“Blind” ~ A Visually Impaired Woman Wants to be a Cop

“Blind” is a 2011 Korean drama movie, categorized as Crime, Serial Killer, Police Procedural Drama, and Thriller. This K-drama film has a Japanese remake titled “Blind Witness” released in 2019.

♦ I’m Blind But Can See Important Clues Most People Miss

In “Blind”, Min Soo-Ah is studying hard to become a police officer. Additionally, she takes care of her teenage brother who constantly disobeys her by sneaking out to be with his friends. It’s not like he is getting into trouble. He wants to be a professional break-dancer and can’t understand why his noona doesn’t approve. One night she catches him at the place for the dance tryouts and drags him away. She handcuffs him inside the car and proceeds to take him home. He sees the handcuff keys and tries to grab them. While both are struggling over the keys, she is not paying attention to the road and an accident happens. Her little brother is killed and she survives but is now visually impaired. Does this mean she will never be able to work for the police?

After sufficient time passes for mourning and healing, she decides to apply for a job to work with the police. Unintentionally, she becomes a witness to a crime. Detective Jo is working on the case and begins asking her questions about the crime. He is surprised at the various clues she provides to solve the case and asks her to work with him. She was happy to assist. But the investigation takes a turn when Kwon Ki-Suba who claims to be an eyewitness appears. He says he saw everything, but he’s lying because there is reward money. He wants to know why the detective will believe the word of a blind woman when there is someone who can see. Min Soo-Ah pointed out the flaws and errors in his so-called eye-witness account and ruined his chances of collecting the reward.

It’s true that he did not witness that particular crime, but he did become a witness to another crime committed by the same perpetrator. The killer has seen Min Soo-Ah and also sees Kwon Ki-Suba. Since the killer is now aware that there are two witnesses ~ one that can see and one that can’t see ~ he decides to kill them both. He’s a serial killer and even though these two intended victims don’t meet the usual criteria for choosing his prey, it will be fun stalking and killing them.

Main Characters:

• Min Soo-Ah (played by Kim Ha-neul, “Nothing Uncovered”)
• Kwon Ki-Sub (played by Yoo Seung-Ho, “The Deal”, “The Magician”, “Moonshine”, “I Am Not a Robot”, “Remember: War of the Son”)
• Detective Jo (played by Jo Hee-Bong, “Hong Gil Dong, the Hero!”)

Where to Watch

Viewership and Rating:

• IMDb: 6.8 out of 10 stars
• MyDramaList: 8.2 out of 10 stars
• Rotten Tomatoes: 3.5 out of 5 stars
• Letterboxd: 3.3 out of 5 stars
• Google users shared a public rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars
• Viki viewers rated this series 9.4 out of 10 stars

My personal rating is the same as the Viki viewers.

I gave this film marks but a few reviewers disagree. Admittedly it was cheesy and overly dramatic in certain parts. Nevertheless, the series had two top-notch South Korean actors as the lead characters, and the storyline was intense while tugging at your heartstrings. Why should being blind prevent you from solving crime? The female lead is someone you know means well and has good intentions. But she did something foolish and fatal. It resulted in her becoming visually impaired. However, she has no problem utilizing her other four senses to assist investigators with crime-solving. That is much better than wallowing in self-pity and dwelling on her tragic past. I am all for stories about people who triumph against the odds. Plus, if you have ever watched the 1967 American movie, “Wait Until Dark”, you’ll like this movie too!

• (NOTE: There is a Korean Drama series with the same title, “Blind”, released in 2022. However, it is not yet available on US streaming platforms. TaecYeon fans in America will just have to wish and hope. More details at Kpop TRENDS.)

LINKS OF INTEREST:

Blind: Film Review | The Hollywood Reporter

Review: Blind [2011] | The Daydream Believer Show

Blind movie review: Latest remake of Korean thriller is slick but unfeeling | Scroll.in

Good Ol’ Review: tvN’s “Blind” a Captivating Action and Emotionally-Packed Thriller | DryedMangoez.com

TRAILERS/TEASERS:

Cinema Ultimate. “A Blind Woman Who Has to Witness a Hit-And-Run Case || Blind Korean Movie Recap (2011).” YouTube Video. YouTube, October 13, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXtheuu2xgI.‌