Category Archives: Korean

Beasts Clawing at Straws (2020) Review

September 20, 2021 Paul Bramhall

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

August 1, 2021 Paul Bramhall

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

July 26, 2021 Paul Bramhall

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

July 4, 2021 Paul Bramhall

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

June 27, 2021 Paul Bramhall

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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Voice of Silence (2020) Review

June 7, 2021 Paul Bramhall

Director: Hong Eui-jung Cast: Yoo Ah-in, Yoo Jae-myung, Moon Seung-A, Yu Seong-Ju, Shin Tae-Yang, Hanna Kim Running Time: 99 min.  By Paul Bramhall  Back in the early to mid-noughties, a period popularly known as the Korean Wave, the countries film industry had a knack for cranking out productions that seamlessly blended genres to create a number of unique cinematic experiences. From the sci-fi zaniness of Save the Green Planet, to … Continue reading →

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My Wife Is a Gangster (2001) Review

June 4, 2021 JJ Bona
"My Wife Is a Gangster" Poster

Director: Jo Jin-Gyu Cast: Shin Eun-Kyung, Park Sang-Myeon, Ahn Jae-Mo, Choi Eun-Joo, Kim In-Kwon, Shim Won-Cheol, Choi Min-Soo, Jang Se-Jin, Lee Eung-Kyung Running Time: 110 min. By Mighty Peking Man I never thought I’d actually enjoy “My Wife Is A Gangster”, a title that sounds too much like it’s in the same range as “Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot”. But hell, a bad titled Hollywood film is one thing, … Continue reading →

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Ninja Champion | aka Poisonous Rose Stripping the Night (1986) Review

May 5, 2021 Paul Bramhall

Director: Kim Si-hyun Co-director: Godfrey Ho Cast: Choe Eun-hye, Im Ja-ho, Dragon Lee (Mun Kyong-sok), Baek Hwang-ki, Richard Harrison, Bruce Baron, Pierre Tremblay, Yoon Yang-Ha, Park Se-bum Running Time: 87 min.  By Paul Bramhall There are only 2 types of people in the world who’d want to watch Ninja Champion – those who enjoy cut ‘n’ paste Godfrey Ho ninja flicks, and those who want to check out an obscure … Continue reading →

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Deliver Us from Evil: Final Cut (2020) Review

April 28, 2021 Paul Bramhall

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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Keys to the Heart (2018) Review

April 26, 2021 Paul Bramhall

Director: Choi Sung-Hyun Cast: Lee Byung-Hun, Park Jung-Min, Youn Yuh-Jung, Han Ji-Min, Choi Ri, Kim Sung-Ryoung, Moon Sook, Hwang Suk-Jung, Lee Joo-Young, Baek Hyun-Jin Running Time: 120 min. By Paul Bramhall Stories about washed up boxers have been around for almost as long as cinema itself, and the Korean movie industry is no exception. From Choi Min-sik in Crying Fist, to So Ji-sub in Always, and more recently Um Tae-goo … Continue reading →

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Night in Paradise (2020) Review

April 9, 2021 Paul Bramhall

Director: Park Hoon-Jung Cast: Um Tae-Goo, Jeon Yeo-Bin, Cha Seung-Won, Park Ho-San, Cho Dong-in, Lee Ki-young Running Time: 130 min. By Paul Bramhall The Korean gangster movie that was such a consistently entertaining part of the countries output during the 00’s and early 10’s has largely dropped off in recent years, with genre efforts these days more likely to be low budget productions lacking the creative spark of those that … Continue reading →

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Eagle vs. Silver Fox | aka Flying Martial Arts (1980) Review

March 15, 2021 Paul Bramhall

Director: Park Yun-Gyo Co-director: Godfrey Ho Cast: Hwang Jang-Lee, Gwak Mu-Seong, Sarah Sit Chi-Lin, Nam Chung-Il, Chiu Chun, Kim Yu-Haeng, Pok Chung-Sit, Choe Mu-Ung, Kim Gi-Jong Running Time: 95 min. By Paul Bramhall If there’s one aspect of the kung fu world that’s more deadly than any secret technique, it’s the IFD Films distributed kung fu movie. Virtually every readily available Korean kung fu movie from the 70’s and 80’s … Continue reading →

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Revenge of Drunken Master (1981) Review

March 11, 2021 Ian Whittle

Director: Gang Beom-Gu Co-director: Godfrey Ho Cast: Johnny Chan (Wang Dae-wi), Bruce Cheung Mong, Kwon Sung-Young, Eagle Han Ying, Lee Mi-Ji, Han Myeong-Hwan, Kim Ki-Ju, Eom Ju-Hyeon Running Time: 82 min. By Ian Whittle As if all the many weird and wonderful Bruceploitation films weren’t enough, the Koreans (and consequently Asso Asia/Godfrey Ho and Tomas Tang) also tried their hand at JackieChansploitation. Following the cross-over with Dragon Lee; Golden Dragon, … Continue reading →

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Space Sweepers (2021) Review

February 8, 2021 Paul Bramhall

Director: Jo Sung-Hee Cast: Song Joong-Ki, Kim Tae-Ri, Jin Sun-Kyu, Yu Hae-Jin, Park Ye-Rin, Richard Armitage, Kim Moo-Yul, Oh Ji-Yul, Kim Hyang-Gi, Nas Brown, John D. Michaels Running Time: 136 min. By Paul Bramhall The marketing material for Space Sweepers proudly boasted the production to be “Korea’s first sci-fi film project”, a claim which does somewhat of a disservice to the film industries frequent dabbling with the genre during the … Continue reading →

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Great Battle, The (2018) Review

February 2, 2021 Paul Bramhall

Director: Kim Kwang-Sik Cast: Jo In-sung, Nam Joo-Hyuk, Park Sung-Woong, Bae Sung-Woo, Um Tae-Goo, Seol Hyun, Park Byung-Eun, Oh Dae-Hwan, Jung Eun-Chae, Sung Dong-Il, Jang Gwang, Stephanie Lee, Yeo Hoi-Hyeon, Jung In-Gyeom Running Time: 135 min. By Pau Bramhall The Korean historical blockbuster became particularly heavy handed under the years Park Geun-hye was president, with her policies and influence on the film industry resulting in a number of jingoistic productions … Continue reading →

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