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Review: Seoul Station

Working more like a prologue as against a prequel to South Korean filmmaker Yeon Sang-ho’s Train to Busan, animated feature Seoul Station may come across as a linear execution of a simple screenplay. Its targeted agenda of social critique does however bring out so much more from the 92-minute motion canvas than its live-action counterpart.
 
Released almost two months apart, it is uncommon to see a prequel released so quickly in a significantly different format and approach. Train to Busan is a live-action blockbuster hit that thrills genre fans. Seoul Station takes its time to reveal the South Korean social dynamics and values in the form of a gritty animation.
 
Allowing a poor old homeless man to moan his way across the city’s crowd with a bloodied neck bite wound, nobody expressed concern or interest. The old man’s less-witted brother tried to persuade people around him to render help towards the situation. In return, doors were slammed shut to all his pleas towards members of an aloof society – which went on for a staggering 10-15 minutes of the film.
 
The vagrants are deemed the “untouchables” of society. So much so that even a police officer points his firearm at his fellow citizens (whom he serves to protect) during crisis as he blames the homeless for the zombie outbreak.
 
It is every person for himself or herself. The newly established realm of flesh-eating zombies on a rampage is a visceral reflection of the modern society in Yeon’s perspective. It is not as scary as a city where a useless boyfriend (Ki-woong) pimps out his girlfriend (Hye-sun) just to get by. A city where homeless are invisible and irritating to other members of the society.
 
The social commentary is largely kept in the first two-thirds of the film where the screenplay takes its time to establish the cold hard truth that Yeon is hoping to portray. It could be argued that Yeon’s deeper intentions are invested in Seoul Station whereas Train to Busan was merely a commercial spin-off.
 
Concluding the final act within a compound of luxurious show flats not only delivered a major twist that would affect the audience. It also served as an irrefutable irony of how city dwellers’ chase of wealth and status has indirectly resulted in the downfall of the fundamental human spirit.
 
In one’s pursuit of one’s dream to gain riches and social class upgrades, one may be funneled into a devious abyss of corrupt selfishness. A disease, which may well be the cause of the biohazard outbreak that will haunt everybody eventually – a vicious cycle.
 
Extending a helping hand might not beget good returns in the end, which is observed in the film, but it does guarantee the retention of one’s humanity. Without it, a community will be as good as a ferocious mob of mindless and heartless zombies.
 
Seoul Station is a stark reminder and reflection of what people are capable of – a community that needs to watch out for one another amidst respective individual pursuit of goals and ambitions. - Jason Lin