“Concrete Utopia” is a work that intersects two protagonists and two worldviews, centering on the conflict between a dictatorship and humanitarianism in an extreme disaster situation. However, it had a major drawback in its portrayal of forced political correctness and nuisances to the extent that it felt like a disaster movie version of “Born in 82, Kim Ji-young.”

The film starts intensely, focusing on the conflict between the dictator, played by Lee Byung-hun, and the humanitarian, played by Park Bo-young. Park Seo-joon, introduced in the middle, should serve as a medium that brings suspense and tension by allowing the audience to empathize with his torment. However, as Park Bo-young’s “teaching narrative” and Lee Byung-hun’s “survival competition narrative” become emphasized, Park Seo-joon’s character does not develop properly. Although Park Seo-joon’s character takes risks for Park Bo-young and remains loyal to Lee Byung-hun, he ends up being subject to moral contempt and admonishment from Park Bo-young.

The movie delves into the conflict between dictatorship and human dignity, raising essential questions. However, Park Bo-young’s narrative disrupts this balance. For her character to be more convincingly portrayed, it should have been clear how her human communication and benevolence could have positive effects in a survival-threatening situation.

For instance, just as Kim Dae-jung stood against Park Chung-hee’s dictatorship, advocating a global standard as a savior through pro-American and pro-North Korean acts, defining anti-communism as gaslighting, Park Bo-young should have presented an alternative to Lee Byung-hun’s regime. Yet, the movie does not clearly show how the external world might offer more abundant resources for survival. The film ends with the appearance of a community, seemingly at a co-operative living level, suggesting that “living kindly brings fortune.”

Lee Byung-hun’s character especially stands out in contrast to other characters. Audiences deeply immerse in his narrative, but the tension between Park Seo-joon and Lee Byung-hun or the solidarity between Park Bo-young and a woman from outside, along with the suspense from uncovering secrets, do not captivate at all. With the audience already aware of Lee Byung-hun’s narrative, the protagonists’ revelations and anger towards the dictator feel as flat as a soda gone stale.

After the death of Park Seo-joon, the actions of those helping Park Bo-young are hard to logically explain. While the director criticizes consumerism represented by apartments, he idealizes the lifestyle of villas in contrast. The depiction of a tall villa transforming into a more pleasant and spacious area after a disaster feels forced.

In the film, a particularly sensitive character, a furniture designer, appears. How could they have peacefully coexisted with the Dream Palace residents, who have an even stronger survival instinct, while refusing a military-like collective life? Such a dichotomous portrayal is also hard to empathize with.

In conclusion, “Concrete Utopia” starts with a strong theme and topic, but many aspects, including characters, development, and the ending, are lacking. This has resulted in a significant gap between the film’s intention and the audience’s expectations.