A Man Who Was Superman 2008

Soo-jung lands a big story opportunity

Soo-jung, a third-year producer, leaves her office with the company camera to chase a lion story she hopes will be her breakthrough. She’s been unpaid for months and sees this as a chance to raise her profile and fuel her ambition to become Korea’s Oprah. The setup foreshadows how far she’s willing to push reality for ratings.

Robber encounter and Superman's intervention

On her way, a robber confronts her but is saved by the mysterious 'Superman' in a Hawaiian shirt. He claims kryptonite in his head blocks his powers, yet he presses on to help others. The encounter reveals a complex, human-sized hero who captures Soo-jung’s interest.

Soo-jung fabricates 'Superman Saves the World' documentary

Seeing the footage’s potential, she tweaks the material and spins it into a 'Superman Saves the World' documentary. The film leans on sensational heroics to draw viewers, turning into a ratings hit. The fabrication foreshadows ethical questions about truth in storytelling.

X-ray reveals the bullet in Superman's head

An X-ray of the hero reveals a bullet lodged in his skull, exposing the real trauma behind his 'powers'. The discovery nudges Soo-jung toward a more honest storytelling approach. It also blurs the line between myth and reality.

Lee Hyun-Suk's boyhood trauma in Gwangju

As a boy, Lee Hyun-Suk witnesses a skirmish during the Gwangju Democratization Movement. His father tells him that counting to one hundred will make him Superman, a belief that binds heroism to numbers. This moment seeds the lifelong fantasy that shapes his later actions.

Tragedy fractures his family and body

Years later, a car crash claims his wife’s life while his daughter survives. In the burning wreckage, he tells his daughter to count to one hundred to save her, a moment that seals his fragile identity as a superhero in his own mind. The trauma cements his belief that he must be Superman.

Seizures, rescue attempt, and a shattered city

The bullet in his head triggers a seizure as he runs toward the car to rescue his daughter, but the vehicle explodes and the crowd does nothing. This failure hardens his belief in being Superman and fuels his later public persona. It marks a turning point in how he perceives his role in the community.

Becoming a local savior

Lee spends his life trying to help the community in his unconventional way, and people begin to follow his example. His so-called 'super deeds' spark hope, yet his actions are driven by trauma rather than clarity. He becomes a local symbol of aid and misinterpretation.

A turning point when the crowd helps him

Lee’s moment of doubt about saving a police officer beneath a burning car becomes the catalyst for communal effort, as bystanders finally join him to perform the rescue. The reversal shows how the community’s faith in him shifts the dynamic. It marks a rare moment of collective action.

The fire rescue, the child, and the dream

Lee enters a burning building to save a child, but the structure collapses. He leaps from a window with the child and appears to travel back in time to save his younger self, a moment later revealed as a dream. In reality, his head injury ends his life and his myth persists in the memories of others.

Soo-jung’s awakening via a key phrase

Soo-jung, inspired by Lee’s sacrifice, starts helping an old woman and recalls his line that 'Strength doesn't open big iron doors but a small key.' The phrase unlocks a new tenderness in her and a reordering of her priorities. It marks the personal shift from cynicism to compassion.