# The Chronicles of Evil

The Chronicles of Evil (Korean: 악의 연대기; RR: Akui Yeondaegi) is a 2015 South Korean thriller film written and directed by Beak Woon-hak (or Baek Woon-hak), starring Son Hyun-joo, Ma Dong-seok, Choi Daniel and Park Seo-joon.

## Plot

Highly decorated homicide detective Choi Chang-sik has an enviable record and the respect of his peers. Days before a promotion, he dozes off on his way home after a celebratory drink with his colleagues. He wakes up to find that his taxi driver has taken him to a remote mountain trail and has pulled a knife on him to kill him. The two struggle, and Choi manages to kill the taxi driver in self-defense. At first, he tries to call the cops but his superior calls him and reminds him to stay out of trouble before his promotion, Fearing that his career will be tarnished, he decides to covers up the crime scene and flees. The next day, the taxi driver's dead body has been strung up on a crane in front of the police station, and Choi is assigned to the case amidst widespread media attention. Choi's ordeal begins as he tries to misdirect the investigation and remove evidence, to the growing suspicion of rookie detective Cha Dong-jae. During the investigation, Choi manages to corner what it seems to be a suspect of the murder and learns that he is paid to move the body to the taxi driver the crane. Choi is then forced to kill him in self-defense. Then a man, named Jin Kyu who is a former movie star, claiming to be the killer turns himself in and threatens to reveal the truth unless Choi reopens an old case.
It is revealed that years ago, several people in an illegal casino died from cyanide poisoning. Due to the pressure for the higher-up, the police framed a mentally disabled man named Kim who worked there as culprit and created fake witness who turned out to be the driver and the man that carried the driver body. It is turned out Jin Kyu is Kim's son and he deliberately sets Choi up to avenge his father. Choi is forced to declare that there is not enough evidence to convict Jin Kyu so they have to let him go. Later on, Jin Kyu declares he gonna kill the chief of police because of his involvement in his father's case and Choi is too late to save the chief as the bomb in his car explodes, killing him
Eventually, Choi confronts Jin Kyu and he reveals that he is not the mastermind but his gay lover who turned out to be Cha Dong-Jae. Jin Kyu eventually dies of drug overdose. Choi pursues Cha Dong-Jae and he reveals that he was the culprit behind the cyanide poisoning and the real son of Kim. His mentally disable father was always abused by the employers and customers of the illegal gambling so he decided to kill them all in revenge for the mistreatment by putting cyanide in their drinks. His father knows about it but deciding to cover for his son. Despite, Cha confessed his crime to the police to save his father, they still arrested and convicted his father anyway due to corruption.
After exposing Choi for the killing of the driver and the corruption Choi has committed in his father's case, Cha demands Choi to kill him as he has nothing left to live for. Feeling guilty, Choi decides not to kill Cha and decides to turn himself in to clear Cha's father name but Cha committed suicide nevertheless. Choi cries over Cha's body for making him suffered and surrendering himself to the police for his past crime.

## Cast

* Son Hyun-joo as Detective Choi Chang-sik
* Ma Dong-seok as Detective Oh
* Choi Daniel as Kim Jin-kyu
* Park Seo-joon as Cha Dong-jae
* Jung Won-joong as Chief of police
* Woo Jung Kook as Kim Bong-soo
* Lee Jun-hyeok as Lee Myeong-cheon
* Lee Seung-ho as Supporting
* Jung Joon-won as Myeong-ho
* Bae Jin-woong as Gambler in the past
* Ji Dae-han as Apartment man
* Eom Ji-seong as Cha Dong-jae
* Han Geu-rim as Traffic situation room female employee
* Yoon Hee-won as Deputy head of department Kang
* Jang Joon-nyeong as Autopsy

## Release

The Chronicles of Evil was released in South Korean theaters on May 14, 2015. It opened at first place in the box office with 857,000 admissions in its first four days, grossing ₩6.91 billion (US$6.37 million). At the end of its run, it grossed a total of ₩17,361,815,332 (US$14,958,245) on 2,192,525 admissions.

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
| 2015 | 52nd Grand Bell Awards | Best Actor | Son Hyun-joo | Nominated |
| 2015 | 52nd Grand Bell Awards | Best New Actor | Park Seo-joon | Nominated |
| 2015 | 36th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best New Actor | Park Seo-joon | Nominated |
| 2015 | 36th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Popular Star Award | Park Seo-joon | Won |
| 2016 | 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards | Best New Actor | Park Seo-joon | Nominated |