This is a true story about the murder of five children in Daegu region, South Korea. The evolution of the case throughout the movie is what you could expect of korean cinema: the solving of the murder is hugely important, but what matters the most are the characters that surround the case. their families, a TV producer, a cop and a psychology professor(i assume). Obviously they are well developed, they show truthful and devastating emotions, they change their own behaviors and actions during the film.

Koreans know very well how to built intense atmospheres, and how to drive their characters inside them. They have density, they sound like real people, we can relate to them very easily. We can almost feel their grief, we can understand how an ambitious producer fallen from grace start as a selfish guy who just wants a good story, evolves into a guy who almost take this personal. We can see truth in the professor's theories, we can cope with the (sometimes questionable) efforts of the families, in order to oblige the police looking for their children.

This is a well built movie, which is not a huge breath of fresh air in korean cinema, but it's one of those films who prove that south Korea has one of the best cinemas in the world. you really should check this one out.

What a movie! What an environment! Acting of every, even the small and limited characters act like lively. It seems I am seeing the real story not the movie. Direction, back-ground score, cinematography are excellent. Yet I am sorry about them whoever are the real victims and their families. Five children, age 8 to 12 like that, disappeared, at once, together. Story 1991, South Korea. I have seen this kind of movie, Memories of Murders, which is almost similar. Memories of Murders is one of my favorites. Children... 2001 is also now my favorites one. This movie will grip you till the last moment. You feel the same as the victims' families. You feel the same as the detectives, as the other people of the movie.

The movie tells the story of what happened early 1990's in Korea, as 5 elementary school students never returned from their walk to a nearby mountain.

Based on true events and dedicated to the family who lost their children, this movie definitely succeeds at its goal. To make people be a witness of what happened 20 years ago and to be part of what emotional horror the family and everyone involved went through and still have to go through.

You will stay focused from the start to the end thanks to great directing and acting. Just when you think the movie will wrap up, it will make a sudden twist and turn everything upside down. Korea once again shows how to make a great movie that is based on true events.

Although this movie feels a lot like Memories of Murder (that also is based on true events in Korea),it is yet totally different and not as perfect, but still a great watch.

A must watch for anyone who enjoys a great crime movie.

My score: 9/10