Politician · concept

Roh Moo Hyun on The Attorney (Movie)

Q: Is Roh Moo Hyun the basis for the main character in The Attorney?

Yes, the protagonist of *The Attorney*, Song Woo-seok, is modeled after Roh Moo Hyun's early career as a human rights lawyer. The film's central case is inspired by the Burim incident which the real Roh Moo-hyun defended.

Basis for film depiction (strong)

TL;DR

The film is directly based on Roh Moo Hyun's early career as a human rights lawyer defending students in the 1980s.

Key Points

The film's main character, Song Woo-seok, is explicitly acknowledged by the producer as an allusion to Roh Moo Hyun.
The core legal case depicted, the Burim incident, was a real-life case where the then-attorney Roh Moo-hyun defended victims of torture.
Online discussion following the film's release often linked images of the late former President Roh Moo-hyun to scenes depicted in the movie.

Summary

Roh Moo Hyun's position regarding The Attorney is established by the fact that the film is loosely based on his real-life early career as a human rights attorney in Busan. The movie's protagonist, Song Woo-seok, is a fictionalized representation of the future president, specifically drawing from his involvement in the 1981 Burim incident, where he defended students accused of sedition under the military regime. The film's narrative arc, which shows the lawyer shifting from a profit-driven tax specialist to a principled defender of basic rights, mirrors the widely known trajectory of Roh Moo Hyun's own life leading up to his political career.

While Roh Moo Hyun is the primary inspiration for the movie's central character, reports indicate that the production intentionally excluded elements that might cause political controversy, refining the historical narrative for cinematic effect. Despite this dramatization, the film's success and resonance in South Korea are seen as a part of the broader public reckoning with the authoritarian era and a redemption of Roh's legacy following his later political career and death. Pictures from the moments in the film mirroring the June 1987 democratization movement have been widely circulated online in connection with the movie's release.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Roh Moo Hyun the basis for the main character in The Attorney?

Yes, the protagonist of The Attorney, Song Woo-seok, is modeled after Roh Moo Hyun's early career as a human rights lawyer. The film's central case is inspired by the Burim incident which the real Roh Moo-hyun defended.

What part of Roh Moo Hyun's career is shown in The Attorney?

The movie focuses on his time as a practicing attorney in Busan during the 1980s, specifically his shift from a tax lawyer to a human rights defender. This period culminated in his passionate defense of students falsely accused by the military regime.

Did Roh Moo Hyun have any direct comment on The Attorney movie?

While the film is directly based on his life, the provided sources do not contain a direct, personal statement from Roh Moo Hyun about the movie itself. The film's success and its resonance with the public are widely seen as a reflection of his historical importance.