Drama,History,Action,Adventure
South Korea
May 18 is a South Korean film based on the Gwangju Uprising of May 1980. The movie starts with the daily life of a widowed taxi driver, Sang-Guk, and his young daughter. On May 18, Sang-Guk's daughter goes to university to take an exam, and Sang-Guk offers to pick her up after the exam. However, while Sang-Guk is waiting for his daughter, he witnesses the military taking over the city and killing innocent students.
The government declares martial law in Gwangju, and the military starts beating up civilians indiscriminately. Sang-Guk and his friends decide to form a militia to protect themselves and their families. They gather whatever weapons they can find and start fighting back against the military. Meanwhile, a group of journalists from Seoul come to Gwangju to cover the uprising.
As the fighting intensifies, more and more citizens join the militia, and the conflict becomes bloodier. The military uses tanks and heavy artillery to crush the rebellion, but the citizens refuse to give up. The journalists from Seoul witness the brutal violence and report it to the world.
The movie depicts the heartbreaking stories of the ordinary citizens who had to face extreme violence and brutality from the military. It also shows the bravery and determination of the citizens who fought back against the oppressors. The film ends with a dedication to the victims of the Gwangju Uprising, stating that the events were covered up until democracy was restored in South Korea.
