Spin Kick

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Movie: Spin Kick
Hangul: 돌려차기
Revised romanization: Dolryeochagi
Director: Sang-guk Nam
Writer: Chu-seong Bang, Na Hyeon, Dong-ik Shin
Producer: Chun Roy-Kyoung, Lee Choon-Yeon, Lee Se-Young, Jung Hee-Tae
Cinematographer: Park Sang-Hoon
Release Date: July 23, 2004
Runtime: 102 min
Language: Korean
Country: South Korea

Plot

The trophies lined up in the training hall bear witness to the past victories of the Manseh Taekwondo Team, but these days the team is but a shadow of itself. Only one member, the quiet reclusive captain Min-kyu, is even remotely capable. The coach Koh demands that the team reaches the semi-finals of big upcoming tournament, but Min-kyu is the only one who hasn’t already given up.

When the team runs into a local group of street thugs, they are all beaten to a pulp, and the thugs are throw in jail. In sheer frustration Koh quits, saying there’s nothing more he can do for the team. When he leaves he advices Min-kyu to come with him, but the young student will not abandon his team.

The school administration is in a rut. Still, they feel they can’t give up on the team, because that would mean sacrificing 50 years of legacy. The Taekwondo team was once the pride of the school, and if they give that up they have nothing.

As a last desperate resort, the headmaster of Manseh turns to the thugs who beat up his team. He offers them a simple choice: Either be expelled from school, or join the Taekwondo team. Standing behind bars in prison the offer suddenly seems very appealing.

The thugs turn up at the training hall, but they are met with no love from Min-kyu, the only remaining member of the old team. He feels that the thugs degrade the team with their attitude, but unless he quits he’ll have to accept their presence.

But one thing is still missing: A new coach. The team’s hardworking assistant Su-bin seeks high and low for anybody even remotely interested in the job. The desperate search yields only one candidate: The burnout junior coach Song Chung-kun, who volunteers simply because he has no other options.

The team only gets though the preliminary rounds because they intimidate the other teams, but suddenly the thugs realize they can’t win the tournament this way, and they actually start to take the whole thing seriously.

Three of the thugs soon emerge as serious contenders. First there’s the uncrowned king of the school, Yong-geak. Then there’s his lieutenants, the solid Hyuk-soo, and the whimsical Jung-dae. Along with Min-kyu, and the understudy Sung-wan the 5 man fighting team of the Manseh School is ready to fight. Or are they?

Will the thugs be able to put their street fighting ways behind them and restore some dignity to the team? Can Min-kyu step up and work together with his new team-mates? And do any of them stand a chance against the powerful opponents that await them towards the end of the tournament?