Unbowed

In 1995, an untenured professor of mathematics named Kim exposes an error in the College Scholastic Ability Test, leading to the humiliation of the professors who drafted it. A few years later, he is denied tenure and forced to resign despite the high quality of his research. Kim relocates to the United States for a time, but flies back to South Korea after the laws are amended to allow rejected professors to file wrongful dismissal law-suits.

In 2007, with his case lost and his appeal dismissed, Kim decides to confront the appeals judge at the entrance of the judge's apartment. He brings his sporting cross-bow, which he occasionally fires at a cross-bow range as a hobby. A physical struggle ensues and Kim is arrested. However, the judge, who initially appears uninjured, disappears from the scene and comes out a few minutes later with a minor puncture in his abdomen, and is taken to the hospital. An assault against a judge is a serious crime so the case attracts widespread attention.

Meanwhile, Park, a lawyer heavily in debt, is approached by Kim's wife to adopt the case, but the latter changes her mind when she notices that Park is an alcoholic. Kim's trial proceeds with a different lawyer but Kim pleads No Contest in response to the trial judge's apparent prejudice and dishonesty. Now in prison, Kim files for appeal and hires Park on the advice of Jang, a journalist. To Park's amazement, Kim has extensively studied the law on his own and frequently argues over how to present the case. As the appeals hearings continue, Kim repeatedly confronts the judge and prosecutor over their signs of dishonesty, and cites relevant laws and passages of the constitution which they have violated. With Park and Jang's assistance, he also points out several loop-holes in the prosecutor's evidence and the victim's testimony.

The appeals judge resigns rather than show favor to Kim's side. He is replaced by another appeals judge who does everything possible to obstruct the proceedings and protect the prosecutor, even though it is clear at this point that Kim never shot the victim. Rather, the victim stabbed himself minutes after Kim's arrest, and his family members procured the blood-stained clothes well after he was taken to the hospital. This also explains why the police never found the arrow which punctured the victim. Some citizens begin to riot and protest for Kim's innocence, while on the other hand, a judges' association demands the opposite verdict. Park, who gives up hope, decides to pour water on the appeal's judge as a protest, which would lead to his own imprisonment, but Jang confiscates the water bottles. Around this time, Kim is raped during the night by another male inmate.

The appeal is denied but Kim is given the more lenient sentence of 4 years as opposed to 10. While in prison, he continues to cite the law and to argue with the prison guards, and upon his release becomes a life-long activist for judicial transparency.

• Ahn Sung-ki - Professor Kim Kyung-ho{{cite web|last=Ki|first=Sun-min|title=The nicest man in Korean cinema|url=http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2944948|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130127180912/http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2944948|url-status=usurped|archive-date=January 27, 2013|work=Korea JoongAng Daily|access-date=2012-11-18|date=2 December 2011}}
• Park Won-sang - Lawyer Park Jun
• Na Young-hee - Kim Kyung-ho's wife
• Kim Ji-ho - Journalist Jang Eun-seo
• Moon Sung-keun - Judge Shin Jae-yeol
• Lee Geung-young - Judge Lee Tae-woo
• Kim Eung-soo - Judge Park Bong-joo
• Jin Kyung - Park Jun's wife
• Kim Joon-bae - Section chief Lee
• Park Soo-il - Prosecutor Shim Joon-bok
• Jung Won-joong - Park Jae-ki
• Han Ki-joong - President of foundation
• Park Gil-soo - Chairman Choi
• Lee Seung-hoon - Lawyer Lee

When Unbowed was released on January 18, 2012, it was shown in 245 screens, the second lowest number among films released that day. But thanks to its steady popularity, by January 24 the film was shown on 456 screens before the number decreased to 389 the next day. By January 26, the film had attracted 1.4 million admissions.{{cite news|title=Low-Budget Film 'Unbowed' Sweeps Box Office|url=http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/01/31/2012013101663.html|work=The Chosun Ilbo|access-date=2012-11-18|date=31 January 2012}}{{cite web|title='Unbowed' flying high at box office, reviving attention to forgotten case|url=http://nwww.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20120126000840|work=The Korea Herald|access-date=2012-11-18|date=26 January 2012}} According to data provided by Korean Film Council (KOFIC) it was the third most-watched film in South Korea in the first quarter of 2012, with a total of 3.4 million admissions.{{cite web|last=Hong|first=Lucia|title=Korean movies notch up higher number in 1Q ticket sales|url=http://us.tenasia.co.kr/archives/10499|work=10Asia|access-date=2012-11-18|date=9 April 2012}}

The film ranked #2, but rose to #1 in the second week, and grossed {{SK won|6.8 billion}} in its first week of release,[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/intl/korea/?yr=2012&wk=3¤cy=local&p=.htm "South Korea Box Office: January 20–22, 2012"]. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2012-04-24. and grossed a total of {{SK won|24 billion}} after five weeks of screening.[http://www.boxofficemojo.com/intl/korea/?yr=2012&wk=7¤cy=local&p=.htm "South Korea Box Office: February 17–19, 2012"]. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2012-04-24.

2012 48th Baeksang Arts Awards{{cite web|last=Hicap|first=Jonathan M.|title=Winners at 48th Baeksang Arts Awards|url=http://ph.news.yahoo.com/winners-48th-baeksang-arts-awards-053018631.html|work=Manila Bulletin|access-date=2012-12-04|date=27 April 2012}}

• Best Film
• Best Actor - Ahn Sung-ki{{cite web|script-title=ko:안성기·엄정화, 영화 부문 ‘남여 최우수연기상’ 수상|url=http://isplus.live.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.asp?total_id=8012349|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130127093849/http://isplus.live.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.asp?total_id=8012349|url-status=usurped|archive-date=January 27, 2013|work=IS Plus|language=ko|access-date=2012-12-04|date=26 April 2012}}
• Nomination - Best Director - Chung Ji-young
• Nomination - Best Screenplay - Chung Ji-young, Han Hyun-geun

2012 21st Buil Film Awards

• Nomination - Best Actor - Ahn Sung-ki

2012 32nd Korean Association of Film Critics Awards{{cite web|last=Ji|first=Yong-jin|title=PIETA, Critics' No.1 Choice|url=http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/jsp/news/news.jsp?mode=VIEW&seq=1991|work=Korean Film Biz Zone|access-date=2012-12-04|date=9 November 2012}}

• Best Actor - Ahn Sung-ki{{cite web|script-title=ko:남자연기자상 수상한 안성기, `계속 상 받고 싶다`|url=http://star.mk.co.kr/new/view.php?mc=ST&no=733004&year=2012|work=Mk.co.kr|language=ko|access-date=2012-12-04|date=7 November 2012}}

2012 49th Grand Bell Awards

• Nomination - Best Film
• Nomination - Best Director - Chung Ji-young
• Nomination - Best Actor - Ahn Sung-ki

2012 33rd Blue Dragon Film Awards{{cite web|last=Ji|first=Yong-jin|title=PIETA Wins Best Picture at Blue Dragon Awards|url=http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/jsp/news/news.jsp?mode=VIEW&seq=2054|work=Korean Film Council|access-date=2012-12-04|date=4 December 2012}}

• Best Director - Chung Ji-young{{cite web|script-title=ko:감독상 정지영 감독 "안성기씨 고마워"|url=http://www.blueaward.co.kr/bbs/board.php?bo_table=blue_award_news&wr_id=390|work=Blue Dragon Film Awards|language=ko|access-date=2012-12-04|date=30 November 2012}}
• Nomination - Best Film
• Nomination - Best Actor - Ahn Sung-ki

2013 4th KOFRA Film Awards (Korea Film Reporters Association){{cite web|last=Ji|first=Yong-jin|title=PIETA Regarded as the Best Film in 2012 by Reporters|url=http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/jsp/news/news.jsp?mode=VIEW&seq=2211|work=Korean Film Council|access-date=2013-02-04|date=1 February 2013}}

• Best Director - Chung Ji-young

{{reflist|2}}

• {{URL|http://www.seokgung.org}} {{in lang|ko}}
• {{IMDb title|2085765|Unbowed}}
• {{KMDb film|13027|Unbowed}}
• {{Hancinema film|Unbowed|Unbowed}}

{{Paeksang Arts Award Best Film}}

Category:2011 films

Category:2010s legal drama films

Category:South Korean drama films

Category:South Korean legal films

Category:South Korean courtroom films

Category:Films set in prison

Category:Drama films based on actual events

Category:Films directed by Chung Ji-young

Category:Next Entertainment World films

Category:2010s Korean-language films

Category:2011 drama films

Category:2010s South Korean films