Dark Discussions Podcast – Episode 615 – THE PIPER (2015)

Dark Discussions Podcast

The old German legend, The Pied Piper of Hamelin, was an old scary tale told to many of us as children, or it was part of a collection of fairy tales that we read. The South Korean film, THE PIPER (2015), takes the premise of the legend and brings it to the post Korean War era in 1953 as a setup to the movie.

When a father and his young son head to Seoul to find a doctor that will be able to help with the child’s tuberculosis, they stop in a remote rural village for some food and shelter before they continue on their way. When the town’s leader mentions that the village has a rat problem, the father offers to help. He is a piper and says he can get rid of the animals. Offered payment without even asking, the father begins the process, yet while doing so, the piper changes the dynamics of the village and becomes a threat to the town’s leader.

The film was written and directed by Gwang-tae Kim and has received little notice in North America. However, the movie was chosen as a Patreon pick by one of our listeners, and we found it readily available on VOD. Your co-hosts take a look at this interesting film. Is it a hidden gem? Take a listen and find out.