South Korean Movie Reviews »
Spellbound (2011) Movie Review #2
Romantic comedy gets a ghostly twist with the Korean film “Spellbound” (aka “Chilling Romance”), which marks the directorial debut of “Love Phobia” and “Two Faces of My Girlfriend” writer Hwang In Ho. Mixing laughs,...
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Love On-Air (2012) Movie Review
aka “Wonderful Radio” As its title suggests, “Love On-Air” is a radio themed Korean romantic comedy, which revolves around popular actress Lee Min Jung (“Cyrano Agency”) as a DJ and former pop star juggling...
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Arirang (2011) Movie Review
Screened at the 2012 Terracotta Far East Film Festival. Controversial and (very) angry Korean director Kim Ki Duk returns after an absence of 3 years with the self-reflective documentary “Arirang”. Having taken a break...
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The Journals of Musan (2010) Movie Review
“The Journals of Musan” is a Korean indie drama which has won a great deal of praise, having been hailed by several critics as one of the best Korean films of 2011, and winning...
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Silenced (2011) Movie Review
Based on the novel “Dokani” by Kong Ji Young and charting shocking real life events and sexual abuse at a school for hearing-impaired children, “Silenced” (a.k.a. “The Crucible”) emerged as the most controversial and...
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Scars (2011) Movie Review
“Scars” sees indie director Lim Woo Seong following his impressive and much praised debut “Vegetarian” with another dark exploration of the female psyche in modern Korea. The film has the writer director again drawing...
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Always (2011) Movie Review
Respected Korean indie director Song Il Gon, praised for the likes of “Magicians”, “Flower Island” and the superb psychological mystery “Spider Forest”, tries his hand at something a little more commercially friendly with the...
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Re-encounter (2010) Movie Review
2010 and 2011 were particularly great years for Korean indie cinema, with lots of very worthwhile productions making it to the screen and showcasing a wealth of upcoming talent. One such outing was “Re-encounter”,...
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S.I.U. (2011) Movie Review
Mismatched cop buddy films have long been popular in Korean cinema, from the classic paring of Ahn Sung Ki and Park Joong Hoon in the 1993 hit “Two Cops” through to Park’s recent 2011...
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Penny Pinchers (2011) Movie Review
“Penny Pinchers” is a Korean romantic comedy with an economic theme, following a couple of likeable outsiders trying to get by and make money in a variety of wacky ways. Written and helmed by...
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The Beast (2011) Movie Review
“The Beast” is another Korean kidnap thriller, written and directed by first timer Hwang Yu Sik and starring up and coming actor Jung Suk Won, making his big screen leading man debut after winning...
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Countdown (2011) Movie Review
“Countdown” is an all star Korean thriller headlined by two of the country’s most popular talents, namely award winning actress Jeon Do Yeon (“The Housemaid”) and Jung Jae Young (“Moss”), who last appeared together...
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Elbowroom (2010) Movie Review
Hard hitting Korean indie drama “Elbowroom” marks a bold debut for director Ham Kyoung Rok, following the trials and tribulations of a young cerebral palsy suffering woman. With real life cerebral palsy actress Park...
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Hindsight (2011) Movie Review
“Hindsight” attracted a great deal of hype in Korea, marking the return of “Il Mare” director Lee Hyun Seung after an absence of over a decade. The film also whipped up interest thanks to...
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Quick (2011) Movie Review
“Quick” is a Korean blockbuster in the Hollywood mould, which as its title suggests packs in plenty of high speed action, with a motorcycle courier getting caught up in a mad bomber’s crusade of...
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Pain (aka Pained, 2011) Movie Review
Korean blockbuster director Kwak Kyung Taek, responsible for hits such as “Friend” and “Typhoon” returns with something a little different in “Pain”, his first film in three years. Far more of a melodrama than...
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Couples (2011) Movie Review
“Couples” is a Korean remake of Japanese director Kenji Uchida’s popular 2004 offbeat romantic comedy “A Stranger of Mine”, helmed by Jeong Yong Ki, who previously enjoyed success with commercial fare such as “The...
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