends to feature a mostly resourceful hero struggling against incredible odds, which include life ...

written and directed by Park Ki-hyung.

Plot

In 1991, studious soccer enthusiast Sang-ho creates a soccer club called "Tigers" along with his friends Jae-gu and Chang-bae. Through Jae-gu, he meets an attractive, rebellious girl named Su-hee, who turns out to be Jong-suk's girlfriend, leader of a gang called TNT. The two gangs soon become embroiled in intense and violent conflict. When Jae-gu is killed in a car accident related to a gang fight with Jong-suk, the Tigers decide to avenge him. The two gangs meet in a billiards club, and, despite the pleas of Su-hee, a vicious and brutal fight ensues. Three people end up dying, and the rest permanently damaged, including some of Sang-ho's friends. Sang-ho, being the person who started the fight and the only one to walk away relatively unscathed, is charged with the murder of the three people and is sent to prison, where he reminisces upon the fact that the Tiger soccer club was initially created for the enjoyment of soccer and friendship.

Release and reception

''Gangster High'' opened in South Korea in October, 2006, and premiered at the

European Film Market The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festi ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

on February 8, 2007. In the United States, Derek Elley of ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' described it as bleak and violent, but praised it as "well drawn in all its diversity (and with occasional humor) by a good cast." James Mudge of ''Beyond Hollywood'' gave it a positive review: "Although its premise may sound overly familiar, ''Gangster High'' certainly stands as one of the best teen violence films of recent years, with Park proving that he has not lost his touch when it comes to dealing with tales of troubled youth. Hard-hitting and gripping, it offers a different and arguably more convincing take on the usual themes, and contains enough vicious action to entertain as well as provoke." The film was distributed in the Netherlands on DVD in 2009 by Splendid Film.

References

External links

* * * {{hancinema film, Gangster_High, Gangster High 2006 films 2000s action drama films 2000s crime action films 2006 crime drama films 2000s high school films South Korean action drama films South Korean crime action films South Korean crime drama films South Korean teen films 2000s teen drama films South Korean high school films Films about school violence Films directed by Park Ki-hyung Showbox films 2000s Korean-language films 2000s South Korean films