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Bogota: City of the Lost review: Song Joong-ki's film feels like the Vincenzo spin-off we never got

Ever wondered what would Vincenzo look like when he entered the world of crime? Now you have a glimpse of the powerful entity through Bogota: City of the Lost

3.5/5rating
Bogota: City of the Lost review: Song Joong-ki's film feels like the Vincenzo spin-off we never got
Bogotá - City of the Lost

Last Updated: 06.16 PM, Feb 04, 2025

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Story:

Korea is thrown into tatters after World War II and independence from Japan. People are on the streets, owing to which Koo-kee (Song Joong-ki) and his family are forced to shift to US, but they have to make a stop in Columbia’s Bogota, which is famous for its crime. Thus follows the story of a to-be powerful crime lord.

Review:

Set in 1997, where the people were thrown on the streets during the war, we come across a young Song Joong-ki. The story shifts to Spain's Bogotá, where this youngling is concerned about everything related to his family.

Promised to be a tollgate to US, he gets stuck in Columbia over trying to fight a petty crime of theft, which is not-so-petty for him, considering his documents are just stolen.

Thus, Kook-kee is forced to enter the world of crime himself. While the vibe of Spanish culture is evident, crime is stronger. And before we know it, our actor is fluent in Spanish too.

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What starts off as transport in clothes, ends up giving us a glimpse of hot-tempered and passionate Kook-kee who is out to prove himself just to be able to survive the big, wild world. The man is literally what Vincenzo would be in his struggling days - impatient, one who makes a lot of mistakes but always gets back up to correct them and move forward. A grown-up Koo-kee proves to be exactly what Vincenzo is - a man who holds a lot of power and makes calculative moves based on the situations he's put through. It is why you respected Vincenzo and why you will like Koo-kee too.

His charm almost never dies down. From his driving skills to emotional moments with his father, Joong-ki shines as an actor in his role of Kook-kee.

Song Joong-ki
Song Joong-ki

Lee Hee-joon as Soo-yeong is oje that leaves you mesmerized with the enigma he carries. He is Koo-kee's 'hyung,' but of course, given their line of work, there's no saying when what changes. This even holds true for Kook-kee's ever-changing bond with Kwon Hye-hyo's Park Jang-soo.

Despite the slower pace of the story and the old-world being one you cannot relate to in moments, Bogotá almost always holds up. This is mainly because of Joong-ki the actor.

Verdict:

Bogotá: City of the Lost is a film that pays an ode to Song Joong-ki as an actor. The movie can feel slow and leave you stumbling from time-to-time, but it is his powerful character that takes the cake. If Vincenzo were to have a spin-off on the lead character's journey to crime alone, it would probably look something like Bogotá: City of the Lost.

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