Category Archives: Korean

Libera Me (2000) Review

Director: Yang Yun-Ho Cast: Choi Min-Soo, Cha Seung-Won, Yoo Ji-Tae, Kim Gyu-Ri, Park Sang-Myeon, Lee Ho-Jae, Jung Joon, Heo Jun-Ho, Jeong Ae-Ri, Kim Soo-Ro, Park Ga-Ryeong Running Time: 119 min. By Paul Bramhall Korean cinema was in an interesting place at the turn of the millennium. The 90’s was a tricky decade for the film industry, it’s first one as a democracy, and initially the outlook didn’t look promising for … Continue reading

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Steel Rain 2: Summit (2020) Review

Director: Yang Woo-Seok Cast: Jung Woo-Sung, Kwak Do-Won, Yoo Yeon-Seok, Shin Jung-Keun, Kim Wang-Do, Ryu Soo-Young, Angus Macfadyen, John D. Michaels, Yook Hyo-Myung Running Time: 131 min. By Paul Bramhall In 2017 director Yang Woo-seok helmed Steel Rain, an adaptation of his own web comic of the same name that saw Jung Woo-sung and Kwak Do-won thrown together from opposing sides of the Korean peninsula in an attempt to prevent … Continue reading

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Emergency Declaration (2022) Review

Director: Han Jae-Rim Cast: Song Kang-Ho, Lee Byung-Hun, Jeon Do-Yeon, Kim Nam-Gil, Im Si-Wan, Kim So-Jin, Park Hae-Joon, Kim Bo-Min, Hyun Bong-Sik, Seol In-A, Lee Yeol-Eum Running Time: 141 min. By Paul Bramhall  The disaster movie has become something of a regular fixture in Korean cinema over the last 15 years. We’ve had colossal tidal waves in 2009’s Haeundae, towering infernos in 2012’s The Tower, nuclear meltdowns in 2016’s Pandora, … Continue reading

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Carter (2022) Review

Director: Jeong Byeong-gil Cast: Joo Won, Lee Sung-Jae, Jung So-Ri, Kang Yoo-Ra, Camilla Belle, Mike Colter, Yeo Dae-Hyun, Shin Woo-Hee, Kim Won-Jung, Lee Ye-Joon, Jung Jae-Young Running Time: 133 min. By Paul Bramhall When it comes to modern day action cinema the influence of the John Wick aesthetic is undeniable, defined by its stripped-down approach to killing, and imbued with a kinetic energy and sense of immediacy that’s become the … Continue reading

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Special Delivery (2022) Review

Director: Park Dae-Min Cast: Park So-Dam, Song Sae-Byeok, Kim Eui-Sung, Jeong Hyun-Jun, Yum Hye-Ran, Han Hyun-Min, Heo Dong-Won, Yeon Woo-Jin, Baek Do-Gyum Running Time: 108 min. By Paul Bramhall  Following in the footsteps of Jason Statham in The Transporter series, in Special Delivery Park So-dam continues the fine cinematic tradition of playing a character who transports “anything that regular post carriers can’t.” Like its predecessors, Special Delivery frames itself as … Continue reading

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Witch: Part 2. The Other One, The (2022) Review

"The Witch: Part 2. The Other One" Theatrical Poster

Director: Park Hoon-Jung Cast: Shin Shi-A, Park Eun-Bin, Seo Eun-Su, Jin Goo, Sung Yoo-Bin, Lee Jong-Suk, Jo Min-Soo Running Time: 137 min. By Paul Bramhall At the end of my review for 2018’s The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion, I finished up by saying “If we do get another round of witchery, here’s hoping Hoon-jung go’s for a less is more approach, with more focus on being lean and mean, … Continue reading

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Roundup, The | aka The Outlaws II (2022) Review

Director: Lee Sang-yong Cast: Ma Dong-Seok, Son Suk-Ku, Choi Gwi-Hwa, Park Ji-Hwan, Heo Dong-Won, Ha-Joon Jeong, Jae-Kwang, Eum Moon-Suk, Nam Moon-Chul, Park Ji-Young Running Time: 106 min. By Paul Bramhall  Burly Korean actor Ma Dong-seok’s popularity skyrocketed after his supporting turn as a zombie bashing protective husband in 2016’s Train to Busan, leading to him featuring in a whopping 13 productions from 2017 – 2019, over half of which he … Continue reading

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Broker (2022) Review

Director: Hirokazu Koreeda  Cast: Song Kang-ho, Gang Dong-won, Bae Doona, Lee Ji-eun, Lee Joo-young, Park Ji-yong, Im Seung-soo, Kang Gil-woo, Lee Moo-saeng, Ryu Kyung-soo Running Time: 129 min.  By Paul Bramhall  There are those filmmakers out there whose cinematic identity feels distinctly attached to the country that they hail from. Akira Kurosawa will always be associated with Japanese cinema much the same way Jean Luc-Godard will always be associated with French … Continue reading

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Paid in Blood | aka Tomb of the River (2021) Review

Director: Yoon Young-Bin Cast: Yu Oh-Seong, Jang Hyuk, Park Sung-Geun, Oh Dae-Hwan, Lee Hyun-Kyun, Shin Seung-Hwan, Song Young-Kyu, Kim Jun-Bae, Lee Chae-Young, Han Sun-Hwa  Running Time: 119 min. By Paul Bramhall In 2021’s Paid in Blood everything that’s old feels new again, a Korean gangster flick that harkens back to the late 90’s/early 2000’s heyday, a time when Korea practically made the gangster movie a genre of its own. Of course … Continue reading

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Clementine (2004) Review

Director: Kim Doo-young Cast: Lee Dong-jun, Steven Seagal, Kim Hye-Ri, Eun Seo-Woo, Ki Joo-Bong, Kim Jung-Tae, Lim Ho, Lim Hyeok-Pil, Simon Rhee, So-yeon Kim, Jun Won-Joo Running Time: 100 min. By Paul Bramhall The likelihood is you’ve never found yourself asking if there’s a Korean version of Don ‘The Dragon’ Wilson, but just on the off chance that you have, then let me put forward the case for Lee Dong-jun. … Continue reading

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Midnight (2021) Review

"Midnight" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Kwon Oh-Seung Cast: Jin Ki-Joo, Wi Ha-Joon, Park Hoon, Gil Hae-Yeon, Kim Hye-Yoon, Na Eun-Saem, Kim Yoo-Ri, Kang Sang-Won, Lee Sang-Eun, Lim Seung-Min Running Time: 100 min. By Paul Bramhall When looking at landmark movies that came to define Korean cinema in the 21st century, it shouldn’t take too long before Na Hong-jin’s 2008 serial killer thriller The Chaser is brought into the discussion. Sure there had been serial killer … Continue reading

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Yaksha: Ruthless Operations (2022) Review

Director: Nah Hyeon Cast: Sol Kyung-Gu, Park Hae-Soo, Yang Dong-Geun, Lee El, Song Jae-Rim, Jin Young, Hiroyuki Ikeuchi  Running Time: 125 min. By Paul Bramhall Taking its title from a type of spirit that exists in Hindu and Buddhist culture responsible for looking after hidden treasures, Yaksha: Ruthless Operations is also the name of the latest Korean offering from Netflix. Far from being a supernatural outing, here the reference is … Continue reading

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Hard Hit (2021) Review

Director: Kim Chang-Ju Cast: Jo Woo-Jin, Lee Jae-In, Jin Kyung, Kim Ji-Ho, Jun Suk-Ho, Ji Chang-Wook, Haerry Kim Running Time: 94 min. By Henry McKeand The best Korean thrillers are successful because they push traditional genre elements to new extremes, creating violent psychodramas that value intensity above all else. These films often have runtimes of at least two hours, but there’s almost zero room for Hollywood sentimentality or warmed-over narrative … Continue reading

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Real (2017) Review

Director: Lee Sa-Rang Cast: Kim Soo-Hyun, Sung Dong-Il, Sung-Min, Sulli, Jo Woo-Jin, Lee Kyoung-Young, Han Ji-Eun, Kim Hong-Fa, Jung In-Gyeom, Choi Kwon, IU, Ahn So-Hee Running Time: 137 min. By Paul Bramhall Once in a while a production comes along whose reputation for being a complete train wreck precedes it. Who can forget Andy Lau apologising for appearing in the 007-inspired spy caper Switch, or Jackie Chan battling an Australian … Continue reading

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Spiritwalker (2021) Review

Spiritwalker | Blu-ray (Well Go USA)

Director: Yoon Jae-Keun Cast: Park Yong-Woo, Lim Ji-Yeon, Park Ji-Hwan, Yoo Seung-Mok, Lee Sung-Wook, Seo Hyun-Woo, Baek Do-Gyum, Woo Kang-Min Running Time: 110 min.  By Paul Bramhall It’s fair to say the body-swap plot device has been a recurring theme in cinema over the years. While more often than not the gimmick has been used for comedic purposes, thankfully there are filmmakers out there who have been willing to apply … Continue reading

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