Category Archives: Korean

Parasite (2019) Review

"Parasite" Theatrical Poster

Director: Bong Joon-Ho Cast: Song Kang-Ho, Jang Hye-Jin, Choi Woo-Sik, Park So-Dam, Lee Sun-Kyun, Cho Yeo-Jeong, Jung Ji-So, Jeong Hyun-Jun, Lee Jung-Eun, Park Seo-Joon Running Time: 131 min. By Paul Bramhall The following review for Parasite was originally posted on COF in July of 2019. Because the film took home four Academy Awards at the recent 2020 Oscars (Best Picture, Best Director, Best International Film and Best Original Screenplay), we … Continue reading

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Battle of Jangsari, The (2019) Review

"The Battle of Jangsari" Theatrical Poster

Director: Kwak Kyung-Taek Co-director: Kim Tae-Hoon Cast: Kim Myung-Min, Minho, Kim Sung-Cheol, Kim In-Kwon, Kwak Si-Yang, Megan Fox, Jang Ji-Gun, Lee Ho-Jung, Lee Jae-Wook, Dong Bang-Woo, Kim Mi-Hwa  Running Time: 104 min. By Paul Bramhall With the thawing in relations between North and South Korea in recent years, movies about the Korean War have taken a back seat, and noticeably been replaced by more action-centric productions which partner agents from … Continue reading

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Human, Space, Time and Human (2018) Review

"Human, Space, Time and Human" Theatrical Poster

Director: Kim Ki-Duk Cast: Jang Keun-Suk, Ryoo Seung-Bum, Ahn Sung-Ki, Mina Fujii, Lee Sung-Jae, Joe Odagiri, Tae Hang-Ho, Park Se-in, Sung Ki-Yoon, Kim Dong-chan Running Time: 122 min. By Paul Bramhall If ever there was an example of a movie destined to seal the fate of its creator, then it could very well be Human, Space, Time and Human, controversial Korean auteur Kim Ki-duk’s latest (and most likely last) movie. … Continue reading

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One on One (2014) Review

"One on One" Theatrical Poster

Director: Kim Ki-Duk Cast: Ma Dong-Seok, Kim Young-Min, Lee Yi-Kyung, Cho Dong-In, Yoo Teo, Ahn Ji-Hye, Jo Jae-Ryong, Kim Joong-Ki, Kim Jae-Rok, Joo Hee-Joong, Choi Gwi-Hwa Running Time: 122 min. By Paul Bramhall Just like movies are a product of the time they’re made in, so the same can be said for reviews that are written of them. A review of The Matrix in 1999 described it as an innovative … Continue reading

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Exit (2019) Review

"Exit" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Lee Sang-Geun Cast: Cho Jung-Seok, Yoona, Ko Du-Shim, Park In-Hwan, im Ji-Young, Hwang Hyo-Eun, Lee Bong-Ryun, Bae Yoo-Ram, Yoo Su-Bin, Kim Kang-Hoon, Lee Dong-Hwi Running Time: 103 min. By Paul Bramhall Much like every other film industry in the world, South Korea may not check-in to the disaster genre that frequently, but when it does it tends to go all out. Whether it be big blockbuster FX showcases such … Continue reading

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Svaha: The Sixth Finger (2019) Review

"Svaha: The Sixth Finger" Theatrical Poster

Director: Jang Jae-Hyon Cast: Lee Jung-Jae, Park Jung-Min, Lee Jae-In, David Lee, Jung Jin-Young, Hwang Jung-Min, Jin Seon-Kyu Ji Seung-Hyun, Yoo Ji-Tae, Moon Sook, Ok Joo-Ri  Running Time: 122 min. By Paul Bramhall I’m not sure if there’s something in the air, but the South Korean film industry has been cranking out a steady stream of evil ass-kicking Christians in recent years. From Kim Yoon-seok and Kang Dong-won in 2015’s … Continue reading

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White Badge (1992) Review

"White Badge" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Chung Ji-young Cast: Ahn Sung-ki, Lee Geung-young, Shim Hye-jin, Ahn Do-Hun, Dok Ko Yeong Jae, Heo Jun-Ho Running Time: 124 min. By Paul Bramhall When you think of Korean war movies, chances are the titles that spring to mind are ones that take place in the (no irony intended) Korean War. From the likes of 2004’s Taegukgi, through to 2011’s The Front Line, the war which ended with an … Continue reading

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Burning (2018) Review

"Burning" Theatrical Poster

Director: Lee Chang-Dong Cast: Yoo Ah-In, Steven Yeun, Jun Jong-Seo, Kim Soo-Kyung, Choi Seung-Ho, Moon Sung-Geun, Min Bok-Gi, Ban Hye-Ra, Lee Bong-Ryun, Lee Young-Suk Running Time: 148 min. By Paul Bramhall It’s been 8 years since Lee Chang-dong last sat in the director’s chair, having helmed 2009’s critically acclaimed Poetry, leaving it just long enough for the rest of us to worry if we’d ever see a Lee Chang-dong movie … Continue reading

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Gangster, The Cop, The Devil, The (2019) Review

Director: Lee Won-Tae Cast: Ma Dong-Seok, Kim Moo-Yul, Kim Sung-Kyu, Kim Yoon-Sung, Oh Hee-Joon, Choi Min-Chul, Ahn Sung-Bong, Yoo Seung-Mok, Heo Dong-Won Running Time: 110 min. By Z Ravas If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, chances are writer/director Park Hoon-jung is somewhere in Korea blushing a bright shade of crimson right about now. In fact, the biggest surprise about this year’s The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil is … Continue reading

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Divine Fury, The (2019) Review

The Divine Fury | Blu-ray & DVD (Well Go USA)

Director: Kim Joo-Hwan Cast: Park Seo-Joon, Ahn Sung-Ki, Woo Do-Hwan, Park Ji-Hyun, Choi Woo-Sik, Jung Ji-Hoon, Lee Seung-Hee, Sim Hee-Seop, Kim Si-Eun, Kim Seon-Min, Kim Bum-Soo Running Time: 129 min. By Paul Bramhall It’s been over 20 years since legendary Korean actor Ahn Sung-ki played a priest battling with possession hungry demons, in 1998’s Soul Guardians. Now a poorly aged showcase for Korea’s burgeoning CGI effects, in 2019 director Kim … Continue reading

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Jo Pil-ho: The Dawning Rage | aka Bad Police (2019) Review

"Jo Pil-ho: The Dawning Rage" Korean Theatrical Poster

AKA: Bad Lieutenant Director: Lee Jeong-Beom Cast: Lee Sun-Kyun, Jeon So-Nee, Park Hae-Joon, Song Young-Chang, Park Byung-Eun, Kim Min-Jae, Jung Ga-Ram, Lee Yoo-Young, Kwon Han-Sol Running Time: 127 min. By Paul Bramhall It’s been almost 10 years since director Lee Jeong-beom struck gold with his 2010 action thriller The Man from Nowhere. Made at a time when, looking back in retrospect, it was a golden era for Korean thrillers, Jeong-beom’s … Continue reading

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Tik Tok (2016) Review

Director: Li Jun Writer: Xiaoyang Ding Cast: Wallace Chung, Lee Jung-jae, Lang Yueting, Lee Chae-yeong, Fan Yang, Lumeng Cui Running Time: 103 min. By Paul Bramhall There was a brief moment, not too long ago, when The Thieves made it seem like the prospect of future collaborations between Korea and China was an exciting one. But then efforts like The Bounty Hunters, Reset, and Bad Guys Always Die quickly put … Continue reading

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Record of Sweet Murder, A (2014) Review

"A Record of Sweet Murder" Japanese Theatrical Poster

Director: Koji Shiraishi Writer: Koji Shiraishi Cast: Kim Kkobbi, Yeon Je-Wook, Ryotaro Yonemura, Tsukasa Aoi, Yeo Min-Jung, Koji Shiraishi Running Time: 86 min. By Paul Bramhall  Japanese director Koji Shiraishi had, for a long time, carved out a niche for himself as the guy who makes grimy found-footage/docu-horror flicks. The likes of 2005’s Noroi: The Curse, 2009’s Occult, and 2011’s Cho Akunin, all feature some kind of first person perspective … Continue reading

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Extreme Job (2019) Review

"Extreme Job" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Lee Byeong-Hun Cast: Ryoo Seung-Ryong, Lee Ha-Nee, Jin Seon-Kyu, Lee Dong-Hwi, Gong Myung, Shin Ha-Kyun, Oh Jung-Se, Kim Eui-Sung, Yang Hyun-Min Running Time: 111 min. By Martin Sandison In the last few years Korean action comedies have really come into there own, with films such as Confidential Assignment and Unstoppable proving the well-established tropes in the genre can be given a fresh and innovative twist. While more comedic and thrill-a-minute … Continue reading

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Steel Rain (2017) Review

"Steel Rain" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Yang Woo-Seok Cast: Jung Woo-Sung, Kwak Do-Won, Kim Kap-Soo, im Eui-Sung, Lee Kyoung-Young, Jo Woo-Jin, Park Eun-Hye, Ahn Mi-Na, Won Jin-A, Park Sun-Young Running Time: 139 min. By Paul Bramhall With improving relations between South and North Korea, the theme of mutual understanding between the divided nation has also begun to be reflected in the South’s cinematic output in recent years. Movies like Confidential Assignment and The Spy Gone … Continue reading

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