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on Enter the Dragon: The Most Overrated Kung Fu Movie Ever?It pains me to agree, i'll watch Golden Harvest Bruce Lee before ETD any day…
on BADDER Lieutenant! Watch the New U.S. Trailer for Takashi Miike’s ‘Bad Lieutenant: Tokyo’ arriving soon from NeonAn Asian guy as the only star? Come on! Add a white blonde!
on Hope (2026) ReviewOne of the best films of the year for me.Hwang Jung-min on the big screen I n…
on Simon Lui, Hong Kong actor, writer and filmmaker known for ‘Troublesome Night’ and ‘Vulgaria’, passes away at 62Not to be confused with Simon, the electronic game of short-term memory skill…
on Simon Lui, Hong Kong actor, writer and filmmaker known for ‘Troublesome Night’ and ‘Vulgaria’, passes away at 62And not to be confused with Duran Duran lead singer Simon Lui Bon
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on Simon Lui, Hong Kong actor, writer and filmmaker known for ‘Troublesome Night’ and ‘Vulgaria’, passes away at 62Not to be confused with the guy who plays Shang-Chi.
on Hope (2026) ReviewI hated this movie with a vengeance. I thought Supergirl was the worst movie…
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on HEAD’d your way! Jimmy Wang Yu’s ‘Master of the Flying Guillotine’ arriving on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-rayI've been waiting for this one a long time! YES!
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Category Archives: Korean
Confession of Murder (2012) Review
Director: Jeong Byeong-gil Writer: Jeong Byeong-gil Cast: Jung Jae-young, Park Si-hoo, Jeong Hae-gyoon, Kim Young-ae, Choi Won-young, Jo Eun-ji Running Time: 119 min. By Paul Bramhall As a huge fan of Asian action cinema, I found the 2008 documentary Action Boys, which followed the lives of a group of stuntmen in the Seoul Action School, to be hugely enjoyable. Such was my enjoyment that I visited the school in the … Continue reading
Posted in Korean, News, Reviews
Tagged Jeong Byeong-gil, Jung Jai-Yung
Save the Green Planet (2003) Review
Director: Jang Joon-Hwan Writer: Jang Joon-Hwan Cast: Shin Ha-Kyun, Baek Yoon-Sik, Hwang Jung-Min, Lee Jae-Yong, Lee Joo-Hyun Running Time: 117 min. By Alexander Leave it to South Korean filmmakers to provide us yet another wholly original, oft shocking, slickly produced, torture-filled revenge fantasy in the vain of Old Boy, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance and The Isle–yet this time with a sci-fi twist. And like 3-Iron, Arahan, JSA and a host … Continue reading
Bleak Night (2010) Review
Director: Yoon Sung-hyun Writer: Yoon Sung-hyun Cast: Lee Je-Hun, Seo Jun-Young, Park Jeong-Min, Jo Seong-Ha, Bae Jae-ki, Lee Cho-hee Running Time: 117 min. By HKFanatic Over the last decade, Korean cinema has made great strides into the Western market thanks to its tendency for big-budget commercial spectacle and ultra-violent revenge movies. “Bleak Night” is not one of those films. This nuanced and haunting story about three high school friends began … Continue reading
Doomsday Book (2012) Review
Director: Kim Ji-woon, Yim Pil-sung Writer: Kim Ji-woon, Yim Pil-sung Cast: Ryu Seung-beom, Kim Kang-woo, Song Sae-byok, Song Young-Chang, Kim Gyu-Ri Running Time: 115 min. By HKFanatic “Doomsday Book” is an occasionally awkward mish-mash of off-kilter comedy and big sci-fi ideas; its anthology format tells three stories in total. In development since 2006, the film represents a collaboration between two of South Korea’s most creative directors: “Hansel & Gretel’s” Yim … Continue reading
Posted in Korean, Reviews
Tagged Kim Jee-Woon (Kim Ji-woon), Ryoo Seung-bum, Yim Pil-sung
Thieves, The (2012) Review
Director: Choi Dong-hun Producer: Ahn Soo-hyun Cast: Yun-seok Kim, Lee Jung-jae, Kim Hye-soo, Jun Ji-Hyun, Simon Yam, Angelica Lee, Derek Tsang Running Time: 136 min. By HKFanatic The easy marketing spin for “The Thieves” was to label the film as Korea’s answer to “Ocean’s Eleven.” I suppose that means we can add the movie to the list of other Korean blockbusters, like “Quick” or “Sector 7,” that feel slightly derivative … Continue reading
Posted in Korean, Reviews
Tagged Angelica Lee, Choi Dong-hun, Jun Ji-Hyun (Gianna Jun), Kim Soo-Hyun, Kim Yun-Seok, Lee Jung-jae, Simon Yam
Friend | aka Chingoo (2001) Review
Director: Kwak Kyung-Taek Writer: Kwak Kyung-Taek Cast: Yoo Oh-Sung, Chang Dong-Gun, Suh Tae-Hwa, Jung Woon-Taek, Kim Bo-Kyung Running Time: 113 min By Dragon Ma I’ve always wondered about what it means to be a true friend, a brother even. In this film, the director paints a portrait of four friends who thought they would remain friends forever. The plot is mainly the story of four young boys who grow up … Continue reading
Bedevilled (2010) Review
Director: Jang Chul-Soo Writer: Choi Kwang-young Cast: Seo Young-hee, Ji Seong-won, Park Jeong-hak, Baek Su-ryun, Lee Ji-Eun, Je-Min Running Time: 115 min. By HKFanatic Well Go USA’s cover art for “Bedevilled” features a quote proclaiming ‘A must-see for anyone brave enough!’ For once, the implication that viewers must steel their nerves for a movie is not empty hype. This 2010 Korean revenge film might just become the next litmus test … Continue reading
R2B: Return to Base (2012) Review
AKA: Back Eagle Director: Kim Dong-Won Writer: Ahn Sang-Hun, Kim Dong-Won Producer: Jang Tae-Gon, Kim Dong-Won Cast: Rain, Yu Jun-Sang, Shin Se-Kyung, Kim Sung-Soo, Lee Ha-Na, Lee Jong-Seok, Jeong Kyung-Ho, Baek Bong-Gi Running Time: 113 min. By HKFanatic Western audiences will most likely recognize actor Rain from Hollywood movies like “Speed Racer” and “Ninja Assassin.” But in his native South Korea, Rain is a bonafied superstar thanks to his pop … Continue reading
Quick (2011) Review
Director: Jo Beom-goo Writer: Park Su-jin Producer: Lee Sang-yong, Yun Je-gyun Cast: Lee Min-ki, Kang Ye-won, Kim In-kwon, Ko Chang-seok, Ju Jin-mo, Xu Fan, Yoon Je-kyoon Running Time: 115 min. By HKFanatic 2011’s “Quick” has frequently been billed as a Korean take on “The Fast and the Furious.” Truth be told, it’s more of a contemporary update on “Speed” – with Korean biker gangs thrown in for good measure – … Continue reading
Phantom: The Submarine (1999) Review
Director: Min Byeong-Cheon Cast: Choi Min-Su, Jeong Wu-Seong, Yun Ju-Sang, Son Byeong-Ho, Go Dong-Up, Han Ban-Do, Park Gil-Su, Seol Gyeong-Gu, Jeong Eun-Pyo Running Time: 110 min. By Equinox21 Well, Crimson Tide this ain’t. Phantom: The Submarine and Crimson Tide have very similar plots, with obvious major differences between them. They both take place on nuclear submarines where the Captain attempts to launch nuclear missiles. In Crimson Tide there’s good motivation … Continue reading
Sector 7 (2011) Review
Director: Kim Ji-Hun Cast: Ha Ji-Won, Ahn Seong-Gi, Oh Ji-Ho, Lee Han-Wi, Park Cheol-Min, Song Sae-Byuk, Cha Ye-Ryeon, Park Jeong-Hak, Park Young-Soo Running Time: 112 min. By HKFanatic “Sector 7” is the latest film penned by Yun Je-Gyun, the screenwriter behind 2009’s “Tidal Wave,” and if you’ve seen that Korean disaster epic you can probably predict the biggest problem with “Sector 7”: the pacing. “Tidal Wave” spent over an hour … Continue reading
Helpless (2011) Review
Director: Byun Young-Joo Cast: Lee Seon-Gyun, Kim Min-Hee, Jo Seong-Ha, Kim Byul, Choi Deok-Mun, Lee Hee-Jun, Kim Min-Jae, Kim Tae-In, Choi Il-Hwa, Bae Min-Hee, Park Sang-Woo Running Time: 117 min. By HKFanatic “Helpless” is the latest in a string of recent Korean films based on Japanese novels (see also: “Howling,” “White Night”). The source material here is a book by Miyabe Miyuki, who is known in Japan as the Queen … Continue reading
Tell Me Something (1999) Review
Director: Chang Yoon-hyun Cast: Han Seok-Kyu, Shim Eun-Ha, Ahn Suk-Hwan, Yu Jun-Sang, Jang Hang-Seon, Yum Jung-Ah, Kim Jung-Hak, Lee Dae-Ro, Maeng Bong-Hak, Kim Yong-Han Running Time: 116 min. By Numskull Tell ME something… why ruin a perfectly good suspense thriller with one of the most repetitive, redundant, unnecessary, and repetitive final shots in motion picture history? Perfectly good story, perfectly good ending, and they fuck it up with this really … Continue reading
Memento Mori | aka Whispering Corridors 2 (1999) Review
Director: Kim Tae-Yong Co-director: Min Kyu-Dong Cast: Park Ye Jin, Kim Gyu Ri, Lee Young Jin, Kim Jae In, Lee Eon Jung, Baek Jong Hak Running Time: 97 min. By Numskull I watched this noted Korean film for free (thanks, Netflix!) in glorious pan & scan (NO thanks, Mei Ah!). And I don’t regret it. Watched it twice, I did. Damn good movie. But…”masterpiece”? I dunno about that. The setting … Continue reading
I Saw the Devil (2010) Review
Director: Kim Ji-woon Writer: Park Hoon-jung Cast: Lee Byung-Hun, Choi Min-Sik, Jeon Guk-Hwan, Cheon Ho-Jin, Oh San-Ha, Kim Yun-Seo, Choi Mu-Seong, Kim In-Seo, Jo Deok-Je, Han Cheol-Woo Running Time: 114 min. By JJ Hatfield I Saw The Devil is a stunning masterpiece of the macabre. A terrifying tale of horrific deeds done for sickening psychotic pleasures and unimaginable acts carried out for a promised justice. In the dark of night … Continue reading
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