Concrete Utopia (Korean: 콘크리트 유토피아) is a 2023 South Korean disaster-thriller film which I had the good fortune to see at the cinema here in Bogota, Colombia. The premise was one of the best I had heard as far as disaster movies go, so my expectations were high going into it. Check this out:
Synopsis (wikipedia below):
Seoul is devastated overnight by a major earthquake. Everything has collapsed, and only one place remains intact: Imperial Palace Apartments. Residents begin to feel threatened as external survivors who have heard of this haven flock to the apartments. They unite for survival, and with a new resident leader, Yeong-tak, they create new rules for residents and prevent entry to outsiders. Thanks to this, unlike the hellish world outside, the utopian apartments remain safe and peaceful. In an endless crisis for survival, however, an unexpected conflict begins among them.
Concrete Utopia lived up to and exceeded my expectations. I normally don’t touch ‘Disaster’ movies with a ten foot pole, but I was lured by the following:
- The above story line intrigued me,
- Concrete Utopia is a foreign film, which means it doesn’t have the Rock in it and that can only be a good thing,
- Concrete Utopia has excellent reviews.. so exceptional in fact it currently sits at 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and
- Concrete Utopia was the official submission of South Korea for the ‘Best International Feature Film‘ category of the 96th Academy Awards in 2024.
It Is an emotional force of a film. Not concerned with the disaster itself or the spectacle it could employ to focus on the moment of tragedy, the film offers epic landscapes but always keeps an intimate eye on the people in the high rise. It presents a disturbing picture of humanity that dribbles into the absolute worst when the social structure is dismembered and survival becomes the only need of the hour.
I agree with one critic’s appraisal that the film was “more creepy than most horror movies“. Concrete Utopia is a unique and intriguing disaster movie that skilfully blends black comedy, horror and psychological thriller. It’s confidently paced and craftily directed. Anna Miller, with Next Best Picture, graded the film 8/10 and wrote:
“Concrete Utopia is a gripping, disturbing, and powerful representation of the worst of society, yet equally showcasing the best qualities in humans and how hope, community, and decency will always exist through the dust and devastation.”
Concrete Utopia was pre-sold in 152 countries in Europe, Asia, and South America. It is said the film was be released in North America through Viki in the first quarter of 2024.
References:
1. Concrete Utopia – Wikipedia
2. Concrete Utopia – IMDB
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
This one sounds like it might be right up my alley.
I hope you get to see it. I’d love to know what you think.
Looks like a winner…
I really enjoyed it.
I saw Past Lives and I really enjoyed it especially the parts in their childhood and towards the end. The social media stuff in between didn’t really do it for me. I need to review it as well. I hope you see ‘Concrete Utopia’. I read your link and found your transparent recollections about your childhood sweetheart stirring. It reminded me of what happened in ‘The Life of Pi’ emigrating to Canada.