Program Note
The title ‘Commission’ refers to the act of being paid to create a drawing upon request. But what if those commissions become so extreme they cross the boundaries of obscenity and brutality? In the film, the one taking these commissions is Dan-kyung (Kim Hyeon Soo), a young aspiring comic artist. She dreams of success in the webtoon world, especially since her older sister, Ju-kyung (Kim Yong-ji), is already a popular webtoon creator. Hoping to gain recognition, Dan-kyung impulsively visits the dark web and accepts her first commission. As her grotesque drawings bring her not only money but also rising fame, she finds herself sinking deeper into the dark world behind them. However, when a murder takes place that mirrors one of her illustrations, and she tries to fabricate an alibi, her actions escalate into more serious crimes. While there have been films about online violence spilling into real life, Commission feels refreshingly original in its focus on the dark web’s hidden world of graphic art. The film also demonstrates thorough research, incorporating insider industry terms such as ‘manson’ (short for ‘hands made for comics,’ used to describe someone with a natural talent for drawing). Beyond its gripping surface of the webtoon underground, the film delves into darker tensions between artist and assistant, genius and ordinary, and sisters with contrasting paths. These layered dynamics enrich the central mystery and keep the viewer engrossed until the very end. (HUH Namwoong)