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Clean Up is a 2018 South Korean drama film directed by Kwon Man-Ki. The movie is set in a small village in South Korea and revolves around a woman named Ae-Ran, played astutely by Ji-hye Yun. Ae-Ran works as a cleaner in a rundown factory in the village. Her job involves cleaning the factory premises and disposing of any hazardous industrial waste.

Ae-Ran leads a drab existence and views her job as a means to an end. She has a teenage son, Yeong-Cheol, played by Su-hyeon Kim, whom she struggles to provide for in spite of his rebellious nature. Ae-Ran's life takes a turn for the worse when she discovers that Yeong-Cheol and his friends have been involved in an accident, leaving one of the boys dead.

As Ae-Ran tries to protect her son from the law, she also struggles to keep her job at the factory. Her boss, played by Dae-gun Kim, is dissatisfied with Ae-Ran's performance and is on the lookout for an excuse to fire her. Ae-Ran, however, is determined to hold on to her job and provide for her son.

The first half of Clean-Up sets the groundwork for the movie's commentary on social and economic inequality in South Korea. The movie paints a bleak picture of the lives of the working class in the country. Ae-Ran's life is devoid of joy or comfort, and her job is a barely sustainable means of survival. The factory she works at is dilapidated and runs on outdated machinery.

As the story progresses, Clean-Up becomes more focused on Ae-Ran's personal journey. Ji-hye Yun delivers a powerful performance as a woman fighting against all odds to protect her son and provide him with the life she never had. Su-hyeon Kim's portrayal of Yeong-Cheol, a teenager rebelling against a system that has failed him, is also noteworthy.

One of the strengths of Clean-Up is its visual storytelling. The movie uses a muted color palette and minimalist cinematography to convey the dreariness of Ae-Ran's life. The shots of the factory, with its rusted machinery and piles of waste, serve as a metaphor for the social and economic decay in South Korea.

Clean-Up is not without its flaws, however. The pacing of the movie can be slow at times, and some of the subplots feel underdeveloped. The final act of the movie could also be seen as overly sentimental.

Overall, Clean-Up is a poignant drama that provides a sobering look at the lives of the working class in South Korea. While the movie does not offer any solutions to the problems it presents, it does give a voice to the voiceless and reminds us of the power of determination in the face of adversity.

Clean Up is a 2018 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 44 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.8.