Korean mystery thriller film, Recalled (also marketed as Memories of Tomorrow) became one of Korea’s most loved films of 2021. The gripping drama hooks the viewers. But an intricate plot also sometimes leaves the viewer in doubt. Unfortunately, in theatres, there isn’t a rewind button. And thus, for the convenience of its audience, we have penned some conflicting queries that might be able to bring some certainty.
Was Kim Soo Jin Hallucinating?
Soo Jin’s doctor diagnosed that due to her fatal accident, she might be experiencing temporary delusions, also called “deja vu.” That means hallucinations that Soo-jin perceived as futuristic visions were actually flashes from her past.
The two kids she saw outside the building were her own childhood self, and the small boy was her adopted brother about whom she had totally forgotten. The abusive father, Kim Tae-jun living in flat unit 706 was her own father, who used to beat Soo-jin in her teenage years. In short, as her mental health was recovering, she was recollecting the memories of the past, from which she wanted to run away.
Who was Soo Jin’s Real Husband?
At the beginning of the film, a man (Kim Sun Woo played by Kim Kang-woo) pretended to be Soo Jin’s husband, under the name, Ji-hoon. But he wasn’t her husband, he was her adoptive elder brother. The two different wedding photographs with different men, found in Soo Jin’s current flat and her original home in Seoul proved the fact.
Soo Jin’s real husband was jealous, aggressive, and abusive. Before the accident, she was planning to leave him and shifting to Canada. But she accidentally killed her husband and jumped off the building, blaming herself for the murder. However, her brother, Kim Sun Woo saved her life. When gained consciousness in the hospital, her memory faded away. Her brother lived with her as her husband, while in the meantime, he was arranging for Soo Jin’s migration to Canada.
Why did Soo Jin want to go to Canada?
Witnessing her father’s murder and living with an abusive husband, Soo Jin was done with her current life. She told her brother that she wanted to start over. She wanted to start over and live near Vermilion Lake (the photograph on her apartment wall). Her brother, Kim Sun Woo promised her a peaceful life and that is why he was so bent on sending Soo Jin to Canada.
‘Recalled’ Ending Explained – Sacrifices of a Brother
All along, Soo Jin’s brother, Kim Sun Woo was protecting her. The first flash that she got was of a small girl in the middle of the road who was about to get hit. A small boy named Kim Sun Woo saved her from the accident. Later, in her own memories, this small boy introduces himself as Kim Sun Woo.
Similarly, Kim Sun killed their abusive father who wanted to employ Soo Jin in a bar. While Soo Jin blamed herself for this murder, Kim Sun convinced her that it wasn’t her fault. He packed the body in a suitcase, the visuals Soo Jin recalled twice. The body of their father, Kim Tae-jun was found by Namyangju Police with the same suitcase. Evidently, Kim Sun killed his father and buried him in order to protect Soo Jin.
Later, Soo Jin’s abusive husband Ji-hoon, and his company went bankrupt due to his gambling addiction. Ji-hoon had excessive debts from the underworld who were threatening him. On his official site, he killed one of the gangsters, the murder that was witnessed by Soo Jin. His wife had a huge insurance amount to her name, and Ji-hoon thought of reaping the benefits from her death to pay his own debts. He tried killing Soo Jin but she rammed his head with an iron rod. Here again, her brother protects her and cements the body of her husband, and Soo Jin jumps off the roof in remorse.
The ending depicted that Soo Jin’s husband didn’t die from the hit. He came back to finish the business and kill Soo Jin. However, in the chaos, her brother loses his life but not without fulfilling his promise. He had already arranged immigration for Soo Jin. He gave her a chance to start over.
The title for Recalled was changed to Memories of Tomorrow to illustrate the theme of the film better. The film tricks you into believing that Soo Jin is hallucinating but in reality, she is recalling the events of the past.
The details and evidence, as the film proceeds, support the facts. If you have any other doubts, please feel free to connect with us.
Recalled (also marketed as Memories of Tomorrow) is a Korean mystery thriller film, directed by Seo Yoo-min.
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