Korean Job Discussion Forums

mishlert · Joined: 13 Mar 2003 Location: On the 3rd rock from the sun

Of all the Korean flicks you've see, which ones would you put on your top 3 list?
My list:

1. Oldboy.
Great story and acting. An instant classic.

2. Memories of Murder.
A murder mystery that takes place in a country town during the military govt. A detective from Seoul is called in and it becomes city vs. country; brain vs brawn.

3. The Big Swindle
Fast paced, well acted, and a story we all know but with a twist.

Honorable Mentions:
Sassy Girl.
Sympathy for Mr. Vengance.
Samaria

Corporal · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

I haven't seen more than a handful of Korean movies, but I really liked Iron Palm.

Mashimaro · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Location: location, location

I'm not a korea hater.. I really like the place, but as much as I try to like korean movies I just can't seem to.

I don't generally like action movies from any country. And the korean drama/'mellow' movies I've seen are too sentimental * 75.

It's a very unoriginal answer but yopki girl was interesting. Old Boy too.
That said both seem way overrated to me.

chiaa · Joined: 23 Aug 2003

Korean TV has to be the worst on earth. Guess that is what you get when it is funded by the government. On the other hand, Korean movies are sooo good. Besides the typical B movies that you get in any country, I have never seen a Korean movie that I do not like. Favorites:

1. Old Boy A must see.
2. Shiri
3. Memories of Murder

Granted, I always stay away from the pop-culture movies (I do in any language)

http://www.whatthebook.com

calypso · Joined: 31 May 2004

I liked Classic and Taegukki. I have not seen Old Boy yet.

Mashimaro · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Location: location, location

Hollywoodaction · Joined: 02 Jul 2004

I haven't seen as many as I would like because the video stores in my area aren't as well stocked with DVDs.

Of the top of my head,
Injeong sajeong bol geot eobtda (Nowhere to Hide) (the fight scene in the rain is amazing)

Chihwasean (with Choi Min-Sik, the star of Old Boy).

JSA (nice plot twist, but slow at times)

I haven't seen this one, but I've heard many great things : Peppermint Candy.

Oh, and if you were here in '97/'98 you'd know abou the movie No. 3. Pretty good parody about Korean gangsters.

VanIslander · Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2004 5:18 am Post subject:

My favourite I think is translated Warrior. It's set in almost Ghengis Khan's time and it's about a bunch of Koreans trying to get back home. They liberate a Chinese princess (played by the younger star of the Oscar-winning Chinese film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and she travels with them for a while.

The fight scenes are much more realistic than Braveheart, yet the gore and violence doesn't bother me (I don't like many action films) because the pain of it all is shown. You feel some of the agony as women and children cry, men moan and look scared, and one gets a real sense of the ugliness of war, yet all of it is first rate cinematography. If it was in English it'd have won Academy Awards, IMO.

It was better than Shiri, I thought, but not as good as Memories of Murder.

I much prefer the comedies, but none stick out as brilliantly filmed.

jjurabong · Joined: 22 Jan 2003

I really liked a movie called "jeon" - or something like that. It's about a woman who was a prostitute during the 60's, 70's and 80's. I watched it without subtitles, and so understood just a handful of the story, but something about it kept me transfixed.

buddy bradley · Joined: 24 Aug 2003 Location: The Beyond

My favourite Korean film is The Seven Samurai. What a great classic.

Tiberious aka Sparkles · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: I'm one cool cat!

Tiberious aka Sparkles · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: I'm one cool cat!

Anyone who doesn't put Oldboy at no. 1 gets the gas face.

And you don't want the gas face, son.

Sparkles*_*

indiercj · Joined: 30 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul

My all time favorites

- Peppermint Candy
- Oasis
- Save the Green Planet
- Waikiki Brothers
- Seo Pyon Jae

Bulsajo · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

Finally getting to see Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring at the local rep theatre tonight.

Doubt it will make my #1 (heck, I don't even know what my Korean #1 movie is, maybe that's because i haven't seen Old Boy yet) but looking forward to it anyway.

skinhead · Joined: 11 Jun 2004

Pan jik wang (Foul King, featuring 'Tiger Mask'. Good Korean comedy)

The Legend of Gingko (Because you get to see Korean women with turbo-charged good looks but without make-up on. There is a difference.)

A movie I can't remember the name of, that stars Han Suk-kyu - Mrs Skinny's first love Crying or Very sad

. He plays a North Korean spy arrested in Berlin in the 70s, 're-educated' in South Korea and trained as a spycatcher. I know. Shiri it ain't, however. Does anyone know the title? I saw it on the plane coming to Korea in ...April 2003.

Edit: Above mentioned is 'Ijung gancheob'.