Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kingplaya4]

What do you all thing of them? I've probably seen only about eight at this point, but so far I'm impressed.

The King and the Clown was an excellent movie, Old Boy I think is very slightly overrated by some but is an excellent thriller, and Welcome to DongMakGol was a poignant dark comedy. I don't remember the names of the others as they were less famous, but even the romantic comedy fluff one I saw was at least equal with Hollywood.

Perhaps my thinking is being effected by only seeing the best of what Korean cinema has to offer, but I'm starting to think Hollywood could seriously use some Korean directors and perhaps some actors as well. It is almost never that an American film has brought me to the point of tears, maybe Korea has just got me in touch with my feminine side but their movies seem to be continually doing this to me. I think they have a lot less CGI but a lot more heart than American movies.

What do others think, and does any have good suggestions of others I should watch? I like all genres, but my favorite would be dramas.

[SuperFly]

You may remember me from such movies as:

My wife is a Gangster 2 > black dog in the 32nd scene, behind the actor on the left.

Summer breeze > I was the dog walked down the street with a hot chick.

[trigger123]

two suggestions for films directed by kim jee-won, 'Tale of Two Sisters' (Jangwha, Hongryeon) and one in my top 5 all time favourites, 'Bittersweet Life' (Dalkomhan Inseng).
but don't stop at korean films, asian cinema is fantastic, rich and full of great movies across all genres... although i have to say a lot of korean films lay the schmaltz down too thick - what the heck was 'Sad Movie'?! the one where the poster had everyone holding back tears?! yuck...

[kingplaya4]

Thanks for the suggestions. Other than a few major hits, I'm pretty much a noob to foreign films. Which countries have the best quality in general? I've read some good things about Indian films but never seen them, any experience on that front?

Yeah I think that as I see more of them, I may start to think of Korean films as a little syrupy, but at this point its a refreshing change from movies that don't even attempt to have heart.

[Snowmeow]

I've seen Yellowhair 2 and thought it was a pretty good movie. At the time I rented it I thought I was being adventurous by renting a Korean movie, knowing nothing about it except that the woman on the cover looked pretty good. So, I was in for a surprise. It was a good drama though and it showed me a side of Korea I hadn't seen.

[Juregen]

[happeningthang]

Let's talk about Korean movies!!

Again??

Sure, why not ...

Blood Rain, was a historical drama with Yang Ban detectives and ghost murders. Good stuff. Even had a horse chase as a nod to hollywood.

Memories of Murder, a serial killer is hunted by detectives in a Korea under martial law. Just a great movie.

Peppermint Candy, an upset guy has memory flashbacks through his life, and some Korean historical turning points, to let you know why life sucks.

Once Upon a Time in High School, not that great really, but gives you a look into high school life in the 70s. Apparently unattainable girly angst, and gang fights are universal! Who knew?

Nowhere to Hide, stylistic cat and mouse, cop and killer movie. Suprisingly good.

I think Korean relationships have spawned a genre all of their own... the

Dysfunctional, but Sweet Romantic Comedy...

My Sassy Girl, A guy get's slapped around, and physically and emotionally tortured for a good two hours, and you STILL fall in love with the girl.

You Are My Sunshine Working his guts out farmboy falls for the local "coffee shop girl", and life is beautiful.... Achingly good.

Oasis A petty criminal who killed a man driving drunk, visits the children of the dead man when he gets out of jail.


http://www.koreanfilm.org/

[flotsam]

See all of these:

A Petal (꽃잎)
301, 302
Bus, l'abri (버스, 정류장)
Address Unknown (수취인 불명 )
The Harmonium In My Memory (내 마음의 풍금 )
Bungee Jumping Of Their Own (번지점프를 하다)
I Wish I Had A Wife Too (나도 아내가 있었으면 좋겠다)
Lies(거짓말)
Attack the Gas Station(주유소 습격사건)
Peppermint Candy(박하사탕)
Oasis

Especially 박하사탕 and Oasis. Will try to think of some more.

[happeningthang]

[Snowmeow]

Aishwarya Rai is known as the queen of Bollywood and if Asia was polled she might be chosen as the most beautiful woman in the world. Worth checking out one of her movies if only for the visual sensation.

[Homer]

Ok..here goes:


(some of these are older movies.....so you are warned!)


Chingu (Friend)
Excellent movie about four friends who grow up in Busan. Two become rival gangsters and two are legit....very good acting.


JSA
Good political suspense based on the North-South divide (good acting again).


Sex is Zero
Off the wall comedy. It has memorable scenes!

Musa
Epic-style warrior movie set in Koreas past. Has a strong cast of Korean and Chinese actors.

Peppermint Candy
A real gem.

The way Home
An interesting look on the contrast between modern Korea and traditional Korea. Slow paced movie.

Public Enemy
Decent cop thriller.

Typhoon
Decent flick.

Taeguki
Decent movie on the Korean War. A little over the top at times but it summarizes the horror of that war from the Korean perspective.

Failan
Drama that hits home. A bit slow but I found it interesting.

Crying Fists
Sports-Drama. Well done and the end makes it all worth it.

Foul King
A real gem....frustrated bank teller takes up wrestling to focus his frustrations......

Old Boy
A wild ride and the end is jaw dropping in its weirdness.

Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
Same director as Old Boy. Drama that is slow but very effective.


Save my hubby
Quicky comedy. Entertaining.

Oasis
A very daring idea that makes a strong movie.

My wife is a gangster
Good movie. Lots of laughs.

Attack the gas station
An old classic. A hilarious comedy about a gang of idiots who rob and take control of a gas station...

Memories of murder
A heck of a cop mystery movie...slow and dark.

Shiri
The blockbuster that broke open the gates for Korean big scale cinema. Is it excellent? Nope...it is par for the course action flick.

Tell me something
Older cop movie with a gruesome twist....

Marathon
Worth watching....

Spring, summer, fall, winter and spring
Slow paced movie that explores the life of a budhist monk and his problems.

Tale of two sisters
Weird but something worth watching.

The Coast Guard
Psychological drama. Has its moments but is not a great movie.

More to mention but that will do for now!!!!

[Privateer]

Old Boy
This is a classic, must-see movie.

DoSaBoIlChe
Action-comedy gangster movie with great physical comedy and drama.

Please Teach Me English
Mildly funny, mildly irritating soap opera-ish drama.

Welcome to DongMakol
Sort of comic disneyfied Korean war story, rather sentimental/touching. As with all Korean films unless otherwise specified the 'actors' playing the roles of westerners are recruited off the streets and look clownishly bad.

Three Iron
Beautifully acted, whimsical/philosophical comedy-drama with a unique storyline.

Wind Fighter
Exaggerated historical drama about a famous Korean martial artist during Japanese colonial times, but without either enough in-depth character exploration or fight choreography to make it better than average.

Taeggukki
Korean war drama with impressive battle scenes for a relatively low budget flick, and a tearjerker ending.

Shwiri
The first big breakthrough homegrown Korean movie, this takes the highly dramatic concept of a love affair between KCIA man and North Korean spy woman and puts it in a pretty standard thriller plot.

My Wife is a Gangster 2
Not to be compared with MWIAG#1, this has a couple of good action sequences bracketing the otherwise completely humdrum story of the eponymous heroin who, thanks to the cliched plot device of amnesia, leads a completely humdrum life as an ordinary housewife who just happens to be good with scissors.

There's lots more really good ones but I can't think of any other titles right now.

[Bulsajo]

Spring Summer Winter Fall... and Spring.

Zen-like art film.
If you like that kind of stuff you'll love this film
(and if you don't then you probably won't)

http://www.metacritic.com/video/titles/springsummerfallwinterandspring?q=spring%20summer%20winter%20fall

[kingplaya4]

Excellent! Looks like I have lots of material for future DVD Bong outings.

Thanks for the contributions and keep them coming if anyone has some really good ones that haven't been mentioned yet.

[Mashimaro]

overrated