Incidents and accidents

The drama "Jirisan," written by Kim Eun-hee, tells the story of accidents in the mountains that turn out to be murders committed by someone. Kim Eun-hee chose to write a narrative where accidents are revealed to be incidents because of the resonance they carry. From the collapse of the Sampoong Department Store to the recent Itaewon disaster, many large-scale tragedies in South Korea have gained public consensus as incidents caused by someone's negligence rather than mere accidents. Similarly, director Lee Yo-seop's new movie "The Plot" brings various conspiracies and conspiracy theories from different perspectives on accidents and incidents into the cinematic realm.

In the film, Yeong-il (played by Kang Dong-won) takes on jobs disguised as accidents to carry out contract killings. One day, Joo Yeong-seon (played by Jeong Eun-chae) requests him to kill her father, Joo Seong-jik (played by Kim Hong-pa), a candidate for Prosecutor General. As Young-il proceeds with the task, his colleagues die, increasing his suspicions. He becomes convinced that another mastermind is behind everything and even doubts his colleagues. He tracks down each suspicious individual, convinced they are the architects, and seeks revenge. Ultimately, "The Plot" portrays a chaotic situation where the mastermind becomes a target, leading to a state where no one can be trusted.

A particularly poignant scene is when the youngest team member, dying after being hit by a bus, asks with abiding suspicions, "This is an accident, right?" This reflects the fate of those who have orchestrated incidents disguised as accidents, showing that they end up doubting everything to the very end. They are trapped in a world of their own making. The increase in conspiracy theories of late is not much different. A society that can no longer inspire trust leads people to view even genuine accidents as incidents, fueling the rise of conspiracy theories.