Secret Sunshine (2007) Movie Review

“Secret Sunshine” is the latest effort from acclaimed Korean director Lee Chang Dong, who previously won praise and prizes both at home and abroad for his films “Green Fish”, “Peppermint Candy” and “Oasis”. Returning to the director’s chair following...

November 3rd, 2007 | Read More

The Cut (2007) Movie Review

There can be no doubt that Korean horror is badly in need of a blood transfusion, as the majority of genre films over the last few years have been a pretty anaemic bunch without much in the way of visceral thrills. Strangely, despite the best efforts of the DVD box art, marketing blurb and indeed the...

October 28th, 2007 | Read More

Boys of Tomorrow (2006) Movie Review

“Boys of Tomorrow” is poorly served by its misleading DVD box art, which seems to suggest some kind of wacky action comedy, despite the fact that the film is a very different proposition indeed, being a gloomy portrait of disaffected youth. Although this is perhaps understandable given that...

October 28th, 2007 | Read More

Muoi: Legend of a Portrait (2007) Movie Review

“Muoi: Legend of a Portrait” is the latest of the 2007 batch of Korean summer horror films to make it to DVD. As any fan will sadly admit, the genre has of late become rather stale, with directors all too often content to simply recycle the same old tales of vengeance seeking female spectres,...

October 27th, 2007 | Read More

My Father (2007) Movie Review

(By Evan McKinney) In South Korea, if you bring up the topic of actor/model Daniel Henney, you’re sure to cause a girl to faint from a wave of desire. He is well-known for starring in Korean dramas, and because he is not fluent in Korean, he earns further recognition from his fans when he speaks....

September 29th, 2007 | Read More

The Evil Twin (2007) Movie Review

The first of the summer 2007 wave of Korean horror films to hit DVD is “The Evil Twin”, marking the directorial debut of Kim Ji Hwan. Thankfully, for those fans who have understandably grown somewhat disillusioned with the genre of late, tired of directors’ reluctance to stray from...

September 22nd, 2007 | Read More

Mr. Lee vs. Mr. Lee (aka Long Day’s Journey Into Night, 2006) Movie Review

“Mr Lee vs. Mr Lee” (a.k.a. “Long Day’s Journey into Night”) from director Shim Kwang Jin is a dysfunctional family drama based upon the play “Happy Family” and loosely inspired by the life experiences of lead actor Lee Dae Geun. The film is certainly a very...

September 22nd, 2007 | Read More

Beyond (Across) the Years (2007) Movie Review

2007 has been a landmark year for Korean cinema with the release of “Beyond the Years”, the 100th outing for director Im Kwon Taek, one of the country’s most accomplished and acclaimed film makers who has won praise around the world for works such as his 2002 Cannes hit “Chihwaseon”....

August 19th, 2007 | Read More

Unstoppable Marriage (2007) Movie Review

Korean director Kim Seong Wook makes his debut with “Unstoppable Marriage”, having gained experience working on the hits “Lovely Rivals” and “My Teacher, Mr. Kim” as well as the hip cult favourite “Attack the Gas Station”. The film is a romantic comedy,...

August 19th, 2007 | Read More

Small Town Rivals (2007) Movie Review

“Small Town Rivals” is the latest offering from director Jang Gyoo Seung, who previously scored commercial hits with the likes of “Lovely Rivals” and “My Teacher, Mr. Kim”. He continues here in the same broad vein with a comedy about one of the most popular subjects...

August 19th, 2007 | Read More

Little Brother (aka Hello Brother, 2007) Movie Review

Based on true story, “Little Brother” marks the debut feature of Korean director Lim Tae Yong and is another in the ever popular family melodrama genre. This time around the film focuses on the familiar subject of life threatening illness, as a twelve year old boy called Han Byeol (Seo Dae...

August 12th, 2007 | Read More

My Son (aka A Day with My Son, 2007) Movie Review

“My Son” sees the return of the ever versatile Korean director Jang Jin, previously noted for genre blending films such as “Guns and Talks” and “Righteous Ties”. This time he turns his attentions to family drama, a well-worn and overly familiar form desperately in...

August 12th, 2007 | Read More

Meet Mr. Daddy (aka Shiny Day, 2007) Movie Review

“Meet Mr Daddy” is an unashamedly sentimental comedy about a sick young girl who is reunited with her incompetent though wacky criminal father – pretty much the last kind of film to be expected from Korean helmer Park Kwang Su, best known for his politically charged works such as “Chilsoo...

August 12th, 2007 | Read More

The Bow (2005) DVD Review

With “The Bow”, now released on UK DVD by Tartan, acclaimed South Korean director Kim Ki-duk continues to explore human nature and transcendence, moving further away from the bitterness and sadism which characterised his earlier work. Although at first the film appears to have much in common...

August 5th, 2007 | Read More

Miracle on 1st Street (2007) Movie Review

“Miracle on 1st Street” sees the return of director Yoon Je Gyun, previously responsible for the two Korean comedy blockbusters “Sex is Zero” and “My Boss, My Hero”. Sticking to what he knows best, he delivers another slice of wackiness, putting a farcical spin on...

July 21st, 2007 | Read More

Big Bang (2007) Movie Review

Judging by the DVD cover, “Big Bang” is yet another Korean film which seems to have been mis-advertised as a wacky comedy. This is a real shame, as although it certainly has its fair share of laughs, it is a far more cynical and violent affair than the box art would suggest. Directed by Park...

July 14th, 2007 | Read More

Wanderer in Winter (1986) Movie Review

Originally released in 1986, “Wanderer in Winter” was the debut film from noted Korean new wave director Kwak Ji Kyun, who had previously worked as an assistant to the likes of Im Kwon Taek and Bae Chang Ho. The film was actually written by noted scribe Choi In Ho, who also wrote some of...

June 23rd, 2007 | Read More

Highway Star (2007) Movie Review

“Highway Star”, the debut film from directors Kim Hyun Soo and Kim Sang Chan, is based around the unlikely subject of trot singing, which for the uninitiated is a much mocked melodramatic Korean folk music tradition enjoyed mainly by the middle-aged. Although this might not seem like a good...

June 15th, 2007 | Read More

A Devilish Homicide (1965) Movie Review

Although when thinking of Korean horror the most obvious examples which spring to mind are modern efforts such as Park Ki Hyung’s “Whispering Corridors” and Ahn Byeong Ki’s “Phone”, both of which have become known the world over, the country actually has a long and...

May 29th, 2007 | Read More

Three Kims (aka Master Kims, 2007) Movie Review

“Three Kims” is a film which attempts to put a comic twist on the time honoured martial arts genre, as well as marking the debut proper of director Park Sung Gyun. Given the usual predilection for first time Korean directors to add to the endless number of painfully earnest gangster thrillers,...

May 23rd, 2007 | Read More