A Taxi Driver/Characters

Some or all of these characters need descriptions. A list of tropes is not a description.

Characters from A Taxi Driver include:

Kim Man-seob

A single dad who tries to make ends meet by driving a taxi. He's usually unbothered by circumstances not in his control, and wants to ensure a good life for him and his daughter.

Played by Song Kang-ho

Tropes exhibited by this character include:

• Adaptational Jerkass: In real life, Kim Sa-bok was interested in justice and equality, and explained the situation in detail to Hinzpeter. He also worked with Hinzpeter five years prior to Gwang-ju uprising and the two were extremely close friends.
  • Adaptional Idiocy: Man-seob is depicted as a blubbering idiot when it comes to English. Sa-bok was actually quite fluent in the language.
• Apathetic Citizens: At first. He views protestors as spoiled brats and believes that they have no pride in their country. He opens his eyes when he witnesses the atrocities that are inflicted upon them by the ROK Army, specifically the death of Jae-sik.
• All for Nothing: Spent 5 years in Saudi Arabi as a truck driver but spent that money he earned on medical bills for his ailing wife. He only had enough left for the 1979 Kia Brisa.
• Bad Liar: Man-seob, a lot. First, he claims that he speaks fluent English, despite his English being very limited (though Peter buys it). Then, he claims he lost track of the protestor's truck, despite clearly being given hand signals. Then, when escaping Gwang-ju, he claims to be a native of the city, only for a solider to point out that he has a Seoul accent. Though he adds that he moved to Gwang-ju from Seoul months ago.
• Butt Monkey: He's frequently short-charged by his passengers and quickly becomes The Friend Nobody Likes when he reaches Gwang-ju due to his flippant attitude.
• Character Development: He starts out as a money-motivated selfish Jerkass, and even abandons Peter after leading him to Gwang-ju (though to be fair, he was terrified of being arrested himself when he witnessed how brutal the ROK were). He has a Heel Face Turn and even refuses Peter's money later.
• Dark and Troubled Past: His stay in Saudi Arabia. He hated it due to being too hot and sandy, and his wife got sick and died there. It caused him to become an alcoholic.
• Decomposite Character: Both Man-seob and Jae-sik carry faucets of Kim Sa-bok. While his background and job is clearly portrayed through Man-seob, Jae-sik embodies Sa-bok's drive for justice and bravery. It's telling that when Jae-sik dies, those traits become a part of Man-seob's personality.
• Engrish/You No Take Candle: Many such examples.

Man-seob:Together, let's go Gwang-ju!

Man-seob: Give safe!

Man-seob: I taxi driver, you taxi customer

• Failed a Spot Check: He didn't realize he drove off with Peter's camera.
• The Friend Nobody Likes: He's seen as a selfish bastard for trying to abandon Peter, and his presence is tolerated because he's necessary to the cause. However, he takes a level in kindness later.
• Hiding Behind the Language Barrier: To Peter, a German.

Man-seob:Glare at me like that and I'll rip your eyes out....You don't know what I'm saying, do you?

• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Even before his choice to join the revolution, Man-seob refuses to abandon potential passengers if they're pregnant or injured. While he is frustrated at the pregnant couple for stiffing him, h holds no anger towards them.
• Line-of-Sight Name: When Peter asks for Man-seob's name, Man-seob is reluctant to give it because the South Korean authorities could track him down. He tells Peter he is called "Kim Sa-bok" after seeing a pack of Sa-bok cigarettes.
• The Lost Lenore: His wife. Her death changed him completely.
• My Car Hates Me: Man-seob's car breaks down during his first night at Gwang-ju. It was mentioned earlier that it's an outdated 1979 Kia Brisa in need of repairs, but he didn't pay any mind to that.
• Never My Fault: At one point he yells at Peter for having him stranded in Gwang-ju, acting as if he didn't steal Peter from his rightful client, as well as the fact that he was fully aware that he was entering an area blocked off by the military.
• Not Even Bothering with the Accent: He claims to be a Gwang-ju native despite his Seoul accent.
• Not So Above It All: When Jae-sik performs his air guitar routine and starts parodying K-pop singers, Man-seob dances with him.
• Papa Wolf: When Eun-jung gets bullied by Sang-gu, he furiously storms off to his mother's house and complains, despite being in her debt. When the ROK cut off communication lines in Gwang-ju and he can't contact her, he has a breakdown and tries to attack Peter in a fit of rage (but ends up hurting himself).
• Refuge in Audacity: Many times:
  • He's late on rent, so he tries to borrow money...from his landlord.
  • Later, he pulls a blatant U-Turn on the vehicle he's been instructed to follow.
• Perpetual Smiler: Through-out the first act of the film, he's putting on a happy go lucky and cheerful front, especially when gloating about what he'd do to his Sitcom Arch Nemesis, Sang-gu.
• Signature Laugh: After he insults Sang-gu he releases a cackle that sounds like El Risitas. It's unknown if that's Song Kang-ho's actual laugh or if he was channelling Risitas' performance.
• Sitcom Arch Nemesis: His landlord's son.

Man-seob:Wait till I get my money! I'll teach that kid some manners!

• Stepford Smiler: After witnessing Jae-sik's capture by Sergeant Park, he has a breakdown and tells his life story to Peter.

Man-seob:You know... I earned some money in Saudi Arabia. But my wife got sick and I spent it all on hospital bills. At the end, my wife insisted that I buy that taxi. And the doctor said so, too, so I should look after our daughter. We could have tried more meds, but I didn't argue. That's the kind of guy I am. The rest have to go on living, right? Because after my wife died, I got drunk every day.

• Tragic Keepsake: His taxi, due to its backstory with his wife.
• Took a Level In Kindness: After witnessing the selflessness and dedication of the residents of Gwang-ju, Man-seob decides to help them. It's even lampshaded at one point by Jae-sik, when he comments on how a gas station worker was giving Man-seob more gas that was necessary completely free of cost.

Jae-sik: Did you really think that everyone here is like you?

• What the Hell, Hero?: Man-seob argues with Peter for caring more about filming the riots than caring about his safety. However he's also on the receiving end, as many Gwang-ju residents call him out for abandoning Peter at the hospital and driving off with his equipment.
• Work Off the Debt: He owes his landlord months worths of unpaid rent. He decides to ferry Peter because as a foreigner, Peter could pay him a lot of money. When Man-seob objects to Peter's directions, all Peter has to do to get him to change his mind is wave a wad of cash in his face.
• Vitriolic Best Buds: With Peter. At first he despised him because he forced him to enter a heavily sanctioned city and withheld payment. But by the end of the film the two are so close that Peter returns to South Korea years later to find him, but is unable to since Man-seob gave him a fake name.

Jürgen Hinzpeter

Portrayed by Thomas Kretschmann

A missionary from Germany. Well, that's what he'd have you believe. He's really a journalist who wants to bring the crimes of the ROK to the international public spotlight.

Tropes exhibited by this character include:

• Big Damn Heroes:When Sergeant Park assaults Man-seob after cornering him, Jürgen attacks him from behind, before rescuing Man-seob and fleeing
• Blackmail: He threatens to not pay Man-seob when he refuses to take him to Gwang-ju. Man-seob also tries to pull this on Peter, but this doesn't work.
• Bring Help Back: Despite filming hours' worth of footage he wants to film more, but the civilians beg him to instead release the footage he has already to the public.
• Cool Shades: Much like the real Hinzpeter.
• Heroic BSOD: When Jae-sik dies, he's seen looking forlornly at his camera. It has the opposite effect on Man-seob, instead rousing him to become a part of the fight.
• Insistent Terminology: When Man-seob calls him a reporter, he says he's a journalist.
• Germanic Depressives: He's not very emotional. The biggest example would be early into the movie when he's at a meeting with other journalists, and while he's shaking hands with the host, he doesn't even make eye contact and continues to chug beer.
• Jail Bake: Uses a cookie tin to hide the Gwang-ju footage. Before you claim this is outlandish, no, this actually happened in real life.
• Mr. Fanservice: He's played by Thomas Kretchmann, and there are shots like these.
• My God, What Have I Done?: He feels horrible when Man-seob is distressed, but misunderstands it as Man-seob being upset over his car due to their language barrier. When he offers him money, Man-seob screams at him.
• Perpetual Frowner: While it could be due to cultural reasons, he's not very emotionally expressive, which is a stark contrast to Man-seob, who usually displays a whole pallet of emotions. In the scene where he meets Man-seob, Jurgen displays a stoic demeanor while Man-seob tries his best to come off as cheerful and dedicated.
• Token White: Jürgen is German, but the rest of the cast is Korean.
• What the Hell, Hero?: In the hospital, he scolds Man-seob for abandoning him and speeding off with his equipment.
• Vitriolic Best Buds: With Man-seob, due to Man-seob disobeying him and trying to convince him to give up many times. Ironically, it is Man-seob who gets him out of his BSoD and encourages him to start filming again. By the end of the film the two are so close that Peter returns to South Korea years later to find him, but is unable to since Man-seob gave him a fake name.

Gu Jae-sik

Portrayed by Ryu Jun-yeol

A popular university student and figurehead of the protestors. He only joined university for the dance competition and not to study.

Tropes exhibited by this character include:

• Cuteness Proximity: He squees over Eum-jun after seeing a photo of her from her childhood.
• Family-Unfriendly Death:

Hwang Taae-sol: The paratroopers dragged him off and he died on the way. So they just threw him on a rice field. There aren't enough coffins in Gwang-ju. So some students went to get more...

• Decomposite Character: Both Man-seob and Jae-sik carry faucets of Kim Sa-bok. While his background and job is clearly portrayed through Man-seob, Jae-sik embodies Sa-bok's drive for justice and bravery. It's telling that when Jae-sik dies, those traits become a part of Man-seob's personality.
• Heart: A young university student who's always optimistic.
• Hidden Depths: He wants to be a musician, and at one point puts on a show at Hwang Tae-sool's house.
• The Pollyanna: In spite of the police brutality and oppression he's regularly faced with, he's encouraging to everyone around him and lifts their spirits when they're feeling demotivated.
• Translator Buddy: Thanks to growing up near a US Military base, Jae-sik speaks fluent English and often relays things to Peter.
• Sacrificial Lion: Man-seob has no interest in actively being a part of the uprising until he sees Jae-sik's brutalized corpse and hears what the paratroopers did to him.
• Spell My Name with an "S": Is it Gu Jae-sik or Koo Jae-sik?

The Republic of Korea Military

Various actors

The military that runs South Korea. They have been massacring residents of Gwang-ju, even civilians, because they are protesting for democracy.

• Armies Are Evil: They use multiple forms of torture and abuse against the protestors, and go as far as to harm civilians who aren't doing anything. Even when a few civilians wave a white flag, they're gunned down instantly. They massacre so many people that they start dumping the corpses in fields because there isn't enough room in the graveyard to bury them all. And to top it off, they punish anyone for telling the truth about them, by censoring newspapers and cutting off phone lines outside of Gwang-ju.
• Red Scare: They refer to the protestors as "communists". Sergeant Park accuses Man-seob of being a "commie" and uses it as an excuse to brutalize him.
• Would Hit a Girl: They shoot female protestors, including one who is pregnant. They're also seen gassing and hitting an old woman with batons as she fell over. And that's still more merciful than the real life army that they're based on, that actively used rape as a form of punishment.
• Would Not Shoot a Civilian: Completely averted, they massacre many civilians and it leads to the hospitals of Gwang-ju getting overrun by corpses. It is their unrepetant brutality towards civlians that makes Man-seob decide to fight against them. In real life, the death toll of the Gwang-ju massacre was estimated to be around 600 to 2,300 people.

Eum-jun

Portrayed by Yoo Eun-mi

The daughter of Man-seob.

• The Cutie: She's a young girl who wants to see her dad happy.
  • Break the Cutie: After her mother's death, she was heard crying as she held her clothes. Man-seob felt so horrible hearing it he quit drinking.
• The Dog Bites Back: After Sang-gu taunts her about her father not coming home, she smacks him. And to add insult to injury, Sang-gu's own mother yells at him, not her.
• Girlish Pigtails: Had them as a child.
• Strong Family Resemblance: Jae-sik says that she looks like her mother, Man-seob's wife.

The landlord

Man-seob's landlord and the mother of his arch nemesis, Sang-gu. He owes her 10,000 Korean won.

• Cranky Landlord: Due to Man-seob not paying his rent.
• Jerkass Has a Point: While she is rude to Man-seob and tells him to discipline his daughter after her son bullied her, she is right that Man-seob is in her debt.
• Everyone Has Standards:
  • She cuts Man-seob some slack on the rent because she knows his wife died.
  • She looks after Eum-jun when her father's not around and makes food for her.
  • When her father is stranded in Gwang-ju, she allows Eum-jun to stay in her home, and even critisizes her son for being rude to her.
• Mama Bear: To Sang-gu, claiming he was a victim even though he started the fight. By the end of the movie, she has dropped it, and actually disciplines him when he starts bullying Eun-jun.

Kang Sang-gu

The landlord's son and neighborhood bully.

• Fat Bastard: Man-seob calls him fat multiple times and says he is taking after his overweight father. As if validating this, in another scene, Sang-gu bullies Eum-jun by offering her food...before retracting his hand.
• Kids Are Cruel: He bullies a girl who he knows is a victim of neglect and has recently experienced her mother passing away.
• Rich Bitch: Male example.
• Spell My Name with an "S": Is it Sang-gu, or Sang-goo?
• Spoiled Brat: He enjoys bullying Eum-jun because she's poor. However, his parents disapprove of his behaviour, and his father even scolds him for it.
• Sitcom Arch Nemesis: Man-seob considers him one, though its unknown if Sang-gu returns the sentiment. He does take several digs at him in front of his daughter, though.
• Would Hit a Girl: He raises his fist at Eum-jun after she hits him, but his mother intervenes, and tells him off.

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References