Coin Locker Girl

I. Introduction

Coin Locker Girl is a 2015 South Korean film written and directed by Han Jun-hee, starring Kim Hye-soo, Kim Go-eun, Uhm Tae-goo with Park Bo-gum and Go Kyung-pyo. It was selected to screen in the International Critics' Week section of the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.

II. Synopsis

A baby is found abandoned inside a coin locker at Western Seoul train station in 1996. A beggar takes her and names her Il-young (Kim Go-eun), then when she turns 10, she is taken by the corrupt detective who sells her off to a woman referred to simply as Mother (Kim Hye-soo) as part of his loan payment. Mother is the boss of a loan shark and organ trafficking crime ring in Chinatown, Incheon; she has held on to her position of power by being dispassionate and calculating, and by keeping by her side only those of use to her. Mother decides to raise the young child after she shows toughness and smarts, eventually grooming her for a position in her organization as her personal debt collector. One day, Il-young is given a task to collect debt from Suk-hyun (Park Bo-gum), the son of a debtor. Over the course of a few days, she is initially taken aback by the boy who is not afraid of her and shows her kindness and openness from his own struggles from the past and current with unyielding spirit that she starts to develop special feelings for him. But when his father flees from the debt, Mother orders her to kill Suk-hyun. Il-young cannot go through with it. However, mother's other goons kills and harvests Suk-hyun. Il-young is beaten down and readied to be shipped for Japanese flesh trade. The only family she has ever known falls through the cracks of grief. Il-young escapes and makes her way back to mother, and kills her. Il-young pays respect to her adopted and murdered mother, and runs the business.

III. Cast

Pic	Name	Character
	Kim Hye-soo	Ma Woo-hee
	Kim Go-eun	Ma Il-young
	Uhm Tae-goo	Woo Gon
	Park Bo-gum	Park Seok-hyun
	Go Kyung-pyo	Chi-do

IV. Trailer

V. Movie

VI. Reception

As of Sep 12, 2021, the film has grossed $10,209,202 worldwide at the Box Office. The Korea Herald reviewed it as - Coin Locker Girl is a fast-paced movie dotted with violence, yet it feels heavy and methodical because the audience realizes intuitively that it will be consistently dark and despairing until the end. It has gained the scores of 9.3 on iQiyi, 6.8 on IMDB, & 7.8 on Mydramalist.

VII. Awards & Nominations