Second Sister

Story: So-eun (Kang Seo-ha) seeks out private investigator Joon-kyeong (Kim Min-kyu), recommended by her previous investigator, because of his exceptional computer skills and ability to access almost any information through hacking. He reluctantly listens to So-eun’s request, only to turn it down immediately. Ji-eun (Park Yulli), So-eun’s sister, had taken her own life; while the police did not investigate the circumstances closely, So-eun knows her sister was driven to her death by bullying. The detective initially refuses the case because he considers it too easy: all that is required is tracing the IP address used in an online forum by the person primarily responsible for the harassment. Just as So-eun runs out of options, Joon-kyeong contacts her again. He decides to take the case after all, realizing it is not as simple as he had thought. The bully knew how to cover his tracks online, and the detective has discovered that two people are actually behind the bullying. He already has a lead: the bullies must have known the victim well, narrowing the list of suspects down to Ji-eun’s classmates. The detective and So-eun visit the school and bring unexpected truths to light...

Review: I enjoy giving smaller films a chance, though I don’t necessarily always want to gravitate toward slow-paced art-house dramas. A film like "Second Sister" fits the bill perfectly. It feels smaller and more intimate, maybe also because of all the close-up shots, almost as if it were shot with a handheld camera. "Second Sister" clearly didn't have a huge budget, yet for the most part, the film manages to mask that fact. The premise itself — revolving around cyberbullying and suicide — is hardly original; films like "Thread of Lies" or "Brave Citizen" have already explored this subject extensively, so I was somewhat skeptical about whether I’d find anything truly interesting within the story. At first, it doesn't look promising, as the narrative highlights many familiar bullying "clichés" that, due to the interrogation-style questioning, come across as uninspired. Fortunately, there are a few quirky characters and plot twists that manage to draw you into the film.

We don’t have to wait long to be introduced to unusual individuals; right from the start, we can spot a few peculiar traits in our protagonist. She rings the detective’s doorbell frantically, revealing her immense impatience while simultaneously signaling that she cares little for the concerns of others — or, to put it bluntly, that she is selfish. However, she has come to the wrong person in Joon-kyeong; he is largely indifferent to such matters and could even be described as socially abrasive, yet he is capable of projecting a completely different image during investigations when the goal is to gather information. For the sake of a fascinating case, he is quite willing to adopt the persona of a genuinely amiable fellow. The film makes no secret of the fact that Joon-kyeong aspires to follow in the footsteps of none other than Sherlock Holmes, and it even appears that his investigative skills are hardly inferior to those of the legendary detective, especially given that he possesses superior hacking expertise.

To complement this, there are some well-executed technical gimmicks, even if realism isn't always the top priority. For instance, Joon-kyeong hacks into virtually any camera, a particularly useful ability in Korea, where cameras are installed on every street corner and even inside school buildings. Still, the fact that they are also found in private apartments is likely just a convenience dictated by the script. There is also a gadget capable of beaming targeted sounds at someone from a distance, making the victim believe they are hearing voices in their head. But what is the purpose of this? Initially, the focus is naturally on identifying the bully - a major part of the storyline — but the narrative subsequently shifts to how So-eun can exact revenge on that person. In a sense, "Second Sister" is thus also a revenge thriller; it examines the true value of revenge in a surprisingly effective way while also taking a more nuanced look at the question of guilt.

I liked Joon-kyeong in this context. He makes no attempt to dissuade So-eun from her plan, viewing himself merely as a tool. Yet the truth is paramount to him, which is why he does not shy away from holding up a mirror to his client. He repeatedly withholds important information from her, though he always has reasons for revealing it only later. As a viewer, one cannot help but wonder, though, if, in his own unique way, he is trying to steer So-eun away from her revenge plot, or perhaps is even manipulating her. On the other hand, it is also conceivable that he possesses no moral compass whatsoever. This adds an unexpected element of suspense to the drama. In contrast, So-eun is not as well-developed, even though she has been given a few rough edges. The two leads have primarily gained experience in dramas so far and generally deliver solid performances, though they do not always manage to imbue their characters with the depth they deserved. Even though Kang Seo-ha plays the less interesting character, she does a slightly better job here than her co-star.

The film is based on the novel of the same name by Chan Ho-Kei, which has been translated into English. Director Shin Jai-ho ("100 Days With Mr. Arrogant") paces the thriller-drama well; even during interrogation scenes, the soundtrack maintains a sense of momentum, and the viewer is kept guessing as to what new piece of information might reassemble the bigger picture. A chat log appears on screen repeatedly, yet for a long time, the identities of the participants remain unknown. On several occasions, the narrative is also interspersed with an interview conducted by a female reporter, though the identity of the interviewee remains concealed. Not least, the story frequently leads us down false trails, as is fitting for a thriller. However, the epilogue failed to win me over, as its tone clashes with the rest of the film. Furthermore, the characters remain somewhat distant; I found the chemistry between them lacking, and the story's themes deserved greater depth. While "Second Sister" occasionally moves in the right direction regarding the latter aspect, it does so too infrequently to warrant an all-out recommendation. Ultimately, the film remains a title primarily for genre fans.

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