Attack the Gas Station!

Attack the Gas Station!

Year: 1999

Runtime: 113 mins

Language: Korean

Director: Kim Sang-jin

ActionComedyCrude humor and satireGags jokes and slapstick humorAction comedy and silly heroics

When a bored quartet of Korean youths decides to rob a Seoul gas station, their chaotic takeover spirals into absurd comedy. They force the manager to sing, kidnap disgruntled customers, and stage brawls between street gang members and staff, turning the station into a stage for their grievances against society.

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Timeline & Setting – Attack the Gas Station! (1999)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Attack the Gas Station! (1999). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Late 1990s

The story unfolds in the late 1990s, a period marked by rapid urbanization and social strain in South Korea. The events happen over a single chaotic day, exposing how marginalized individuals react when authority falters. The tone blends dark comedy with social critique, using a single location to heighten tension.

Location

Gas Station, South Korea

Set at a roadside gas station in an urban South Korean setting, the station becomes a pressure cooker for a group of violent gang members and unsuspecting customers. The ordinary, utilitarian space amplifies the chaos and dark humor of the hostage situation. The setting reflects urban life in late-1990s Korea, where social tensions and grievances collide in everyday places.

⛽ Gas station 🏙️ Urban setting

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:52

Main Characters – Attack the Gas Station! (1999)

Meet the key characters of Attack the Gas Station! (1999), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Paint (Kwon Hyeok-pung)

One of the four gang members; he treats art as a pretext for his self-aggrandizement and volatile temperament. He revels in attention and uses flamboyance to mask brutality during the gas-station siege. After the events, he is depicted as a successful painter, implying a link between notoriety and opportunity. His actions illustrate how vanity and aggression can collide under pressure.

🎨 Artist 🧨 Violent 🎭 Vanity

Bulldozer (Mu Dae-po)

A brute enforcer within the gang; he relies on physical intimidation and clear loyalty to the group. He embodies impulsive aggression and a readiness to escalate violence during the hostage crisis. In the closing scenes, he appears as a policeman, suggesting a dramatic role reversal and commentary on how violence can be weaponized into authority.

💪 Enforcer 🧭 Ruthless 🚓 Authority

No Mark (Lee Sung-jae)

A wary, intense member who participates in the plan and uses fear to control others. He remains a calculating figure within the group. The credits indicate he later joins a baseball team, demonstrating a potential reinvention of identity after the violent spree.

🔥 Intense 🧭 Calculated 🎭 Deceptive

Gas Station Owner (Park Young-kyu)

Owner of the gas station; pragmatic and anxious about losing business, he navigates the siege, trying to keep customers safe while balancing the gang's demands. He represents the civilian stake in the chaos and the instinct to preserve normalcy amid crisis.

🏪 Owner 💼 Pragmatic 💰 Business-focused

Police Officer (Lee Won-jong)

One of the officers who responds to the siege; his actions reflect the film's critique of law enforcement, highlighting the limits of authority under pressure and the tension between duty and fear during a chaotic incident.

👮‍♂️ Authority 🧭 Fallible ⚖️ Law

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:52

Major Themes – Attack the Gas Station! (1999)

Explore the central themes of Attack the Gas Station! (1999), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🌀 Societal Breakdown

The film uses a roadside gas station as a stage for a society unraveling. It highlights how anger, resentment, and desperation can erupt into violence when institutions fail to manage them. The characters, each with grievances, reveal different paths to rebellion and survival.

🔥 Violence and Crowd Psychology

The hostage situation triggers unpredictable reactions from bystanders, employees, and criminals alike. The film explores how fear and bravado spread through a crowd and escalate conflict. The police response and the gang's tactics show a commentary on law enforcement and social control.

🎭 Performance and Identity

Throughout, characters seek to redefine themselves—Paint as a famous painter, Bulldozer entering law enforcement, No Mark facing a chance to reinvent his fate. The credits suggest alternate futures that hinge on fame, authority, and chance. This theme highlights the performative aspects of survival in a chaotic moment.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:52

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Attack the Gas Station! Summary

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Attack the Gas Station! Summary

Attack the Gas Station! Timeline

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Attack the Gas Station! Timeline

Attack the Gas Station! Spoiler-Free Summary

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Attack the Gas Station! Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Attack the Gas Station!

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Attack the Gas Station! (1999) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

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