korean movies [34/100]
south korean movies i've watched with short reviews.
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- DirectorPark Hoon-jungStarsLee Jung-jaeChoi Min-sikHwang Jung-minAn undercover cop finds it difficult to play both a cop and a goon.While I'm not usually the biggest fan of "mafia movies" is New World something else. My absolutely fave movie of all time that keeps you in it's grip with the fantastic plot and twists it offers. The 2 hours go by without you even knowing. Great actors & emotions ranging from suspense to rage to sadness — I can't recommend this movie enough.
- DirectorWon-Chan HongStarsHwang Jung-minLee Jung-jaePark Jeong-minAn assassin goes to Thailand in order to solve a kidnapping case linked to him, and finds himself chased by a man whose sibling he killed.I watched this because I like Lee Jung-jae, but the movie itself was entertaining and had good amounts of action. I also ended up adoring Park Jeong-min's character. I do recommend this for lovers of action/chase movies. :^)
- DirectorJi-hoon KimStarsCha Seung-wonKim Seong-gyoonLee Kwang-sooA working class family move into a new condo purchased after 11 years of hard work. They throw a housewarming party to show his co-workers when overnight a heavy downpour creates an extremely deep sinkhole that engulfs the entire building.Good pacing, likable characters and emotional scenes sprinkled between comedy: Sinkhole has them all. I watched this one because of Lee Kwang-soo and I'm glad I did.
- DirectorHwan-kyung LeeStarsRyu Seung-ryongKal So-wonOh Dal-suA story about the love between a mentally-ill father and his lovingly adorable daughter.This movie will tug at your heartstrings. Love the chemistry between the characters and the child actress is very talented. Can't lie when I say that I cried while watching it. Heartwarming but will also break your heart.
- DirectorPark Hoon-jungStarsEom Tae-gooJeon Yeo-beenCha Seung-wonHiding out in Jeju Island following a brutal tragedy, a wronged mobster with a target on his back connects with a woman who has her own demons.The chemistry between the two lead characters is superb and the performance from supporting cast (they'll really make you feel for their characters or better yet: make you hate them with your blood boiling. Special mention: Cha Seung-won was terrifyingly good.) is amazing. Dark & beautifully shot. Plot might be very generic for the genre, but I still enjoyed this one a lot.
- DirectorLee Won-taeStarsMa Dong-seokJeon Bae-sooKim Mu-yeolA crime boss teams up with a cop to track down a serial killer.Chemistry between Ma Dong-seok and Kim Mu-Yeol's characters just works. I would have loved to see even more of this dynamic. Killer is creepy: kudos to that to their actor. The ending wasn't maybe exactly what I hoped for, but still this movie was worth a watch. I'm starting to lean into the fact that gangster/mob genre never interested me because I hadn't just been watching Korean movies which are in a whole different level compared to Hollywood ones.
- DirectorJang Jae-hyunStarsLee Jung-jaePark Jeong-minYoo Ji-taePastor Park works to expose suspicious religious groups. He's hired to look into the cult group Deer Mount. Meanwhile, Police Captain Hwang investigates a murder case and the main suspect is a member of the Deer Mount cult.Lee Jung-jae is always a delight on your screen. However this movie wasn't very delightful. Some say that the plot is hard to follow and I don't agree with that but the relationships between characters and characters themselves could've been more fleshed out. Felt like it was 4 stories tied up into one movie and they ran out of time to properly develop each one and make them tie together seamlessly. Spoiler alert! There's a twist close to the end of the movie I didn't see coming but then again I didn't really get invested into the plot that much. If you are like me and like Lee Jung-jae then I'd recommend watching this. If not? You'll find something better to watch.
- DirectorHan Jae-rimStarsSong Kang-hoLee Jung-jaeBaek Yun-shikAbout Nae-kyung who is able to assess the personality, mental state and habits of a person by looking at his face. Because of his abilities, he gets involved in a power struggle between Prince Sooyang and Kim Jong-Seo.I felt like the first half of the movie was perfect. Fleshed out characters and plot that kept you watching. The relationship between Nae-kyung and his brother-in-law was a highlight for me. 2nd half of the movie made me check the time remaining of the film. To be honest history isn't my favorite genre, but I think there's been movies from the same genre that I've enjoyed more. I watched this mainly for Lee Jung-jae who was like made to play Prince Suyang. If you like him or history/drama genre then I guess I'd recommend this one. Not one of my personal favorites either way.
- DirectorJung Doo HongKim Jee-woonStarsLee Byung-hunShin Min-aKim Yeong-cheolThings go wrong for a high ranking mobster when he doesn't follow his boss's orders.It felt like I was waiting the whole time for the good part to start. The two main action sequences were good and I enjoyed Hwang Jung-min's character and he really does fit the gangster scene (first encountered in New World & later again in Deliver Us from Evil). The part with the arms dealers felt like a bad way to try to include comedy into the film. First movie of the gangster/mob genre from Korea that I haven't enjoyed. Side note: hate the trope when a gangster abandons everything they've used to do for a woman who they've only known for a day or two. Disappointing overall.
- DirectorJae-gon SonStarsAhn Jae-hongKang So-raPark Yeong-gyuA lawyer is suckered into running a zoo that has sold most of its animals.Not my favorite genre. Secret Zoo had genuinely funny moments that made me laugh out loud. The ending felt a bit rushed and left me wishing for more answers what really happened. Cute little flick after so many dark and gloomy films I've watched even though I might prefer them to this.
- DirectorJung Bum-shikStarsOh Ah-yeonWi Ha-joonYoo Je-YoonThe crew of a horror web series travels to an abandoned asylum for a live broadcast. It soon encounters much more than expected as it moves deeper inside the nightmarish old building.I like found footage horror and this reminded me of Grave Encounters. The build-up was good and then it felt like the movie should've been 30 minutes longer because everything really started happening for real during the last maybe twenty minutes and it just felt very rushed. Scares looked a bit cheap. Overall basic horror with nice cast, but fell flat and didn't really bring any new ideas or plot points to the genre.
- DirectorKim Tae-hyungStarsLee Sung-minPark Hae-joonKim Yoo-jungWith prayer beads in one hand and an ax in the other, a monk hunts down a millennia-old spirit that's possessing humans and unleashing hell on Earth.Special effects looked very cheap and it took a lot away from the movie. Not very scary or didn't even have a plot that'd keep you on your toes. I liked the relationship between the young monk and the former monk. The young monk probably was my favorite character in this. Anyway I'm intrigued by the lore of Buddhism since I've seen many horror/thrillers that are linked to Christianity so watching films about another religion feels like a breath of fresh air. That still didn't save this movie. I think I prefer Svaha: The Sixth Finger over this and that wasn't a very good movie so I think that tells you a lot about how I feel towards this Netflix flick.
- DirectorLee Jeong-beomStarsWon BinKim Sae-ronKim Tae-hoonA quiet pawnshop keeper with a violent past takes on a drug-and-organ trafficking ring in hope of saving the child who is his only friend.Reminded me of the Jason Statham movie Safe (2012). Good plot and great action sequences. Loved the relationship between the little girl and Tae-sik. Can't believe that the main male lead hasn't acted in other movies after this: he was great. Solid action/revenge/chase movie.
- DirectorWon Shin-yeonStarsGong YooPark Hee-soonSong Boo-gunBetrayed and on the run, a North Korean agent tries to uncover the volatile secrets hidden inside the eyeglasses of a dead man.I chose this film because Gong Yoo is the lead in it and didn't look more into the cast. I was pleasantly surprised by Park Hee-soon who stole the show. Gong's lead character was good but not as good as Park's Colonel Min. The relationship between him and his bubblegum obsessed friend, Cho, was one of the best parts of this film. Kudos also to Jo Sung-ha who played a villain that made you want to crawl inside the film just so you could beat him up yourself.
Great action & chase sequences, strong characters and actors. I totally recommend this film for lovers of action and chase/revenge genre. - DirectorChang-min ChooStarsLee Byung-hunRyu Seung-ryongHan Hyo-jooA look-alike commoner is secretly hired to take the place of a poisoned king to save his country from falling into chaos.Period films still aren't my go-to genre but I still enjoyed this film. Nice pacing with interesting characters and good relationships between them. Lee Byung-hun aced it with the double role and you could easily tell which character he was portraying at different times. Especially the relationship between the impostor and Heo Gyun was very entertaining. Good balance between comedic/easy-going and serious scenes. Would recommend this to anyone who enjoys period dramas.
- DirectorYong-hwa KimStarsHa Jung-wooCha Tae-hyunJu Ji-hoonAfter a heroic death, a firefighter navigates the afterlife with the help of three guides.I overall enjoyed this one. The three guardians have all their own personalities and they're played well. I would've liked to see more of the interactions between them but there was a lot going on in this movie so they probably didn't have the time to focus that much on building relationships. Not a boring film. Has kinda two different stories and I think I was more invested in the secondary story (about the firefighter's brother). Lee Jung-jae makes an appearance and that's always a plus. There's also a surprise cameo that made me chuckle. The different hells and gods were cool. Solid fantasy film.
- DirectorYong-hwa KimStarsHa Jung-wooJu Ji-hoonKim Hyang-giIn the afterlife, one guardian helps a man through his trials, while his two colleagues help a former guardian on earth.I think I liked this sequel more than the first movie. The trio of the two guardians and the house god and the duo of Su-hong and Gang-lim work perfectly. Balanced mix of action, drama and comedy scenes. The plot felt more solid than in the first film. Characters are well developed and have real, fleshed out relationships and dynamics with each other. If you liked the first Along With the Gods movie I'm sure you'll enjoy this one too.
- DirectorYoung-Tak KimStarsCha Tae-hyunKang Ye-wonLee Moon-suA man's failed suicide attempt enables him to see ghosts, who later keep following him everywhere. It is now up to him to fulfill their wishes to make them go away.Not my favorite genre. Honestly I felt very frustrated with this movie since the plot didn't seem to go anywhere and kept circling the same problems. Then came that twist and I understood why people had said to have tissues nearby. It was such a punch to the gut. Everything made sense in the end and I'm quite happy I picked up this movie after all.
- DirectorNa Hong-jinStarsKim Yoon-seokHa Jung-wooSeo Yeong-hieA disgraced ex-policeman who runs a small ring of prostitutes finds himself in a race against time when one of his women goes missing.Bloody, dark & gritty. Keeps you in it's grip for the whole movie. Strong main leads: the killer is all around sleazebag and Kim Yoon-seok is brilliant as a tough pimp. Very nerve wracking. On top of the good plot it's also beautifully shot. One of the best movies in this genre I've watched. Go see it. You won't be disappointed.
- DirectorKim Jin-wonStarsSeo Ye-jiJin Seon-kyuKim Bo-raMi-Jung (Seo Ye-Ji ) is a rookie film director and she has been preparing a horror film for the past 8 years. One day, Mi-Jung hears about a movie which was banned. Mi-Jung wants to know about the film. She begins to search for the movie. Her search takes her to meet Jae-Hyun (Jin Seon-Kyu), who is the director of the film. Jae-Hyun warns Mi-Jung to forget about his film, but she ignores his warning. Mi-Jung's obsession with the movie leads her to bizarre and horrible cases.This could've been so much better and had so much potential. Pretty generic plot. They never go to backstories of some important characters (Soo-min is one of them). They show bits and pieces but I wanted more. The ending is a bit anticlimactic and expected. Has some actually nerve wracking scenes and them some basic jump scares. I liked the use of red light - it kinda tied the scenes together in a pretty clever way. Not in any way the best horror or Korean horror I've seen and you can probably find better movies with the same plot/idea.
- DirectorJong-ho HuhStarsKim Myung-minKim In-kwonLee HyeriYoon Gyeom is a loyal subject of King Jung Jong of Joseon. He struggles to fight against a monster that threatens King Jung Jong's life and a group of people trying to depose King Jung Jong.I actually enjoyed this one. Good amounts of action and I liked the relationships between characters. Monster doesn't look terrible and plot is very straightforward. One fight scene almost gave me motion sickness because of the shaky camera but fortunately rest of the fights were filmed in a much nicer way. Highlights for me: the relationship between the father & the uncle (plus daughter & Heo) and you can't go wrong with Park Hee-soon as the king. Decent monster film.
- DirectorKim Jee-woonStarsSong Kang-hoLee Byung-hunJung Woo-sungThe story of two outlaws and a bounty hunter in 1940s Manchuria and their rivalry to possess a treasure map while being pursued by the Japanese army and Chinese bandits.First of all not my favorite genre. The fight & action scenes were good even though in my opinion that one chase scene was unnecessarily long (watch the movie and you'll know what I mean). I liked the dynamic between Song Kang-ho and Jung Woo-sung's characters. Song felt like the ultimate main character in this. They could've gone more into the background of each three leads: now I was left with questions and not many answers after the flick ended. Lee Byung-hun's character was charismatic and evil: just the way I like it.
Overall watchable. Not one of my new favorites and I enjoy more character-driven movies to be honest. There's an international version and Korean version of this movie. I'd suggest to watch the Korean one: the ending is much better! - DirectorKwang-bin KimStarsHa Jung-wooYool HeoKim Nam-gilAfter Sang-Won's daughter Yi-Na goes missing in their new home, a mysterious man approaches him and tells him to look for her in the closet.First of all I can't believe that the main lead is the same actor from The Chaser. I'm not really familiar with Ha Jung-woo but I really enjoyed him in this one and wanted to see his other movies and lo and behold: I had actual seen an older movie where he stars in but didn't recognize him as the same guy here. Wow. Also seen both of the Along With The Gods movies where he is one of the main actors (can you spot the easter egg about that franchise in this movie?)
Okay now back to the scheduled review: pretty basic idea for a horror movie so doesn't bring anything new to the table with that. Special effects were a bit ehh, especially those that included blood (looked very fake). The two main lead men were enjoyable and I liked the dynamic between them. The child actors were good! Maybe even better than the adults. There's some backstory tragedy, jump scares and exorcism. What else do you want for a horror movie? Maybe a more unique plot but this was watchable. Not the best horror movie I've seen but not the worst either. - DirectorHa YooStarsZo In-sungChun Ho-jinMin Nam-koongA small time thug collecting debts for the local triad is torn between his criminal aspirations and his devotion to family.A Dirty Carnival has a perfect balance of action sequences and character-driven moments. Love the use of music in this one. Dark and hopeless: the story feels almost doomed from the start. Doesn't glamorize the lifestyle of the characters and the main character isn't very loveable, but I still ended up rooting for him. Some might not like the quite "open" ending but I think there wasn't any other way this flick could've ended. Story about power, relationships and betrayal.
- DirectorChang-min ChooStarsRyu Seung-ryongJang Dong-gunGo Kyung-pyoA man dumps a girl's body in a lake after accidentally killing her with his car on a dark and foggy night. Her enraged father soon hatches an elaborate plan to find the perpetrator and take revenge."A man dumps a girl's body in a lake after accidentally killing her with his car on a dark and foggy night." The girl is doomed from the start and still somehow I was feeling hopeful for her. I hoped for a better ending or honestly anything. The child actress was fantastic.
There's violence, generational trauma and horrible human beings portrayed in this film. The sudden time jump in the start that "spoils" rest of the film and the dream sequences made the plot hard to follow at first. Neither of the main males are someone's you'd root for. Maybe that's why I wasn't very interested in with what happened to them. I'd recommend watching Calibre (2018) if you're looking for something to watch similar to the plot of this: accidental death and it's uncovering.