I rushed to watch this movie, as there were very few screenings, and I just didn’t want to miss it.

South Korean cinema is known for its thematic depth and fantastic cinematography. I am always blown away by the unique movies that come out of the country’s industry, and their Oscar submission for last year—Concrete Utopia—was no exception.

Looking at the poster, I thought it was “just” a horror movie, but after seeing it, I realized it had a more profound message. It’s a thriller, a romance, an action film, and a drama. But it also has a bit of comedy and crime, and all in just two hours and ten minutes of nonstop excitement. Concrete Utopia takes place in a post-apocalyptic setting where an earthquake hits the city of Seoul and everything is destroyed. Only one residential building stands among the ruins. The survivors try to take shelter there but a clear struggle for food and basic needs arises among the owners of the apartments, so they decide to send off all the newly arrived outsiders. Throughout it all, we see the residents try to create a new ecosystem and share food and needs based on which of them provides more value—both in protecting their home and in sourcing necessities. Oblivious of the outside world, they adapt to their new circumstances within the borders of their building in hopes of receiving help, not aware that all is in ruins outside.

The movie was written and directed by Tae-hwa Eom (A Boy Who Returned), and co-written by Lee Shin-ji, and Kim Soong-nyung. Together, this trio has managed to pull together an unmissable masterpiece, so make sure you grab all your snacks before you start watching. It showcases a deep psychological dive into human resilience and what the world would look like if people acted the way the apartment owners did in the event of world collapse. Satire and commentary also shows up in characters like Mr. Delegate, who reminds me of typical politicians. They make promises and tell you that they are one of you, only for you to realise that they might be the real enemy!

Concrete Utopia was also extremely well cast, with actor Park Seo-joon a true highlight among a great ensemble. I was confused as to why he would take a role in a thriller movie but hey, he played Min Hyuk in the award-winning Parasite, so why not? He is very well-known in Korea for star roles in dramas like Dream High 2, Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth, Kill Me, Heal Me and many more. Alongside Parasite, he’s probably best-known elsewhere for his role as Prince Yan in the latest MCU movie, The Marvels. Here he plays Min-Sung, a young adult who recently finished his military service and takes over the security team in the building. The amazing Park Boo-Yung appears as well, assaying the role of Min-Sung’s wife, Myung Hwa, who believes the key to their survival is in supporting each other and not in selfishness. Mr. Delegate (or Yeong-Tak) is played by Lee Byung-hun—a celebrated artist in Korea and well-known for his role in 2010’s I Saw the Devil. Other notable cast members include Kim Sun-young and Park Ji-hu. With an impressive 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Concrete Utopia is a must-watch that will keep you riveted from beginning to end.

Concrete Utopia is currently streaming in North America on Rakuten Viki.