The Last Witness

The Last Witness

Year: 1980

Runtime: 158 mins

Language: Korean

Director: Lee Doo-yong

DramaMysteryWarCrime

Detective Oh investigates the killing of Yang, a modest brewer who was bludgeoned to death beside a quiet river with no witnesses and no clear motive. While traveling through the wintery landscapes of South Jeolla Province and Seoul, he becomes entangled in a dark tale of treachery, rape and murder.

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Timeline & Setting – The Last Witness (1980)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Last Witness (1980). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1950s, Present day

The narrative traverses two eras: the brutal Korean War years of the 1950s and a contemporary investigative arc. Flashbacks reveal war crimes and their enduring consequences. The time shifts illustrate how history continues to shape justice and personal destinies.

Location

Munchang, Jirisan, Seoul

Set in Munchang, a quiet rural town, the film centers on a murder that shatters local calm. The mountains of Jirisan anchor crucial memories and a map to a hidden fortune tied to a landlord family. Seoul serves as the urban backdrop for the detective to pursue leads, while a school basement becomes a grim symbol of past violence resurfacing.

🏞️ Mountain region 🌆 Rural town 🕰️ Post-war era 🔎 Crime investigation

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:56

Main Characters – The Last Witness (1980)

Meet the key characters of The Last Witness (1980), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Oh Byung-ho (played by Ha Myeong-jung)

A determined detective assigned to the Munchang murder case, Byung-ho pursues truth across a web of past violence and current deceit. His sense of justice drives him to push through pressure from superiors, even as personal history bleeds into his investigation. The case tests his resolve and leads him toward a tragic conclusion that mirrors the era’s traumas.

🕵️‍♂️ Detective 🧭 Moral conflict 🧩 Mystery

Yang Dal-soo (played by Lee Dae-geun)

A brewer with a controversial past who helped capture guerrillas and kill during the Korean War. He is a pragmatic, old-guard ally who holds crucial information about Ji-hye and the map to the fortune. His actions shape the moral compromises surrounding the investigation and the hidden legacy of the land.

🍺 Brewer 🗝️ Gatekeeper of secrets 🧭 Alliance

Ji-hye (played by Jeong Yun-hui)

Daughter of the eccentric commander and survivor of the mountain attack, Ji-hye becomes a linchpin in the intertwined fates of the guerrillas and the police. Her choices—trusting Yang, forming a life with Bau, and ultimately the tragedy surrounding her family—mirror the crushing costs of war and secrets kept for protection. She ultimately commits suicide during Bau’s funeral.

👩‍👧 Survivor 🧩 Central figure 🕊️ Tragic fate

Kang Man-ho (played by Bob Hyeon Gil-su)

A guerrilla who surrendered and was entrusted with Ji-hye’s safety and a map to a hidden fortune. His memories drive many confrontations, and his fate intersects with accusations that haunt him after the war. His loyalty and the weight of his choices illuminate the cost of secrecy.

🧭 Surrendered guerrilla 🗝️ Keeper of secrets 🧩 Burden of guilt

Hwang Ba-woo (played by Choi Bool-am)

A veteran guerrilla who helps Ji-hye and other survivors hide from danger and resist exploitation. His involvement in surrender and protection underscores the moral ambiguities of wartime alliances. Later events tie his fate to criminal accusations and the broader investigation.

🧭 Guerrilla 🛡️ Protector 🕰️ War legacy

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:56

Major Themes – The Last Witness (1980)

Explore the central themes of The Last Witness (1980), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🕯️ Truth and Memory

The story peels back layers of war-time violence to reveal how remembered events influence present actions. Characters wrestle with what really happened, and the detective’s pursuit of facts confronts the fragility of memory. Hidden pasts drive the plot and force painful reckonings.

⚖️ Guilt and Responsibility

Past choices carry weight across generations, blurring lines between guilt and innocence. Some figures seek redemption or deny complicity, while others exploit perceived truth for power. The film shows how the burden of war echoes in later crimes and cover-ups.

💎 Fortune and Family Secrets

A map to a hidden fortune hints at family legacy and the motive for violence. Secrets about the landlords’ inheritance become a catalyst for betrayals and shifting loyalties. The pursuit of wealth collides with human costs and unresolved loyalties.

🏛️ Power and Corruption

Authority figures and legal systems are tested by long-simmering corruption and personal vendettas. The investigation reveals how institutions can enable or obscure crimes from the past. The characters’ fates hinge on whether truth is allowed to prevail.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:56

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The Last Witness Summary

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The Last Witness Summary

The Last Witness Timeline

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The Last Witness Timeline

More About The Last Witness

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