Lee Jung-Chool (Song Kang-ho), a Korean police captain working under the Japanese occupation of Korea in the 1920’s is ordered to hunt down a group of resistance fighters who plan to smuggle explosives into the capital. When Lee poses as a businessman and accompanies his chief suspect on a trip he ends up persuaded into switching sides after an unexpected … Read the rest
Category: South Korea
Spider Forest (Song Il-Gon, South Korea, 2004)
At a cabin in the woods, Kang (Gam Woo-sung) is witness to the blood-soaked corpses of two murder victims, one of which is his girlfriend Su-yeong (Kang Gyeong-heon). While chasing the killer Kang is badly injured and nearly killed when he stumbles into the path of a passing car. Waking up in hospital a fortnight later Kang’s first action is … Read the rest
4th Period Mystery (Lee Sang-Yong, South Korea, 2009)
Student Jung-Hoon (Yoo Seung-Ho) arrives late for class to find the body of hated rival Tae-Gyu (Jo Sang-Keun) stabbed to death. Before you know it he’s gotten blood on his shirt and picked up the murder weapon (the fool!) And then in walks fellow classmate Da-Jung (Kang So-Ra), a quiet, nerdy girl and fanatical mystery novel buff who despite her … Read the rest
A Hard Day (Kim Seong-hun, South Korea, 2014)
A bent copper named Ko (Lee Sun-kyun) is en route to his mother’s funeral when he knocks down a pedestrian in his car. Panic-stricken, Ko decides to dispose of the body by sticking it in the same coffin as that of his Mum! However, the entire incident is witnessed and a menacing voice on the phone (Jo Jin-woong) contacts Ko … Read the rest
The Terror Live (Kim Byeong-woo, South Korea, 2013)
After an anonymous caller to a radio phone in makes good on his threat to blow up a bridge he promises to explain why, but only live on air to DJ Yoon (Ha Jung-woo). For Yoon who has been stuck kicking his heels in morning radio shows this is the chance to get back in the big time. With the … Read the rest
Saving My Hubby (Hyeon Nam-seob, South Korea, 2002)
A former volleyball star Geum-sun (Bae Doona) whose dreams have taken a knock after a shoulder injury ended her career is now a married housewife with a baby daughter and a nervous husband named Ju-tae (Kim Tae-Woo) about to start his first day in a new job. But later that evening Geum-sun gets an unexpected call from the owner of … Read the rest
My Dear Desperado (Kim Kwang-shik, South Korea, 2010)
An innocent country girl Sae-jin (Jeong Yu-mi), travels to Seoul to begin her first job. When the company she’s joined quickly goes bust she finds herself reduced to a crappy basement flat in a shabby neigbourhood with a lowly gangster, Dong-chul (Park Joong Hoon) for a neighbour. Before long the pair strike up an unlikely friendship and as Dong-chul’s bulldog … Read the rest
Stray Bullet (Yoo Hyun-Mok, South Korea, 1961)
A powerhouse drama built about human suffering that never succumbs to nihilism and built around a philosophical conundrum. Namely, is it possible to live a life of conscience trapped inside a cage? Our characters here are a group of wounded ex-army men seeking work and the cage their truly dire circumstances. Unremittingly bleak – including a horrendous moment in which … Read the rest
Promise of the Flesh (Kim Ki Young, South Korea, 1975)
Middle-aged Sook-young (Kim Ji-mee) takes a train journey and recalls her abuse at the hands of men whose brutal treatment provoked her into killing in self-defence. A spell in prison leaves her suicidal but a temporary release under the watchful eye of a female warden leads to an encounter with Hoon (Lee Jeong-il) whose friendly persistence breaks through Sook-young’s mistrust … Read the rest
School Trip (Yoo Hyun-mok, South Korea, 1969)
On a tiny remote island off the Korean coast a schoolteacher named Mr. Kim takes a class of young children on their first ever trip to the country’s capital, Seoul.
A lovely account of simple island kids exploring a big city and winningly told through the eyes of children whose wonderment at seeing the likes of skyscrapers and neon lights … Read the rest
