The problem with bullying in schools is something that students in several countries can relate to, so it is no wonder that it has been a theme for a lot of films, series, and books, and is great to see the stories where the victims of the abuse manage to get justice or even revenge from the tormentors.
What makes “Brave Citizen” stand out from other works is that it manages to present the bullying problem in schools (and in the streets, even) in its raw, horrible form while balancing the story with some comedy, but it never takes away the seriousness of the issue. The film also never falls into extreme graphic violence when the tables are turned just to give us some moments of unhealthy satisfaction (which is something more common in horror movies), and thanks to Fantasia 2024, we got a chance to see it!
In the new film from director Park Jin-pyo, “Brave Citizen” based on the Webtoon created by Kim Junghyun, we meet So Su-Min, a temporary teacher who hopes to get a full position in a very prestigious college. Sadly, the safe and respectful environment that the college loves to boast about in the media is nothing but a concealed lie, and the young teacher will soon have to choose between turning a blind eye to the very violent acts committed by Han Su-Kan toward some of the students, or report him to the authorities and put in risk not only her teaching career but also her life.