The main purpose of this thread is to recommend or find recommendations for Korean movies. If discussing plot or content of movies, use a spoiler tag!
Over the past year or so, I've been watching a lot of Korean movies. I was surprised by the combination of near-Hollywood level production values and independent movie-style grittiness. I searched the forum for similar threads, but the ones I found are defunct/old so I decided to make this one.
My favorites/recommendations are as follows (in no particular order):
Arguably the most (in)famous of modern Korean cinema is this gem. It's a stylish revenge movie with film noir elements; Min-sik Choi showcases some of the finest acting in modern film.
For those who enjoyed Oldboy, this movie is made by the same Director. It's a bit more 'restrained,' for lack of a better word, but every bit as compelling in my opinion.
I honestly find this movie hard to describe. On the surface, it's a conventional monster film with high quality CGI effects. But it packs action, drama and a lot of dark comedy, and garnishes the package with some socio-political commentary. Most importantly, it's a very entertaining movie. Your friends who 'don't like foreign films' will probably still enjoy The Host.
A somber thriller that follows a second-rate pimp trying to find one of his girls, who has been taken by a serial killer targeting prostitutes. The police offer little help and are burdened by a sea of bureaucracy and red tape.
A crime drama that is based on a real life serial killer in a small, countryside town in South Korea. It's at times tragic, at times funny and keeps you gripped until the credits roll. Generally considered one of the best Korean films.
I would argue this is the most 'lighthearted' non-romance movie on this list. A former North Korean assassin and disgraced South Korean spy-hunter cross paths years after their game of cat and mouse. It's simply fun to watch, with just the right amount of drama to compliment the comedy.
A military drama that takes place at the South/North Korean border, where a murder has taken place. This threatens to cause an international incident. A Swiss national of Korean descent seeks to investigate and uncover the truth.
I don't typically enjoy or watch romantic comedy movies, but this one is very touching without being sentimental or melodramatic. I can't think of much more description that would do this movie justice, but many others in this thread enjoyed it as well, so you can take that as a recommendation. :D
A movie about a mother whose mentally challenged son is accused of raping and murdering a young girl. To prove her son's innocence, she must investigate on her own and delve into a shady underworld. Simply a brilliant performance from the lead actress Kim Hya-ja.
A game of cat and mouse between a depraved serial killer and a special agent whose wife was brutally murdered by the former. This thriller is fast paced and visceral; even with scenes of gore and obscenity that rival the bloodiest of horror movies. If you are not used to Korean cinema, I wouldn't recommend this as your first movie. But if you could stomach and enjoy Oldboy or The Chaser, you will probably enjoy this as well.
As I come across or think of more, I will update this post accordingly. Hoping you guys will recommend some more Korean films as well! Also hoping this might interest some people in exploring Korean cinema, and foreign films in general.
I really love The Chaser and Memories of Murder. If they were English-language films at least the latter would be Oscar material. Although it can be hard to watch, I also like The Way Home (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Way_Home).
what you picked The Host?! I am Korean and that movie was horrible.
Instead of giving you my personal favorites, I will list some of the top blockbuster action movies that were created in Korea. All of them are excellent.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387596/ - Silmido - Based on a true story of 1968 Korean Republic Army plan to assassinate North Korean president Kim Il-Sung.
Once Upon a Time in High School (Maljukgeori janhoksa)
The background of the film is set in a high school in South Korea, 1978. The original Korean title literally means "Cruel history of Maljuk street" where filming was located in the present neighborhood of Yangjae-dong, Seocho-gu district, Seoul.
Im looking for "adeul" "A Day with My Son". cant find it anywhere
Lee Gang-sik sits in jail with a life sentence because of murder. His good behavior the last 15 years earns him the opportunity to be released for one day & visit his family. But how will his son, whom he let down for 15 years, react?
Nice thread! I want to give "The Man from Nowhere" some love since it touched a spot in my heart in such a way that is difficult to explain so I can only say how well done the movie is overall because I just couldn't see anything that was half-assed in it.
I've seen "The Housemaid" although I liked it, I can understand how bland it could be. I'd like to see some of your thoughts toward this movie though. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1314652/ I still have not seen "I Saw the Devil" which will probably give me some hate because I've heard quite amazing things about it so I'll give you my thoughts when I watch it sometime.
my friend recommended that I watch Old Boy and I did. It was an AMAZING movie. I put it all together just before the main character and I was like OH SHIT. Definitely recommend.
also gave me this pic that shows some other good Korean movies:
On May 24 2011 17:42 bjwithbraces wrote: my friend recommended that I watch Old Boy and I did. It was an AMAZING movie. I put it all together just before the main character and I was like OH SHIT. Definitely recommend.
Yes, during the scene when he is flipping through the picture book, my heart just stopped and so did my breathing. Without a single word uttered, it was one of the most gut wrenching scenes I've ever experienced in a movie.
If that was your first Korean movie, you should definitely check out some others in this thread! After Oldboy (the first Korean movie I saw) I thought that it would be impossible for others to live up to it. Turns out a lot of Korean cinema is just as compelling and interesting.
On May 24 2011 17:42 bjwithbraces wrote: my friend recommended that I watch Old Boy and I did. It was an AMAZING movie. I put it all together just before the main character and I was like OH SHIT. Definitely recommend.
Yes, during the scene when he is flipping through the picture book, my heart just stopped and so did my breathing. Without a single word uttered, it was one of the most gut wrenching scenes I've ever experienced in a movie.
If that was your first Korean movie, you should definitely check out some others in this thread! After Oldboy (the first Korean movie I saw) I thought that it would be impossible for others to live up to it. Turns out a lot of Korean cinema is just as compelling and interesting.
I had a discussion with a friend about cinema and we both agreed that in terms of action based movies, the US does it best with the CG and all that but in terms of just pure storyline, foreign movies are the way to go. What do you guys think?
On May 24 2011 17:42 bjwithbraces wrote: my friend recommended that I watch Old Boy and I did. It was an AMAZING movie. I put it all together just before the main character and I was like OH SHIT. Definitely recommend.
Yes, during the scene when he is flipping through the picture book, my heart just stopped and so did my breathing. Without a single word uttered, it was one of the most gut wrenching scenes I've ever experienced in a movie.
If that was your first Korean movie, you should definitely check out some others in this thread! After Oldboy (the first Korean movie I saw) I thought that it would be impossible for others to live up to it. Turns out a lot of Korean cinema is just as compelling and interesting.
I had a discussion with a friend about cinema and we both agreed that in terms of action based movies, the US does it best with the CG and all that but in terms of just pure storyline, foreign movies are the way to go. What do you guys think?
Though I would agree in general, I think the lines are getting increasingly blurred. American TV shows and Hollywood seem to be getting more complex/intricate, as the American palette increasingly favors more intellectual fare (the success of Dark Knight, Inception, Lost, for example.)
Meanwhile I think foreign movie industry, particular those in first world Asian countries (Korea, Japan, Hong Kong) are becoming increasingly better funded, so production values are going up. You still don't have the huge summer blockbusters that Hollywood delivers, but some Korean movies for example have approached Hollywood movies in cost/scale, such as Good, Bad, Weird and the Host.
As a side note on action movies, you should watch 13 Assassins by Takashi Miike, a fantastic Japanese movie that also packs Hollywood level of explosive action. Pretty sure more people died in that than in The Expendables :D
On May 24 2011 17:04 Golgotha wrote: what you picked The Host?! I am Korean and that movie was horrible.
Personally, I liked The Host. I also liked Save the Green Planet, although I suspect that a Korean might think that it is terrible. I wonder if there are some movies you have to be foreign to enjoy, ie. without being able to understand the language, you imagine that the acting is fantastic. Then the rest of the movie (action, humor) is judged on visuals. Humor can also benefit from this treatment... what might be cliched jokes in the culture of the movie-maker come across as really zany or different humor. I know there are a lot of American blockbusters which perform poorly in the US due to terrible acting, but do very good business outside of the US on the strength of their cinematics.
Anyway, my favourite Korean director (on the art side of things) is Im Kwon-taek, and my favourite film by him is Chunhyang, a very simple movie version of a Korean legend that somehow really appeals to me.
On May 24 2011 17:04 Golgotha wrote: what you picked The Host?! I am Korean and that movie was horrible.
Personally, I liked The Host. I also liked Save the Green Planet, although I suspect that a Korean might think that it is terrible. I wonder if there are some movies you have to be foreign to enjoy, ie. without being able to understand the language, you imagine that the acting is fantastic. Then the rest of the movie (action, humor) is judged on visuals. Humor can also benefit from this treatment... what might be cliched jokes in the culture of the movie-maker come across as really zany or different humor. I know there are a lot of American blockbusters which perform poorly in the US due to terrible acting, but do very good business outside of the US on the strength of their cinematics.
I think the real answer to why you enjoy The Host and he does not is that taste is subjective. =P
Personally I think the Host is only 'okay.' The reason I mention it in my list is because I have a lot of friends who don't watch Korean movies enjoy the Host. It seems to be a safe, crowd pleasing movie that most movie watchers will enjoy. Whereas Oldboy many people would argue is a better film, it can put off some people because of its visceral nature.
Of course, some disagree, and it is well within their rights. :D
I'd definitely recommend Taeguki, a film about two brother's lives during the Korean War. Also, I'd strongly recommend Old Boy as well! Some Korean cinema is really great and it really opens your eyes to the scope and breadth of films outside Hollywood.
On May 24 2011 17:04 Golgotha wrote: what you picked The Host?! I am Korean and that movie was horrible.
Personally, I liked The Host. I also liked Save the Green Planet, although I suspect that a Korean might think that it is terrible. I wonder if there are some movies you have to be foreign to enjoy, ie. without being able to understand the language, you imagine that the acting is fantastic. Then the rest of the movie (action, humor) is judged on visuals. Humor can also benefit from this treatment... what might be cliched jokes in the culture of the movie-maker come across as really zany or different humor. I know there are a lot of American blockbusters which perform poorly in the US due to terrible acting, but do very good business outside of the US on the strength of their cinematics.
I think the real answer to why you enjoy The Host and he does not is that taste is subjective. =P
I know, I'm just breaking down one of the things that goes into "subjective"...
Hmm sounds like Korean's make some really good thrillers. Just to give me a point of reference, how would they compare to modern Western thrillers such as Se7en, Zodiac or No Country for Old Men in terms of quality?
On May 24 2011 18:12 St3MoR wrote: 3 Iron (2004) Bin-jip (original title)
A transient young man breaks into empty homes to partake of the vacationing residents' lives for a few days.
I saw this film long ago, and absolutely loved it.
I watched this not long ago, I thought this was a good movie + Show Spoiler +
the ending is a little strange though (it's like is becomes a ninja haha)
Anyway I'd recommend this for a little light hearted comedy and romance It's called My school girl, it's a romance between a guy and girl with a huge age difference.
edit - Old Boy is one my fav movie ever The Good, The Bad, The Weird i loved it, although i expected even better when i first saw the trailer :D Green Planet it is...weird O_O i'm not sure about what i just saw, but i enjoyed some scenes a lot.
I don't know a lot about korean movies, but i was planning on watching a tons in the next few month, this thread is now bookmarked ! Thanks for sharing
I used to watch Korean movies several years back (though I admit I just watched them because they were new to me and I was introduced to My Sassy Girl back then, which became quite big here... eventually lost interest/motivation due to personal stuff). Loved Old Boy, My Sassy Girl (I used to be kind of obssessed with Jeon Ji Hyun) and Memories of Murder from those listed here, was trying to find The Host and Attack the Gas Station but just couldn't find the motivation to watch/look for them anymore.
Of those not listed, I liked "Bad Guy" (kind of messed up, like the director's other film "The Isle" but more tame/simple. Plus I loved the main song played all throughout the film)
I also liked "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance" from the vengeance trilogy. Perhaps a bit more than Old Boy. More serious and tragic IMO, very depressing.
I remember a couple more films I used to watch from this channel called Arirang TV, but couldn't remember the titles anymore (one of them used Lou Reed's "Pale Blue Eyes" and the other one was about a girl who was obssessed with a boy and ended up killing herself because she couldn't have him)
On May 24 2011 19:56 Dali. wrote: Hmm sounds like Korean's make some really good thrillers. Just to give me a point of reference, how would they compare to modern Western thrillers such as Se7en, Zodiac or No Country for Old Men in terms of quality?
It's funny because the movies you mentioned are very similar. Just like the Western thrillers you mentioned, they tend to be more bleak and defy the conventional Hollywood narrative. I found Memories of Murder similar to Zodiac in tone and even story (both are based on real serial killers after all.) Se7en is on the recommend movies of 'I Saw the Killer' IMDB page. Though ISTK is more fast paced and gory, it has similar themes of a man becoming a monster in order to punish a monster.
Our tastes seem very similar, as Zodiac and No Country for Old Men are two movies I love a lot. If you aren't subtitle-phobic, you should definitely give Korean thrillers a try, starting with either Joint Security Area, Oldboy or The Chaser, then going on to I Saw the Devil if you enjoy those.
On May 24 2011 23:01 GTR wrote: anyway my contribution
pretty awesome for a movie i watched at 3 in the morning =]
oh and how could i have forgotten
The director of Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring just won an award in Cannes, although its one of those artsy movies that don't make any sense.
Korean movies have definitely taken a fall. The majority of blockbusters are all these dark thrillers that are just rehashed from previous movies. It's fallen into a little rut just like the HK movie industry. Unfortunately, the HK movie industry hasn't yet recovered, but let's hope we can see some great movies from Korea, especially with all that talent.
Saw my first Korean thriller, I Saw the Devil. Went to this small theatre in a pretty ghetto area to actually be able to see it on a big screen. The story was overall pretty ridiculous, but I can't say I was disappointed with the movie. And I found myself cringing constantly so I'm glad I'm not completely desensitized to torture like the friend I saw it with.
I didn't read the thread quite carefully, so.. my apologies if it was already posted
Sympathy for Mr.Vengeance The first of the "trilogy of vengeance" by Park Chan-wook. Although not as good as Oldboy, I found it better than Sympath for Lady Vengeance. A bit more complex than that perhaps, it has more memorable and unique characters. And is just as twisted as the other 2 in the trilogy.
Interesting stuff, i only knew about the ones directed by P.Chan-wook, will be watching some of these soon.
Highly recommend My Sassy Girl. Best romance movie I've ever seen. JSA is still my favorite movie of all time. I think that the movie would be perfect if it wasn't for the crappy english voices, lol.
Just realized after watching it for the fourth time that they don't even kiss a single time through that movie... Anyone know if this is the saem with the english remake?
On May 24 2011 17:04 Golgotha wrote: what you picked The Host?! I am Korean and that movie was horrible.
Personally, I liked The Host. I also liked Save the Green Planet, although I suspect that a Korean might think that it is terrible. I wonder if there are some movies you have to be foreign to enjoy, ie. without being able to understand the language, you imagine that the acting is fantastic. Then the rest of the movie (action, humor) is judged on visuals. Humor can also benefit from this treatment... what might be cliched jokes in the culture of the movie-maker come across as really zany or different humor. I know there are a lot of American blockbusters which perform poorly in the US due to terrible acting, but do very good business outside of the US on the strength of their cinematics.
Anyway, my favourite Korean director (on the art side of things) is Im Kwon-taek, and my favourite film by him is Chunhyang, a very simple movie version of a Korean legend that somehow really appeals to me.
Save the green planet is one of those indie movies that are doomed for commercial success imo. If you like it, you really enjoyed it. If not you hate it. I thought it was a good movie about what belief does to a person. and I'm korean. Ending itself is a clever play on what you choose to believe. Its one of those hidden gems imo, that flies under the radar of most mainstream audience unfortunately... regardless of nationality/culture.
I love korean cinema and i think all the movies in the op are amazing, except The Host. Horrible movie. There haven't been a lot of good movies recently though. : / only The Man From Nowhere (which was amazing)
Also Chang-dong Lee's movies are something special. Especially "poetry", "oasis" and "peppermint candy". They mostly have a more depressing topic but are all well-done.
Ki-duk Kim's movies are also recommended if you're looking for a deeper cinematic experience. Movies like "hwal" (the bow), "bin jip" (3 iron) "Bom yeoreum gaeul gyeoul geurigo bom" (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring) and "seom" (the isle) have something special to them which I haven't seen in movies lately.
Fans of Ji-hyun Jun ( My Sassy Girl) might also enjoy "daisy". "Windstruck" was a bit weak but still not a bad view. Other than that most of the good korean movies have been named in here. But if you still feel not satisfied you could expand your horizon and try out some K-Drama.^^
I like hong. I gotta admit his films could be kinda pretentious. Maybe even overrated. I like the plotlessness, random dialogues and his awkward style though.
Day pig is old movie and very unlike hong's typical tho. In fact, most directors debut films are good. (Iirc day pig is his debut or close to it)
spking of debut films and plotless stuff. Director of host's debut film was pretty good. Flander's dog or something like that.
Kim Ki-duk's films are often very difficult to watch. Out of the four I've seen, Bin-Jip is the most straight forward, and a good introduction to his style. Bad Guy mixes social commentary with a love story. Its narrative is a bit convoluted. Samaritan Girl evokes very interesting religious themes, but like Bad Guy, the film is uneven. The Isle (seom) is the most allegorical, and probably my favorite. All of his films are extremely conceptual in theme. He's a very intelligent director even if some of his ideas aren't realized fully.
Anything with Ryeo Deokhwan is usually pretty good. (It's so nice he's coming back to working after all the sadness in his personal life.) One of my favorite thrillers/murder mysteries is Ori Dongnae (Our Town.) starring him and a couple of other well known actors I can't be bothered to IMDB right now.
I also like trashy Korean horrors such as Death Bell. They're pleasantly gore-soaked and fun to watch. Oh, and the interesting Korean mash-up genre of horror/army in the tradition of things like the UK's Death Watch (which was kind of fun imo.) - GP506 and R-Point.
My last recommendation is another Deokhwan movie - Like a Virgin. I don't normally like any genre of Korean films except for horror/thriller, but his performance sold me on a 'coming of age' slightly comedic, and touching sports drama. (Where he plays a boy who wants to save up to have gender reassignment surgery to look like Madonna.)
On May 25 2011 05:39 imnotJuss wrote: I didn't read the thread quite carefully, so.. my apologies if it was already posted
Sympathy for Mr.Vengeance The first of the "trilogy of vengeance" by Park Chan-wook. Although not as good as Oldboy, I found it better than Sympath for Lady Vengeance. A bit more complex than that perhaps, it has more memorable and unique characters. And is just as twisted as the other 2 in the trilogy.
Interesting stuff, i only knew about the ones directed by P.Chan-wook, will be watching some of these soon.
Second Sympathy for Mr.Vengeance, a very good movie.
l Love the whole vengeance trilogy by Park Chan-wook but would agree that Oldboy > Mr.Vengeance > Lady Vengeance
Would also recommend Three Extremes although it's only 1/3 korean ...
it's three short horror movies by Fruit Chan ("Dumplings"),Takashi Miike ("Box") and Chan-wook Park ("Cut")
"Cut" and "Dumplngs" especially are awesomely disturbing.
Anyone have any recommendations for websites or sources to watch these movies in decent quality with (ideally) english subtitles? Some of them seem to very promising
On May 25 2011 15:13 FinestHour wrote: Anyone have any recommendations for websites or sources to watch these movies in decent quality with (ideally) english subtitles? Some of them seem to very promising
If you're into torrenting you can register at asiatorrents.com, there's a good chunk of movies to be found there.
On May 25 2011 15:13 FinestHour wrote: Anyone have any recommendations for websites or sources to watch these movies in decent quality with (ideally) english subtitles? Some of them seem to very promising
I haven't been a member in a while, but I believe you can watch a few on Netflix instant streaming (and should be able to get even more through snail mail.) I recall first watching Lady Vengeance on instant streaming, and I believe Mr. Vengeance was on there as well. Not sure about Oldboy.
The best movies on Netflix instant streaming tend to be foreign or independent films, since the other movies are either straight-to-DVD releases, bad movies or very old movies (that are not necessarily bad, but you've probably seen before.)
On May 25 2011 11:26 GTR wrote: Kim Ki-duk also did Time right? Strange of him to direct a film with so much dialogue, but I caught it one night on TV and it was pretty intense.
Yeah he directed Time. If you see his other films some of them actually have a lot of dialogue in them. I think he really started to experiment with it in Wild Animals his second film. Because the main character actually lives in France with no understanding of the language and communicates indirectly. Its actually based on Kim Ki-duk's own experiences when he lived in France as a street painter with no knowledge of the language or culture of Paris. He had to deal with communicating without words. What I always liked about Kim Ki-duk's films is that my first introduction to his films was Bad Guy and + Show Spoiler +
I didn't even notice that the main character hadn't spoke a single line until he screamed around the end. I actually had to rewind that moment because I was wondering who made that sound. Then it made sense because in the beginning it shows the scar on his throat. Was really impressed how well the main character acted that you don't even notice it until the end. The same happened with 3-iron too. Its just that moment when the character actually makes a sound and it just hits you.
Oh man, I just watched The Man from Nowhere because of this thread. What an epic movie, it's like taken + man on fire + more awesome. Highly recommended.
I was about to. This is my favorite war movie. It is fucking awesome. Strongly recommended.
I second "Spring. Summer. Fall, Winter, and Spring Again," all 3 movies in the Vengeance series, "3-Iron" (Bin-Jip), "The Good, the Bad. and the Weird," and "My Sassy Girl." All great movies.
On May 24 2011 17:08 Michaels wrote: Once Upon a Time in High School (Maljukgeori janhoksa)
The background of the film is set in a high school in South Korea, 1978. The original Korean title literally means "Cruel history of Maljuk street" where filming was located in the present neighborhood of Yangjae-dong, Seocho-gu district, Seoul.
Im looking for "adeul" "A Day with My Son". cant find it anywhere
Lee Gang-sik sits in jail with a life sentence because of murder. His good behavior the last 15 years earns him the opportunity to be released for one day & visit his family. But how will his son, whom he let down for 15 years, react?
I really really loved Welcome to Dongmakgol. highly recommended :p
On May 26 2011 17:02 Xenocide_Knight wrote: Oh man, I just watched The Man from Nowhere because of this thread. + Show Spoiler +
What an epic movie, it's like taken + man on fire + more awesome. Highly recommended.
I just watched this too because of this thread, it's exactly like you said, a movie like taken and man on fire meshed together. Thoroughly enjoyed watching it and would recommend to people.
Saw most of the movies listed on the OP as well as some posted in this thread. Great movies and awesome recommendations! Recently watched "A Dirty Carnival" thanks to this thread and thoroughly enjoyed it.
I really enjoy watching Korean cinema, so please post more people!
Here are some that haven't been listed but I enjoyed:
I don't "get" most Korean movies that I watch, maybe the cultural differences are too massive to appreciate them (especially their humor or social commentary, I'll be fucked if I know what the hell was the point of half of "Memories Of Murder"'s scenes for example). That said, Oldboy and The Chaser were awesome.
On May 31 2011 03:09 Amnesia wrote: Saw most of the movies listed on the OP as well as some posted in this thread. Great movies and awesome recommendations! Recently watched "A Dirty Carnival" thanks to this thread and thoroughly enjoyed it.
I really enjoy watching Korean cinema, so please post more people!
Here are some that haven't been listed but I enjoyed:
Parallel Life No Mercy Gangster High
Gangster High was such a great movie I really enjoyed the ending!
The part that struck me the most was when he got the letter from jae gu when he is jail from killing the gangsters basically saying revenge was worthless and would just ruin his life reminds me of the confucius saying
"When embarking on a journey for revenge, Dig two graves"
I watched some more recommended movies here like Old Boy and Marathon, both great movies Unfortunately I was watching Old Boy on Youtube and someone spoiled it for me in the comments (they wrote it in caps too), in that instance I was like "Noooooooooooooooooooo!" That one comment robbed me my omg moment... + Show Spoiler +
where he was flipping through the photo book
Marathon was a fantastic movie, very inspirational, made me want to run as well. I'd recommend everyone to watch this if they haven't
Absolutely amazing movie I stumbled upon it for an AP World History film project, hilarious and accurate social satire of the modernization of South Korea. (Produced in 1999)