Children... (2011) - full transcript

The film is based on a true case from the early 1990s that is known among Koreans as the "disappearance of the frog children." In 1991, five elementary school students told their parents that they were going to hang out on a nearby mountain to catch frogs. They went missing.

You heard him!

Hey!

What are you doing?

Keep on digging.

All we need is a piece of bone.

Just a piece of bone.

Can't dig any further.

That’s it.
Nothing here.

I don't think
there's anything here.

What Should We do?

We've dug pretty low already.
There's nothing.



What Should We do?

Let's go.

Wrap it up.

Clear the way!

Hey, granny! Hold on!

Wait! Wait!

Tell them what you
were trying to tell us.

You know, with your fingers...

Like this.

Yeah, I Saw it too!

Why are you lying?

What are you doing
to an old lady?

Just Wait. Please.

Look at me and
make that gesture again.



Just do it!

Shut it!

There!

There! YOU See?

What the heck is this?

She pointed
at Jong-ho's father.

I can validate this action
through various theories.

It's a habitual gesture resulting
from traumatic experience,

and expression of fear
towards the suspect.

It's a clear gesture hinting that
Jong-ho's parents are the suspect.

It's One Of five human behaviors.

- Professor HWANG?
- What?

Look behind you.

This means you're the suspect?

What are you doing?

Now I'm the suspect,
and so is he!

Snap out of its

She's always been like that!
Before the kids disappeared!

He's insane.

She was always like that!

- So there's nothing, huh?
- That bastard!

What’s with you!?

Still up?

Think of it as a good thing.

No one will be
suspicious any more.

I don't Care about that.

Then What?

They all think our son is dead.

Not one person
believes he's alive.

Hon?

Yeah?

Did we make a mistake?

Don't think about it.

What wouldn't we do
to find our son?

Yes?

Ji-seung!
I'm sure Jong-ho's alive.

Someone is guarding him.

Mr. KIM will move the kids'
bodies to the mountain later

So I'll follow him.

I'm going to stake out
and catch him in the act.

Are you listening?
Producer KANG?!

LETTER OF RESIGNATION

You think everything's that easy?

I'm sorry.

Hey!

Come back here, now!
Ji-seung!

Ji-seung!

Despite years of intensive
investigation,

the investigation team
dissolved into a task force.

Detective PARK moved
to another department,

and I returned to Seoul.

The anticipated order
to return to Seoul

just felt like another let-down.

But life continued on.

- Hi
- Hey

2001, 10 years later

- Don't drink too much.
- Yeah, yeah. Get home.

IS that Won-gil's brother?

That’s WON-SEOK.

Now, it’s the kids that nag,
not the Wife.

He's grown a lot.
I wouldn't recognize him.

If we met our lost sons
on the streets,

- We wouldn't recognize them.
- No, we wouldn't.

I sometimes have this dream.

A man appears with a piece of cloth
around his head like this,

Saying he's Jong-ho.

I can't see his face but
he gets angry

That I don't recognize him.

- Bro.
- What?

I have cancer.

How do you know?

Look at my stomach bulging out.

Come on. That's nothing.

Civilian casualties are on
the rise due to Typhoon RUSA...

Major mountain slides and floods
are causing serious damages.

Nakdong River is in danger of
major flooding, due to the typhoon.

Over 870mm of rain fell yesterday
on the northern province.

Nothing major flooding,
due to the typhoon...

Sir!

Let's take these chestnuts!

Come here!

Why?

I think this is...

- What is it?
- Look.

Wasn't there a psycho who accused
the parents as the suspect

and dug up their house?

September 26th, 2002

shut up!

This way, chief.

After all that searching,

and they're buried here?

PARK, come here.

This is ridiculous.

This area was thoroughly searched.

Let's say that the children got cold,
and covered themselves with leaves.

SO We Couldn’t find them.

It'll be a closed case
if it’s natural death.

Leave it Unsolved.

- You know what I mean?
- Yes, sir.

Take 3 close look.

- These are not our kids.
- Are they them?

I don't think it’s them.

Oh...

There is a track suite.

It says
NAMDONG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL,

not DEOK-SUH.

Are you listening?

That's my son.

My son...

My son used to go to that school
before he transferred.

He wore that track suit that day.

I think that’s him...

What are you saying?

What’s the CAUSE Of death?

Police say it was hypothermia.

I have no answers yet.

The parents have confirmed
the children's clothes

and verified the remains
as the missing children.

We think the cause Of death
is hypothermia.

It was drizzling in the evening

on the day of their disappearance.

Wasn't Mt. To-ap
thoroughly searched?

This is a little far from
where they disappeared.

Therefore this area wasn't
as thoroughly searched,

AS Other areas.

What are you saying?
That’s bullshit!

Why would they not come home
And freeze to death here?

We searched for them all over,
from here down to the base.

The kids came around here
like it’s their backyard.

How dare you say
it was natural death?

YOU SOD Of 3 bitch!

This is Bullshit!

Isn't that the psycho who came
to dig up Jong-ho's house?

Why the hell is he here?

Why the hell are you here?

Who are you after this time?

Do you know Jong-ho's father
passed away?

Who killed him?

You bastards did.

YOU...

You Still think
the parents killed them?

Jong-ho's father went
to his dead son.

He died wrongly accused,

and sent our kids back to us!

You have no right to be here!

GO.

Get lost.

Get the hell out of here!

Enough!

For all this time...

You've been lying here?

Right in front Of home?

Hey, Producer KANG!

I told you he'll move the remains.

They thoroughly searched
all over Mt. To-ap.

Even this area, for sure.

But why are the bodies found now?

Because they were moved.

So Who moved them here?

Did you know Jong-ho's father
rebuilt his house?

They put in a new foundation

How can you say that?
You saw the remains.

That doesn't mean
one of em is Jong-ho.

You can easily get human bones...

That's enough,
you son of a bitch.

Jong-ho's father passed away.

SO?
Is that my fault?

What about you?

So let’s drop this.
Enough already.

Fine.
Stick to the facts.

Prove that the remains
weren't moved here.

Enough!

You want to be that
famous and special?

- I Said stick to the facts!
- Facts?

Fine.

What about the recording of
Jong-ho and his mother?

What about it?

They talk in that tone
through most of the recording,

Because they were tired of
all the prank calls

Bur they still hoped
it might be him.

What about
Jong-ho's father's alibi!?

His colleagues testified that
they weren't sure if

Jong-ho's father left early that day.

Why did you leave that part out?

Why?!

Because then you'd be
proven wrong.

That’s fabrication.

He clocked in at the factory
that day.

There's evidence,
you son of a bitch!

You're the ones who
put the shovel in my hands!

I wasn't the only one.

But I took all the blame for it!
YOU coward!

You think you're
so brave and smart?

Fuck you.

Admit it. We just Wanted to
make the headline.

I bet everything!

And I lost: everything!

My family!

My job!

And my reputation!

What about you?

What the hell did you lose?

KANG!

Was if murder?

Was if murder?

I'm sorry.

I didn't come to get a story.

I'm the one who accused
the parents as murderer.

I recognize you.

You're the one who
dug up that house.

Come in.

I heard the remains Were moved.

That's impossible.

The spine of the last body
was found completely intact.

You can't move the remains
without damaging the spine.

You said their clothes were
used to tie them up?

Their jackets were tied
around their heads,

and their legs were tied up
with their pants..

He used square knots
often used by sailors.

The one who made the knot
can easily untie it.

SQUARE KNOT

These wounds were found mainly
on the Skull of the eldest boy.

That's magnified through
a microscope.

There's a SENSE Of direction here.

Like it's been pecked
or chiseled.

Over 20 times.

Was if closer to sever abuse
than murder?

Maybe he tried to frighten
or torture them?

And enjoyed inflicting pain?

Probably a psychopath.

This wound explains
the cause of death.

He was hit by something
Short and thin.

Less than 20cm long.

What kind Of tool would
leave marks like this?

I just don't know.

Nothing matches.

It's a rare kind.

Knowing the tool Will be the
best evidence in solving the case.

Only if we knew.

- Over there.
- Thank you.

You pig out and
get a tummy like mar!

Come on, chief.

Lose some weight!

Well, Well!

Producer KANG!

I'm getting old, I guess.

I like sweet things.

Want an egg in that?

No thanks.

Who did it?

What?

Who killed the boys on Mt. To-ap?

Hey, KANG! What are you asking
me that all of a sudden?

That's why you're going bald.

Still thinking about that?

It's no one from their family
or the village.

I guarantee that.

So then, who?

According to a witness,

the children had something
in their pockets that day.

I think it was probably
bread or cookies.

- Snacks?
- Yeah.

But where did they get the money
to buy the snacks?

I asked their parents and they said
The boys didn't have any money.

So the suspect is probably someone
who knew the area well,

or someone who paid the kids
to meet him somewhere.

So he wasn't already there and
kidnapped the kids by chance,

But he sent them up first,
then followed them to kill them?

Probably someone who knew the
mountain well, or knew the kids,

or who had something they liked.

You know something, don't you!

Don't worry,
it's off the record.

It was after you and the
professor's commotion...

After a walk around Mt. To-ap,

I spotted a car parked
outside Jong-ho's house.

Hello?
Open the window, sir.

This is police.
Open the window.

Hey!
Hey!

Why did you run
if you're innocent?

He looked exactly
like that bastard.

His face.

exactly the way he killed those boys!

And knew Mt. To-ap inside out.

But you let him go?

- Not again.
- What?

You think we can just nail him
without evidence?

I Want to catch
that Son Of a bitch.

And kill him like he killed them,

exactly the way he killed those boys!

I wish I can, but I can't.

YOU believe in Sixth SENSE.

Why didn't you follow it?

Because of his alibi.

He wasn't in Daegu on that day.

You can go anywhere in Korea
in a few hours.

He was at his WORK in Ulsan.

You know What, KANG?

Statute Of limitations
might have expired

but the investigation's
not over yet.

He'll be caught someday.

Do you have his montage?

I'll fax it to you
when Find it.

He knew the kids were
buried in the mountain,

when we dug Jong-ho's house.

Then why was he loitering
in the neighborhood?

If he'd buried them here,
he would've come here,

To check on the bodies.

Perhaps every year...

or every month.

The bodies were never moved,

and the children were
murdered here.

It probably wasn't easy
to kill 5 boys at once.

What exactly happened
to the children?

This is Detective PARK from
Eunpyung Police Station.

Producer KANG would know
Who I am.

I'm sending in a fax for him.

MT. TO-AP CASE MONTAGE OF
THE FISHERMAN AT LAKE SUN-WON

Sir, there's a fax for you.

From Where?

From Detective PARK...

- Thank you.
- Sure.

Here's his license plate number
and address.

Yes?

I'm looking for the owner of
the car with plate no. 7406.

Sorry?

The driver hit my car and just left.

I have his license plate number.

Where is he?

He left early this morning.

Where is his room?

There.

Psychos are murdering
children these days.

I think he's just beginning
to have fun.

The police are conducting
an open investigation

on the two children who
disappeared a week ago.

The police are still
investigating the case,

but no evidences
have yet been found.

- Hello?
- Seo-hyun is missing!

Seo-hyun!

Seo-hyun!

Sorry.

KANG Seo-hyun!

Where were you!

Why didn’t you wait
inside the gates!

- What happened to you here?
- I fell from the swing.

Are you hurt?

It did at first,
but now it's okay.

That man helped me.

Seo-hyun!

Hi, Daddy.

Are you okay?

Where the heck
were you!?

- Don't hit her.
- What were you doing?

Get back to your work.

How nice of you to drop by.

What happened?

She fell from a swing.

Are you okay, hon?

- Who tied this?
- A man.

EXCUSE me.

Where's the man who
just came this way

Joo-hwan?
Yes?

What... does he do here?

What else would he do
at a slaughter house?

Pardon?

We slaughter cows.

We kill COWS.

Where is Joo-hwan?

He said he'll slaughter one
before going home.

They're all his.

He uses them every day.

We use electrocution these days.

Who could smash COWS
in the head?

But he persists on
manual slaughtering.

It's you.

It's you, right?

Who are you?

You came to my daughter.

Hey!

You came to her,
you son of a bitch!

I don't know you.

This is a bit rude,
isn’t it?

Is this how you
murdered people?

You think this is funny?

Huh?

Kidnapping my daughter

And threatening me?

So this is why you slaughter cows?

Because you want to
kill Children?

You're just dying to see blood,
aren't you?

Maybe.

It was you.

YOU have evidence?

November 12th, 2002
Final Hearing of Cause of Death

This Can't be...

Yong-deok,

Yong-deok,

Yong-deok, my son...

I thought I would feel better
if I SAW his remains.

But thinking how much
it must've hurt...

I'm so sorry.

It's not your fault.

It wasn't Jong-ho.

The phone call
wasn't from my son.

What mother can't tell
her Child’s Voice?

Hello?

Is it you Jong-ho?

Where are you?

Who is it?

He says he's Jong-ho.

Little bastards...

Honey.

Yeah?

Let's just say it was him.

Let’s do it.

It Wasn’t him...

If I did that...

I thought
they'd find him for us...

Because no one
remembered our kids...

We couldn’t just give up...

Dad!

Five children disappeared
in Mt. Wa-ryong in 1991.

The statute of limitations on
the case expired on March 26th, 2007,

and investigation and punishment of
the suspect is no longer in effect.

This Elm is dedicated to all those
who suffered in the tragedy.