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Helpless

Helpless

2012 · Film · South Korea · Thriller · Mystery · Drama

Directed by Byun Young-joo · 117 min

Moon-ho, who is about to get married, searches for traces of the unfamiliar life his fiancée Seon-young left behind after she disappears without a trace. The more he follows the people around her and the records, the less clear Seon-young's identity becomes, and Moon-ho confronts his faith in the person he thought he knew.

C

OVERALL TRUTH BASIS · Inspired reconstruction

Adapted in a Korean context from the novel of the same name by Japanese author Miyabe Miyuki, the work reflects social phenomena involving identity fraud and financial crime, but does not recreate a specific true-story incident.

FACT / FICTION

Verification 4

Fact / Fiction verification

4 records
FactConfidence High

The official English title of <Helpless> is Helpless, and it is a 2012 film directed by Byun Young-joo.

On screen · Verified record
On screen
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Verified record
This is confirmed in the KOFIC film database.
View 1 sources
  • Helpless (2012)KOFIC KoBiz · Specialist database · Grade BOpen source →
FactConfidence High

The film is based on a novel by Japanese author Miyabe Miyuki.

On screen · Verified record
On screen
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Verified record
KOFIC box-office analysis and Korea-Japan adaptation materials confirm that it is based on a novel.
View 2 sources
  • Korean box office analysis: First quarter, 2012KOFIC KoBiz · Major news · Grade BOpen source →
  • Korean-Japanese Screen AdaptationsKOFIC KoBiz · Major news · Grade BOpen source →
FictionConfidence High

Mun-ho and Seon-young are fictional characters in the novel and film, and there is no confirmation that they portray specific real people.

On screen · Verified record
On screen
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Verified record
The official synopsis describes it as an original thriller tracing the identity of a missing fiancée.
View 2 sources
  • Helpless (2012)KOFIC KoBiz · Specialist database · Grade BOpen source →
  • 화차 변영주 감독 인터뷰채널예스 · Creator interview · Grade COpen source →
FictionConfidence High

The issues of credit, identity, and debt addressed by the work reflect real social phenomena, but it does not directly recreate a specific Korean true-story incident.

On screen · Verified record
On screen
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Verified record
KOFIC classifies it as an adaptation of a novel.
View 2 sources
  • Korean box office analysis: First quarter, 2012KOFIC KoBiz · Major news · Grade BOpen source →
  • Korean-Japanese Screen AdaptationsKOFIC KoBiz · Major news · Grade BOpen source →

CHARACTER ↔ PERSON

Characters and real people

2 characters

문호

Fictional character

선영

Fictional character

Sources used

  1. Helpless (2012)KOFIC KoBiz · Specialist database · Grade BOpen source →
  2. Korean box office analysis: First quarter, 2012KOFIC KoBiz · Major news · Grade BOpen source →
  3. Korean-Japanese Screen AdaptationsKOFIC KoBiz · Major news · Grade BOpen source →
  4. 화차 변영주 감독 인터뷰채널예스 · Creator interview · Grade COpen source →