Category Archives: Korean

Dynamite Shaolin Heroes, The (1977) Review

Director: Lee Hyeok-Su Co-director: Godfrey Ho Cast: Lo Lieh, Kim Young-In, Choi Sung-Kyu, Kim Ki-Bum, Choe Bong, Kwan Yung-Moon, Roman Lee Kang-Jo, Kwon Il-Soo, Kim Wang-Kuk, Kim Min-Jeong Running Time: 77 min.  By Henry McKeand It’s not always easy to find behind-the-scenes information on the more obscure martial arts flicks from the 70s, but it’s almost impossible when Godfrey Ho is involved. Ho is perhaps best known for his low-budget … Continue reading

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Beast, The (2019) Review

"The Beast" Theatrical Poster

Director: Lee Jung-Ho Cast: Lee Sung-Min, Yoo Jae-Myung, Jeon Hye-Jin, Daniel Choi, Kim Ho-Jung, An Si-Ha, Lee Sang-Hee, Kim Byung-Choon, Kim Hong-Fa, Kim Young-Sung Running Time: 130 min.  By Paul Bramhall While the Korean film industry has produced a number of remakes from its Asian neighbours like Japan and China over the years, more recently its increasingly found itself turning to European cinema to offer up a distinctly Korean spin … Continue reading

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Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure, The (2022) Review

Director: Kim Jung-Hoon Cast: Kang Ha-Neul, Han Hyo-Joo, Lee Kwang-Soo, Kwon Sang-Woo, Chae Soo-Bin, Sehun, Kim Sung-Oh,  Park Ji-Hwan, Kim Ki-Doo, Maeng Sang-Yul, Kim Dae-Han, Park Hoon, Lee Jung-Hyun, Han Jae-Young Running Time: 125 min.  By Paul Bramhall It’s debatable if anyone was clamouring for a sequel to 2014’s slight but entertaining high seas adventure The Pirates, made in the wake of Hollywood’s successful Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, which … Continue reading

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No Mercy (2019) Review

Director: Im Kyung-Taek Cast: Lee Si-Young, Park Se-Wan, Lee Joon-Hyuk, Choi Jin-Ho, Lee Hyeong-Cheol, Kim Won-Hae, Kwak Min-Suk, Kim Ki-Moo, Yoon Song-A, An Se-Ha Running Time: 92 min.  By Paul Bramhall Not to be confused with the 2010 movie of the same name starring Sol Kyung-gu and Ryoo Seong-bum, the 2019 No Mercy is a DTV action vehicle for amateur boxer turned actress Lee Si-young. The list of boxers who have … Continue reading

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Ashfall (2019) Review

Director: Lee Hae-Jun Co-director: Kim Byung-Seo Cast: Lee Byung-Hun, Ha Jung-Woo, Ma Dong-Seok, Jeon Hye-Jin, Bae Suzy, Lee Sang-Won Running Time: 130 min. By Paul Bramhall Korean cinema went for the disaster movie double in 2019, with the low-key Exit offering up a brisk comedic take on the genre, one that saw the residents of Seoul looking to escape a steadily rising cloud of poisonous gas. On the other hand, … Continue reading

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Seobok (2021) Review

Director: Lee Yong-Joo Cast: Gong Yoo, Park Bo-Gum, Jo Woo-Jin, Yeon Je-Wook, Lee Un-Jung, Lee Sang-Kyung, Park Byung-Eun, Jang Young-Nam, Kim Jae-Gun Running Time: 114 min.  By Paul Bramhall Around the turn of the millennium the Korean film industry saw itself increasingly dabbling in the science fiction genre, with movies like 2001’s 2009 Lost Memories, 2002’s Yesterday, and 2003’s Natural City, and while they all had their moments of inspiration, … Continue reading

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Therapist: Fist of Tae-baek, The (2020) Review

Director: Choi Sang-Hun Cast: Oh Ji-Ho, Shin So-Yul, Jung Eui-Wook, Dong Zhang, Kim Kyeol, Bae Min-Jung, Park No-Kyeong, Jeon Hyun-Soo, No Young-Ju, Oh Kyung-Min Running Time: 104 min. By Paul Bramhall Look past the A-list productions that make it onto the cinema screens of Korea (and increasingly overseas). Look past the many B-grade productions that look to emulate the success of the bigger budgeted counterparts that inspired them. Look past … Continue reading

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Hunt, The (2016) Review

Director: Lee Woo-Chul Cast: Ahn Sung-Ki, Cho Jin-Woong, Han Ye-Ri, Kwon Yool, Park Byung-Eun, Han Jae-Young, Kim Yoon-Sung, Jo Dae-Hee, Cha Soon-Bae, Shim Yi-Young Running Time: 93 min. By Paul Bramhall The Hunt opens with a scene of a frail elderly lady approaching a long-deserted mine entrance located up a secluded mountain, the torrential rain setting an ominous tone as she lays out a numbering of offerings to the dead. … Continue reading

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Monstrum (2018) Review

Director: Huh Jong-Ho Cast: Kim Myung-Min, Kim In-Kwon, Hyeri, Choi Woo-Sik, Lee Kyoung-Young, Park Hee-Soon, Park Sung-Woong, Lee Kyu-Bok, Kim Joong-Hee, Lee Seo-An Running Time: 105 min. By Paul Bramhall Ever since the success of Bong Joon-ho’s The Host in 2006, Korea’s had an on-again off-again relationship with the creature feature. Putting the social commentary aside that Joon-ho’s Han River dwelling monstrosity represented, subsequent efforts have seen the likes of … Continue reading

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Night of the Undead, The (2019) Review

Director: Shin Jeong-Won Cast: Lee Jung-Hyun, Kim Sung-Oh, Seo Young-Hee, Yang Dong-Geun, Lee Mi-Do, Kim Seo-Won, Joo Bo-Bi, Lee Iyan, Woo Yeong-Taek, Woo Yeong-Taek, Shin Min-Jae Running Time: 110 min. By Paul Bramhall Based on the title The Night of the Undead it’s a fair assumption to expect another entry in the popular Korean zombie genre, however director Sin Jeong-won has something very different in mind. Opening to the suitably … Continue reading

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Beasts Clawing at Straws (2020) Review

Director: Kim Young-Hoon Cast: Jeon Do-Yeon, Jung Woo-Sung, Bae Sung-Woo, Youn Yuh-Jung, Jeong Man-Sik, Shin Hyun-Bin, Jung Ga-Ram, Jin Kyung, Park Ji-Hwan, Kim Joon-Han  Running Time: 108 min. By Paul Bramhall Adapted from a Japanese novel by Keisuke Sone, Beasts Clawing at Straws marks the directorial debut of Kim Yong-hoon, who also penned the script after being impressed by the novels intertwining story. Onscreen it’s easy to see why it … Continue reading

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Escape from Mogadishu (2021) Review

Director: Ryoo Seung-wan Cast: Kim Yun-seok, Jo In-sung, Heo Joon-ho, Koo Kyo-hwan, Jeong Man-Sik, Kim Jae-Hwa Running Time: 121 min. By Paul Bramhall Set during a rarely utilised part of Korean history in cinematic terms, Escape from Mogadishu is the latest blockbuster from director Ryoo Seung-wan. Taking place across 1990 and 1991, it was a point in time when South Korea was only a couple of years into being a … Continue reading

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Kingdom: Ashin of the North (2021) Review

Director: Kim Seong-hun Cast: Gianna Jun, Kim Shi-A, Kim Roe-Ha, Jeon Su-Ji, Kim Dam-Ho, Park Byung-Eun, Ji Hyun-Joon, Jung Suk-Won, Kwon Bum-Taek, Hyuk-Bum, Park Ji-Hong Running Time: 92 min. By Paul Bramhall The Korean Netflix series Kingdom has proven to be one of the streaming giants’ biggest hits in recent years, with its Joseon era setting successfully blending zombie action and political intrigue. The Korean film industry had already attempted … Continue reading

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8th Night, The (2021) Review

Director: Kim Tae-Hyung Writer: Kim Tae-Hyung Cast: Lee Sung-Min, Park Hae-Joon, Kim You-Jung, Nam Da-Reum, Han Sang-Chul, Lee Eol Running Time: 150 min. By Paul Bramhall The streaming service Netflix is increasingly becoming the platform for new Korean horror to debut on, with the likes of #Alive, The Call, and Svaha: The Sixth Finger all premiering with just a few clicks of the remote over the last couple of years. … Continue reading

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Idol (2019) Review

Director: Lee Su-jin Cast: Han Suk-Kyu, Sol Kyung-Gu, Chun Woo-Hee, Yoo Seung-Mok, Joe Byeong-Gyu, Kim Jae-Hwa, Hyun Bong-Sik, Jo Dae-Hee, Kang Mal-Geum Running Time: 144 min. By Paul Bramhall The topic of political corruption has always provided fertile ground for filmmakers in Korea, almost to the point that if a politician turns up in a Korean movie, it’s a safe bet that they’ll either end up corrupt (if they’re not … Continue reading

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