Dark Market/Target (2023)

Dark Market (2023)

Original title: Taget
It is also known by its original title, ‘Don’t Buy the Seller’

A South Korean thriller, directed by Park Hee-Kon, inspired by real-life events linked to online black markets, particularly those on the Darknet, where illegal goods such as drugs, weapons and stolen data are sold.

The term ‘Dark Market’ refers to marketplaces on the Darknet, which are online platforms often used for the illegal sale of goods such as drugs and malware. These markets operate via anonymous networks, notably Tor, to ensure the confidentiality of users and transactions.

Several documentaries, reports and books have already explored this subject, highlighting the complex mechanisms of these platforms, the struggles of international law enforcement agencies, and the social and economic impacts.

This film is well made. As for the actors, I think they’re good, but it’s quite hard for me to judge. Whenever I see Asian actors, I always get the impression they’re overacting. It really looks as though manga characters who shout, jump about tearing their hair out and fly off the handle at the drop of a hat have been plucked straight from reality. Not to mention the way they shake an unconscious person, when we’re taught (at least in Europe) that you shouldn’t move them too much, but rather place them in the recovery position. It really is a different culture that amuses me and which I find hard to take seriously. Which is completely contradictory when you consider just how disciplined and efficient they are. Their lazybones must be even more frowned upon than they are here.

It’s surprising to see a character constantly saying he’s a cop, but never showing his badge!

We witness the main character’s descent into hell; a woman already somewhat at the end of her tether at the start of the film, under immense stress from supervising others’ work and being told off by her boss for her minor mistakes. And, of course, that’s when her washing machine breaks down. She buys another second-hand one online… and that one doesn’t work either. The tension mounts; she tries to track down the person who ripped her off… but she stumbles upon a genuine, perverse psychopath – cunning and intelligent – who leaves nothing to chance.

These days, it’s hard to tell whether you’re going to get ripped off or not. There seem to be more and more manipulative liars out there, even on the most innocuous classifieds sites. So we won’t even mention the best-known sites! No one is safe from buying an item that will only last two days or that’s already broken. And afterwards, you have no guarantee. Often, the person who’s ripped you off – even unintentionally – will have already deleted their advert and will be hard to track down. And even if you do track them down, it won’t necessarily be their fault.

I once bought a punching bag that was only used two or three times, as well as a printer that only worked for a week. In the first case, the bloke just said, ‘Oh? Well… sorry!’ But in the second case, the man gave me a refund. Unbelievable! There are still some honest people out there.

This film is good entertainment, but it’s a bit too over the top. In the last half-hour, we’re treated to a car chase that’s utterly unrealistic. And towards the end, we get our fair share of brutality, reminding us that this really isn’t a film for everyone.

It reminded me a bit of The Craigslist Killer (2011), which is one of my favourite TV films.

It’s not a must-see film, even if it does have a touch of originality. That said, there are scenes we’ve seen time and again, such as the character falling asleep, then waking up, only to be attacked, before finally waking up for real – because they were still in a nightmare.

Dark Market is worth watching once for fans of Korean cinema or for those who enjoy thrillers of all kinds. Everyone else can safely give it a miss!