In a post-war and ecologically devastated Korea, mutated outcasts called Omegas are exploited as cheap labor. Sujin, a young government worker, begins to doubt the state's ideology as she pursues Mia, an Omega in hiding.

Premiered at the Locarno International Film Festival last year, The Fin can be regarded as a near-future science fiction film. Much like Park Syeyoung...

Premiered at the Locarno International Film Festival last year, The Fin can be regarded as a near-future science fiction film. Much like Park Syeyoung's feature debut, The Fifth Thoracic Vertebra (2022), it employs the motif of a mutated body, though it traces a different narrative trajectory. Set in a dystopian world marked by polluted oceans and severe water shortages, the film operates on a broader narrative scale, foregrounding its genre elements. Hallmarks of Park's work—radically distorted imagery and a pessimistic worldview that engages questions of human identity—remain present, here further developed and refined. As expected, The Fin eschews conventional dramatic storytelling, distinguishing it from typical science fiction films. Here, genre conventions function more as a framework within which Park's distinct cinematic language unfolds. Working within budget constraints, the filmmaker was required to make selective and focused decisions. In particular, the scene set in an indoor fishing facility, where the protagonist Mia works, stands out. Its surreal design—accompanied by the unexpected presence of traditional Korean trot music—creates a striking and memorable effect. The filmmaker has stated that the protagonist is "the fin," inviting viewers to consider the layered meanings embedded in the film. (MOON Seok)