Fragment Fantasia Review: Profoundly Tragic

Fragment is an emotionally impactful feature that effectively explores trauma through the lives of two boys in the aftermath of a crime.

A middle schooler named Jun-gang (Oh Ja-hun) spends most of his days watching over his younger sister. On the table of their residence is a stack of hefty bills that continues to grow. The landlady also continues showing up, demanding to be let inside so she can have a stern word with their dad due to an outstanding rent balance. Viewers later learn that the siblings’ father is responsible for murdering two people in town and is currently serving a jail sentence. His kids have been left behind without parents to care for them and with no choice but to fend for themselves.

The other main character, Gi-su (Moon Seong-hyun), lives alone in the same town after both his parents were brutally murdered by Jun-gang’s father, making their stories intertwined. Jun-gang struggles with the aftermath of his father’s actions, while Gi-su tries to come to terms with living a life without his parents. The film reflects how both teenagers attempt to cope with the consequences of this tragedy.

On the one hand, your heart breaks for Gi-su as you realize how shattering it must be for him to find himself orphaned at such a young age, and how his loss will always be a painful part of his existence. On the other hand, we observe how Jun-gang’s father’s actions have had detrimental effects on his life. He and his sister are facing eviction from their home, and barely have enough money to get by. After some school kids find out that Jun-gang’s father is the one responsible for the death of Gi-su’s parents, he is picked on by school bullies who rationalize their behavior because their target is the son of a killer.

Fragment is never biased when exploring Jun-gang and Gi-su’s stories. Their suffering stems from the same incident, but leads to two very distinctive outcomes. This film prompts viewers to consider how someone’s crimes could impact their own families and the challenges their relatives may face as a result of association, even when they’re not the ones responsible. In this situation, they too are victims and a product of their circumstances.

Viewers also deeply sympathize with Gi-su because he tragically lost both his mother and father, and has no choice but to see the son of his parents’ killer, Jun-gang, at school and around town. This is a constant reminder of the murders, and you can understand why he immediately dislikes Jun-gang. This hatred also highlights how Jun-gang and his sister are innocent children. They, too, are victims, but for very different reasons. Trauma is a common theme explored in films, but in Fragment, director Kim Sung-yoon manages to reflect it in a way that never feels clichéd or unoriginal.

The film’s bleakness isn’t a criticism per se, as it aligns with Fragment’s story, but with such a dark tone, it may be difficult for some people to get through. There’s so little joy to be found within the narrative, and the depiction of grief and sorrow is haunting. It will weigh heavily on viewers’ hearts because there’s such a sense of hopelessness. However, after the emotional journey viewers are taken on, a flicker of optimism is present by the end for both Gi-su and Jun-gang, as they gradually attempt to rebuild their lives.

Fragment is a solid directorial debut from Kim Sung-yoon, exploring grief, guilt, resentment, and forgiveness with depth and sensitivity. This drama is an impactful viewing experience that will have viewers reaching for the tissue box.

Fragment (Pa-pyeon – 파편) was screened at the Fantasia Film Festival on July 16, 2025 and will be screened again on July 24.