"Although he began making films in the sixties, Im Kwon-taek has done his best work in the last decade, becoming one of the major figures in modern Korean cinema. His range is remarkable and he has worked with unwavering skill in many genres...There is, however, a consistent foundation to all his work: a subtle and profound understanding of human psychology and emotions. In the past he has done his finest work with women...In his new film he takes on yet another world: that of male gangs in contemporary Seoul. From the time he was a child, Kim Du-han spent his life in the streets, finally joining the Chongno Gang. Because of his strength and fighting abilities he is taken under the wing of the student gang leader. The Japanese yakuzas have begun to work the neighborhood, however, and the battle is on. The General's Son depicts the streets and gangs of Seoul with finely observed detail and precise atmosphere. There is more to the film than that, however. (Attitudes involving) the Koreans' long love-hate relationship with the Japanese...provide an extra dimension to the conflicts in the film." --David Overbey, Toronto Festival '91