Tag Archives: Hwang Jung-min

12.12: The Day (2023) Review

Director: Kim Seong-su Cast: Hwang Jung-min, Jung Woo-Sung, Lee Sung-Min, Park Hae-Joon, Kim Sung-Kyun, Jeong Man-Sik, Jung Hae-In, Nam Yun-Ho, Jeong Dong-Hwan Running Time: 141 min. By Paul Bramhall When a country goes through a period of turmoil and trauma, it’s always interesting to see how much time passes in order for those feelings to be collectively processed, arriving at a point where the events in question lose enough of … Continue reading

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Point Men, The (2023) Review

Director: Yim Soonrye Cast: Hwang Jung-Min, Hyun-Bin, Kang Ki-Young, Park Hyoung-Soo, Ahn Chang-Hwan, Jeon Sung-Woo, Lee Seung-Chul, Jung Jae-Sung, Seo Sang-Won Running Time: 108 min.  By Paul Bramhall In recent years the film industries in Korea and China have seemingly stumbled upon a new goldmine to extract source material for their cinematic output – true stories involving their citizens either being kidnapped and/or placed in danger in troubled faraway lands, … Continue reading

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Deliver Us from Evil: Final Cut (2020) Review

Director: Hong Won-Chan Cast: Hwang Jung-Min, Lee Jung-Jae, Park Jung-Min, Park So-Yi, Choi Hee-Seo, Park Myoung-Hoon, Oh Dae-Hwan, Shim Young-Eun, Kim Sung-Gon Running Time: 108 min. By Paul Bramhall Seven years have passed since Korean thespians Lee Jung-jae and Hwang Jung-min starred together in 2013’s New World in which they played sworn brothers, with one a no-nonsense cop deep undercover, and the other a live wire unpredictable gangster. In 2020 … Continue reading

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Battleship Island, The (2017) Review

"Battleship Island" Theatrical Poster

Director: Ryoo Seung-wan Cast: Hwang Jung-Min, So Ji-Sub, Song Joong-Ki, Lee Jung-Hyun, Kim Soo-Ahn, Kim In-Woo, Kim Joong-Hee, Lee Kyoung-Young, Shin Seung-Hwan, Ahn Se-Ho Running Time: 132 min. By Z Ravas Although director Ryoo Seung-wan has engaged in big-budget spectacle in the recent past – 2013’s The Berlin File felt like the filmmaker’s attempt to top the Bourne trilogy, and long before that he’d dabbled in the superhero (Arahan) and spoof (Dachimawa … Continue reading

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Asura: City of Madness (2017) Review

Asura: The City of Madness | DVD (Sony)

Director: Kim Sung-Soo Cast: Jung Woo-Sung, Hwang Jung-Min, Ju Ji-Hoon, Kwak Do-Won, Jeong Man-Sik, Yoon Ji-Hye, Kim Hae-Gon, Kim Won-Hae, Oh Yeon-A, Kim Jong-Soo Running Time: 132 min. By Paul Bramhall The gangster genre has long been a much beloved staple of the Korean film industry, and if ever a movie knew it was a gangster flick, then it’s Asura: City of Madness. Going down like a cocktail made with half … Continue reading

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New World (2013) Review

Director: Park Hoon-jung Writer: Park Hoon-jung Cast: Lee Jung-jae, Choi Min-sik, Hwang Jung-min, Song Ji-hyo, Park Sung-woong, Kim Yoon-seong, Na Kwang-hoon, Park Seo-yeon, Choi Il-hwa Running Time: 134 min.  By Martin Sandison Filmmaker Park Hoon-jung has a limited filmography, but as the credited screenwriter on the all-time masterpiece I Saw the Devil, he started off his career very strongly. His 2nd film as director – following 2011’s The Showdown – is New World, an off-the-wall mix of gangster … Continue reading

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Violent Prosecutor, A (2016) Review

"A Violent Prosecutor" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Lee Il-hyeong Cast: Hwang Jung-Min, Gang Dong-Won, Lee Sung-Min, Park Sung-Woong, Kim Eung-Soo, Joo Jin-Mo, Kim Won-Hae, Jeon Bae-Su, Shin So-Yul, Park Jong-Hwan, Kim Hong-Fa, Lee Suk-Joon, Kim Byung-Ok Running Time: 126 min. By Paul Bramhall More than any other film industry in the world, it’s the Korean one that arguably reflects its countries current tumultuous state. 2016 delivered a president that’s pending impeachment, shady religious figures exerting their … Continue reading

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Wailing, The (2016) Review

"The Wailing" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Na Hong-jin Writer: Na Hong-jin Cast: Kwak Do-Won, Hwang Jeong-Min, Jun Kunimura, Chun Woo-Hee, Kim Hwan-Hee, Jang So-Yeon, Heo Jin, Jo Han-Chul, Son Kang-Kuk, Kim Do-Yoon Running Time: 115 min. By Jeff Bona Na Hong-jin, the fierce South Korean filmmaker behind Chaser (2008) and The Yellow Sea (2010), is once again unleashing hell with The Wailing – and let me tell you  – I’ve never been happier seeing a … Continue reading

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Veteran (2015) Review

"Veteran" Theatrical Poster

Director: Ryoo Seung-wan Producer: Kang Hye-Jung Cast: Hwang Jeong-Min, Yu A-In, Yu Hae-Jin, Oh Dal-Su, Jang Yun-Joo, Oh Dae-Hwan, Kim Si-Hu, Jeong Woong-In, Jeong Man-Sik, Song Young-Chang Running Time: 123 min. By Paul Bramhall Director Ryoo Seung-wan is a familiar name to fans of Korean action cinema, ever since his debut Die Bad in 2000, he’s consistently delivered a series of movies which combine action with a strong narrative. Since … Continue reading

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Ode to My Father (2014) Review

"Ode to My Father" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Yoon Je-Kyun Writer: Park Soo-Jin Cast: Hwang Jung-Min, Kim Yunjin, Oh Dal-Su, Jung Jin-Young, Jang Young-Nam, Ra Mi-Ran, Hong Suk-Youn, Kim Seul-Gi, Lee Hyun, Uhm Ji-Sung, Go Yoon Running Time: 126 min. By Paul Bramhall When a major Korean studio decides it’s time to churn out a crowd pleasing blockbuster for the masses, things normally go one of two ways. We either get movies which aim purely for the … Continue reading

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Fists of Legend (2013) Review

Director: Kang Woo-Suk Writer: Jang Min-Suk Producer: Son Jung-Woo, Jung Sun-Young Cast: Hwang Jung-Min, Yu Jun-Sang, Yoon Je-Moon, Jung Woong-In, Park Jung-Min, Gu Won, Park Doo-Sik, Lee Jung-Hyuk, Lee Yo-Won, Sung Ji-Ru, Ji-Woo, Kang Shin-Il, Kang Sung-Jin, Seo Beom-sik Running Time: 153 min. By oneleaf Fists of Legend is a Korean action-drama directed by mega hit-maker Woo Suk-Kang (Glove, Silmido, Moss, Public Enemy) and scripted by Min-Seok Jang (Secret Reunion, … Continue reading

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Unjust, The | aka Bad Deal (2010) Review

"The Unjust" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Ryoo Seung-wan Writer: Park Hun-Jeong Cast: Hwang Jeong-Min, Ryu Seung-Beom, Yu Hae-Jin, Cheon Ho-Jin, Ma Dong-Seok, Jo Young-Jin Running Time: 119 min. By HKFanatic When I sit down to watch a slick, commercial thriller, this is exactly what I want it to be. The director of “No Blood, No Tears” and “City of Violence” weaves an im-morality tale of police corruption, political maneuvering, and gangland-style justice with no discernible … Continue reading

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Shiri | aka Swiri (1999) Review

Director: Kang Je-Gyu Producer: Kang Je-Kyu Cast: Han Seok-Kyu, Song Kang-Ho, Choi Min-Shik, Kim Yun-Jin, Yun Ju-Sang, Park Yong-Woo Running Time: 125 min. By Numskull Normally, I hate it when people talk about movies “sending messages.” The blocs of suburban yuppie mommies (better known as “soccer moms”) that currently hold a disproportionately large amount of dominion over American life have hijacked the word “message” and imposed upon it a definition … Continue reading

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Bittersweet Life, A (2005) Review

"A Bittersweet Life" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Kim Ji-woon Producer: Lee Yu-Jin Cast: Lee Byung-Hun, Kim Young-Cheol, Shin Mina, Hwang Jeong-Min, Kim Roi-Ha, Oh Dal-Su, Vadim, Eric, Kim Hae-Gon, Lee Mu-Young, Jin Gu Running Time: 120 min. By Iuxion A Bittersweet Life is pretty much a cardboard cutout example of how to make an entertaining gangster film, Korean or not. Lee Byung Hun shines in the lead as a hitman who is betrayed by his boss … Continue reading

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