Miracle in Cell no. 27 : A Sad Story of Father and His Daughter in Cell no. 7

By Intan Permatasari

Miracle in Cell no. 7 is one of the best Korean films that won many awards. The film successfully dominated the box office in South Korea and was watched by more than 12 million viewers in just one month after the release date, January 23, 2013. This success crowned the film Miracle in Cell no. 7 became the best film in 2013 in South Korea beating other films released in the same year.

Film Miracle in Cell no. 7, which was directed by Lee Hwan Kyung with the theme of the family, attracted many people to watch, both from ordinary people, artists and state officials. Many of them praised this film because the story told in it was very touching, not a few of the spectators who cried after watching this film.

 

The film takes the main character Yonggu (Ryoo Seung Ryong), a father who is mentally retarded, he lives alone with his daughter named Yeseung (Kai So Won), a girl who is only 6 years old. The film starts from Yeseung who is an adult and becomes a lawyer demanding justice for her father's punishment, then continued with a flashback when Yeseung was a kid. At the beginning of the sad story they started when the father was accused of raping and killing a small child, on this charge the father was put in prison number 7. This film slipped a few spices of comedy so the audience laughed while watching it. Their funny story is displayed when the 6-year-old girl is smuggled in various ways by several prisoners to enter the prison and meet her father. inserting a little comedy in it is a good idea, the audience is made to laugh and also feels tense when the child is being brought into the prison, the audience hopes anxiously whether they succeed in entering or even being caught by the authorities.

Because the film tells more about the past of the two main characters, there are still many mysteries that are not explained in detail in this film so that many viewers are confused. 

1. the wife of Yonggu who had never been seen and also explained in the film, and where were the other Yonggu families, because when the father was imprisoned, Yeseung had to go to an orphanage.

2. There was also a scene when Yonggu was injured, but after changing the scene of the wound he had lost and had no trace, even though it would be better if he showed the healing process of the wound.

Lee Hwan Kyung as the Director who is also the screenwriter is not clear in telling what happened in this film. Submission that still looks random and not well-explained makes the audience a little wondering. Like trying to convey everything but Lee Hwan-Kyung looks confused by the delivery. As a result, some character backgrounds in this film were not well told. But fortunately, Lee Hwan-Kyung still gives drama stories that are so strong in this film.

I as one of the viewers of this film began to feel sadness when the trial of the father's case was about to begin, getting a threat from the police superiors made his father feel scared, because the police chief threatened to harm his daughter if he did not get the death sentence. Many viewers, including me, felt emotional while watching the scene in the trial, I turned away because I could not see the cries of the father and child, not a few of them cried because they felt hurt. All the final scenes are packed very well, especially when the father's farewell day with his son is in prison before the father gets the death sentence. I began to ask whether the law in this world was indeed unfair? Innocent people must bear severe penalties, while people who are clearly guilty can be free because they have power. What an unfair world.

Although the story looks confusing at the beginning and some deficiencies in providing information, I admit this film is very good and worth watching for everyone, including children. I really like this film and highly recommend it to people who haven't had the chance to watch. Ready for tissue, when you will watch this film!