best korean films
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- DirectorPark Chan-wookStarsChoi Min-sikYoo Ji-taeKang Hye-jeongAfter being kidnapped and imprisoned for fifteen years, Oh Dae-Su is released, only to find that he must track down his captor in five days.
- DirectorKang Je-kyuStarsJang Dong-gunWon BinEun-ju LeeWhen two brothers are forced to fight in the Korean War, the elder decides to take the riskiest missions if it will help shield the younger from battle.I was in awe in my 1st viewing of this movie by its sheer production level as I was equally taken away by its dramatic turn of events that were impressively told. Two brothers lives are gravely disturbed by the Korean war, and as the war proceeds, our insight into how truly atrocious wars are to mankind becomes evident, as it is poetically depicted through the family of two brothers. The battle scenes are reminiscent of "Saving Private O'Ryan" as well as "Band of Brothers," but in my opinion you will relate to this movie more due to its focus on a family which we can all identify with.
- DirectorBong Joon HoStarsSong Kang-hoByun Hee-BongPark Hae-ilA monster emerges from Seoul's Han River and begins attacking people. One victim's loving family does what it can to rescue her from its clutches.A monstrous lizard domiciled in the Han River terrorizing its residents didn't do much to stimulate my curiosity, but boy was I glad I saw this movie. It's just a damn well made movie on all levels, must viewing if you fancy giant lizards smashing, eating everything in sight.
- DirectorKim Jee-woonStarsSong Kang-hoLee Byung-hunJung Woo-sungThe story of two outlaws and a bounty hunter in 1940s Manchuria and their rivalry to possess a treasure map while being pursued by the Japanese army and Chinese bandits.
- DirectorBong Joon HoStarsSong Kang-hoKim Sang-kyungKim Roe-haIn a small Korean province in 1986, two detectives struggle with the case of multiple young women being found raped and murdered by an unknown culprit.Based on a true story of unsolved serial murders from the mid 80's. This movie is as much about incompetency of police officers as it is about the murders. Two aspects of this movie will fuel you with anger, 1st being the cops that are devoid of intelligence, integrity, and moral scruples, 2nd the psychotic killer was never captured. Success of this movie is greatly owed to two very acclaimed actors in Korea, Kang Ho Song does bring some levity in this intense movie, his comedic genius does not disappoint; his counterpart Kwang Rim Kim also does an excellent job as a frustrated city cop doing his best to cope with unorthodox, corrupt countryside cops. The residues of horrific thoughts lingered as I walked out of the theater as I was thinking about the killer never being caught!
- DirectorKim Jee-woonStarsLee Byung-hunChoi Min-sikJeon Gook-hwanA secret agent exacts revenge on a serial killer through a series of captures and releases.This movie was a comeback vehicle for Min-Shik Choi(held in high esteem as one of the best actors in Korea), after 5 yrs of hiatus which he pulled off brilliantly as the unrelenting psychopathic serial killer. The principal driving force behind the killer Kyung Suk's motive for killing(Min-Sik Choi) is merely to satiate his innate desire to kill, there is no act of sublimation with this guy, he just kills, he is the embodiment of pure evil, the film does not delve into the psychological makeup of this killer to explain why he kills, viewers naturally have to draw their own conclusions, one thing is clear, and that is he is a misogynist. One of the most sadistic characters in recent modern cinema, his killing spree is forced into retirement when the Protagonist Soo-hyeon Kim played by Lee Byung Hyun better known to the western fans as storm shadow(GI Joe) exerts equal level of maniacal zeal to hunt down the Kyung Suk to pay retribution for killing his fiancee. Ironically his occupation is a secret service agent, Soo-hyeon captures Kyung-suk with relative ease, rather than turning him over to authorities he let's him loose with intent to capture him again which is made possible by implanting a tracking device in his body without him knowing. As Kyung-Suk invariably acts on his desires to kill another helpless victim Soo-Hyeon conveniently shows up, and tortures Kyung-Suk, and then once again he let's him free with intent of capturing him again for yet another session of torture. I must admit there is an element of guilty pleasure in witnessing this, the good torturing the evil; of course Soo-hyeon's actions are not without repercussions, and this adds another dynamic to the film that will keep you glued to the screen. Your face will turn pallor, lips crimson, you will squirm, quiver and curse, and will have urges to stop watching, I almost did, and had to cover my eyes on few scenes. I think what the director is trying to infer is that even the seemingly sane, innocuous person is capable of most horrendous acts if triggered, that evil lurks in all of us. Do not watch this film with your girlfriends!
- DirectorLee Jeong-beomStarsWon BinKim Sae-ronKim Tae-hoonA quiet pawnshop keeper with a violent past takes on a drug-and-organ trafficking ring in hope of saving the child who is his only friend.Yes, the theme of this movie is very cliche, but this will not even minutely detract the movie viewing experience. You are immediately in sync with the emotions and the minds of the characters as we vicariously partake in the explosive retribution campaign launched by Tae-Sik's character as he annihilates the evil doers to rescue a motherless girl; whom he bonded whilst leading an isolated life as a pawn shop owner. This movie has many parallels to Denzel Washington's "Man on fire".
- DirectorPark Chan-wookStarsLee Yeong-aeLee Byung-hunSong Kang-hoAfter a shooting incident at the North-South Korean border DMZ leaves two North Korean soldiers dead, a neutral Swiss and Swedish team investigates what actually happened.Before "OldBoy" there was JSA(Joint Security Area) by Chan-Woo Park. A movie about friendship that was nurtured among North Korean Soldiers, and South Korean Soldiers at the border. There is a great element of melancholy beauty as we observe the friendship that commences between them, for viewers can only anticipate the invariable outcome of such prohibited relationships. For me this movie was a commentary on the beauty, purity, and how kindred spirited we are with one another, but despite our inborn nature, our actions are drawn from the duties we hold, and the dogmas that are subconsciously embedded in our minds. A great movie about about human intellect vs emotions vs innate nature.
- DirectorLee Myung-seStarsPark Joong-hoonAhn Sung-kiJang Dong-gunDetective Woo is on the trail of the mysterious gangster Sungmin, a master of disguise who always manages to elude his pursuers. Eventually, the cop tracks down and confronts the master-criminal in the suburbs of a coal-mining town.Fighting scenes should be duly noted, the slow motion scenes are nicely complimented by the music as well. Movie is about the hunter, and the hunted. This is the very movie that transcended the Korean heartthrob Jang Dong Gun as a serious actor.
- DirectorJung Doo HongKim Jee-woonStarsLee Byung-hunShin Min-aKim Yeong-cheolThings go wrong for a high ranking mobster when he doesn't follow his boss's orders.A gang leader assigns his most trusted henchman(Sun Woo) to keep vigil on his girlfriend while he is gone. During Sun Woo's watch, he discovers that the girlfriend has an auxiliary boyfriend on the side. Sun Woo reports back with discretion to protect the girl, this very decision unleashes what seems to Sun Woo a cascade of unwarranted, irrational behavior towards him by his boss. The whole movie is established on the premise of SunWoo seeking his boss to uncover the dark truth...this truth which reveals itself at the very end of the movie is quite shocking, and disturbing as it highlights the infinitely complex makeup of human psychology.
- DirectorRyu Seung-wanStarsJeon Do-yeonLee Hye-yeongJeong Jae-yeongShe drives a cab on the night shift and meets every scum there is. Gyung-sun lives a scant life day by day, but she used to be a professional safecracker that earned her the nickname, "Leather Jacket". Once she was a hot item, now she's all washed up. On the job, she relieves her fatigue with tonic beverages, and finishes a cigarette with just one drag, but she gets by the day clinging on to the chance that someday she'll meet her only hope in life, her daughter. But the world doesn't seem to let her have things that easy. She's still haunted by her dark past as this third-rate gangster keeps threatening her to pay back the money her ex-husband ran away with. Then one day she meets a girl named Soo-jin, who is a spitting image of herself back when she had it made. With Soo-jin's help she gets fed up with her dire circumstances, and finally decides to do something about it. To live for tomorrow, she fights the world for a day.
- DirectorJoon-Hwan JangStarsShin Ha-kyunBaek Yun-shikHwang Jung-minByeong-gu believes that the world is on the verge of an alien invasion, and sets out to save the world.
- DirectorKang Woo-sukStarsSol Kyung-guLee Sung-jaeKang Shin-ilA detective plays cat-and-mouse with a banker who brutally murdered his own parents.
- DirectorSatabdi RoyStarsTapas PalSatabdi RoySoumitra ChatterjeeBiswarup Mukherjee a boy in his teens loved to dream about an extra terrestrial creature. His father scientist Avirup Mukherkee after his long and continuous effort successfully able to connect with them and Biswarup used called that creature “Friend.†Ranju da and Sanju da a helpful neighbor of Avirup also cooperated and gave them a good support regarding there security and support. Some of the colleagues of Avirup tried a lot to spoil the experiment but strong determination and family support helped him to get the success. Later Avirup was kidnapped and few antisocial forced him to sell his product to some underworld people. The kingpin of the group was no one other that Avirupâ€TMs boss Professor Brajamohan. In such situation, “Friend†became active and destroyed the evil and saved Avirup and his family. Unfortunately, all such incidents really made Avirup sad and he decided to send “Friend†back to his own territory.
- DirectorChang-min ChooStarsLee Byung-hunRyu Seung-ryongHan Hyo-jooA look-alike commoner is secretly hired to take the place of a poisoned king to save his country from falling into chaos.
- DirectorSeok-beom KangStarsKim Byeong-OkJi Dae-hanPark Eun-hyeReleased from prison, Taesik goes to live with an adopted mother. He takes a job and tries to live a quiet life with his new family. His efforts are threatened when a politician seeks to knock the family restaurant down to build a mall.
- DirectorNa Hong-jinStarsKim Yoon-seokHa Jung-wooSeo Yeong-hieA disgraced ex-policeman who runs a small ring of prostitutes finds himself in a race against time when one of his women goes missing.
- DirectorYong-hwa KimStarsHa Jung-wooSung Dong-ilKim Ji-seokFive men go for the gold as members of Korea's national ski jumping team.
- DirectorSeok-beom KangStarsKim Byeong-OkJi Dae-hanPark Eun-hyeReleased from prison, Taesik goes to live with an adopted mother. He takes a job and tries to live a quiet life with his new family. His efforts are threatened when a politician seeks to knock the family restaurant down to build a mall.
- DirectorDong-hoon ChoiStarsKim Yoon-seokLee Jung-jaeKim Hye-suAfter a heist in South Korea, a gang of 5+1 fly to Hong Kong to look into a heist, in a Macau casino, of a $30M diamond, planned by someone unreliable. He brings in HK thieves as well. Can anyone be trusted?
- DirectorKang Woo-sukStarsAhn Sung-kiSol Kyung-guHuh Joon-hoBased on a true story of 1968 Korean Republic Army plan to assassinate North Korean president Kim Il-Sung. 31 criminals and death row inmates are recruited into secret training on the island of Silmi; for two years they are subjected to maximum mental and physical abuse before the mission is cancelled and the unit terminated.
- DirectorKim Jee-woonStarsLim Soo-jungYum Jung-ahKim Kap-suAfter being institutionalized in a mental hospital, Su-mi reunites with her sister, Su-yeon, and they return to live at their country home. But strange events plague the house, leading to surprising revelations and a shocking conclusion.
- DirectorRyu Seung-wanStarsHa Jung-wooHan Suk-kyuRyu Seung-beomJong-seong, a North Korean ghost agent, interrupts an illegal arms sale in Berlin. A notorious North Korean agent tests the loyalties of everyone involved as Jong-Seong prepares to make the ultimate sacrifice.The movie is worth watching for 1 reason, and 1 reason only, the fighting scenes. The director is up to par with what movie fighting should look like, the fighting scenes are reminiscent of "Bourne Identity", without the incoherent close ups, also it contains some never seen coolest moves that will leave an indelible impression on all action fans alike. You just have to overlook the obvious small budget, and bad English speaking acting. Hollywood really should get with the program, and incorporate some of these types of fighting scenes in their movies.
- DirectorKim Ki-dukStarsJo Min-sooLee Jung-JinWoo Ki-hongA loan shark is forced to reconsider his violent lifestyle after the arrival of a mysterious woman claiming to be his long-lost mother.
- DirectorKyu-dong MinStarsJo Han-chulPark Hee-bonKim Jeong-taeDu-hyeon can't stand his wife anymore. He wants a divorce but he's weak. He hires a Casanova to seduce her and make her leave him. Will he succeed?