Category Archives: Korean

Geochilmaru: The Showdown (2005) Review

Director: Kim Jin-sung Cast: Jang Tae-sik, Sung Hong-il, Kwon Min-gi, Yu Rang-rae, Hong Seung-hun, Mi-jeong Oh Running Time: 86 min.  By Paul Bramhall My memory of Geochilmaru – The Showdown being released in 2005 is one of it being dragged over the coals in almost every review it received. Now, with the benefit of hindsight 18 years later, I would theorise there are a couple of contributing factors to the … Continue reading

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Jung_E (2023) Review

Director: Yeon Sang-Ho Cast: Kang Soo-Yeon, Kim Hyun-Joo, Ryoo Kyung-Soo, Lee Dong-Hee, Uhm Ji-Won, Han Woo-Yul, Yun Ki-Chang, Lee Ga-Kyung, Ki Hwan Cha Hee Running Time: 100 min. By Paul Bramhall Watching the journey of director and screenwriter Yeon Sang-ho has been an interesting one. Originally making a name for himself through animated features like King of Pigs and The Fake, stories which were grounded in reality and tackled a … Continue reading

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Kingmaker (2022) Review

Director: Byun Sung-Hyun Cast: Sol Kyung-Gu, Lee Sun-Kyun, Yoo Jae-Myung, Jo Woo-Jin, Park In-Hwan, Lee Hae-Young, Kim Sung-Oh, Jeon Bae-Su, Seo Eun-Su, Kim Jong-Soo Running Time: 123 min. By Paul Bramhall Most Korean audiences will be familiar with the name Kim Dae-jung, the former president who held office between 1998 and 2003. The culmination of a career in politics spanning over 40 years, Dae-jung had led an eventful life. He … Continue reading

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Decision to Leave (2022) Review

Director: Park Chan-wook Cast: Park Hae-il, Tang Wei, Lee Jung-hyun, Park Yong-Woo, Ko Kyoung-Pyo, Kim Shin-Young, Yoo Seung-Mok, Park Jung-Min, Seo Hyun-Woo, Lee Hak-Joo Running Time: 138 min. By Paul Bramhall Take a look at the filmography of director Park Chan-wook and it’s almost impossible to pin him down to any one genre. Whether he’s dealing with a murder mystery in the JSA, the quest for vengeance after being held … Continue reading

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Medium, The (2021) Review

Director: Banjong Pisanthanakun Cast: Sawanee Utoomma, Narilya Gulmongkolpech, Sirani Yankittikan, Boonsong Nakphoo Running Time: 130 min.  By Paul Bramhall Any fan of cinema has certain names they follow regardless of the genre they work in, and for me South Korean director Na Hong-jin is one of them. Since arriving on the scene with the 2008 serial killer thriller The Chaser, Hong-jin hasn’t exactly been prolific. He’d stay in thriller territory … Continue reading

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Alienoid (2022) Review

Director: Choi Dong-hun Cast: Ryoo Joon-Yeol, Kim Woo-Bin, Kim Tae-Ri, So Ji-Sub, Yum Jung-Ah, Jo Woo-Jin, Shin Jung-Keun, Lee Si-Hoon, Choi Yoo-Ri, Kim Eui-Sung, Lee Ha-Nee Running Time: 142 min. By Paul Bramhall It’s been 18 years since director Choi Dong-hoon made his debut in 2004 with the entertaining caper flick The Big Swindle, a movie which announced the arrival of arguably Korea’s most entertaining commercial director. For rest of … Continue reading

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Project Wolf Hunting (2022) Review

Director: Kim Hong-Sun Cast: Seo In-Guk, Jang Dong-Yoon, Sung Dong-Il, Park Ho-San, Jung So-Min, Ko Chang-Seok, Jang Young-Nam, Choi Gwi-Hwa, Son Jong-Hak Running Time: 121 min. By Paul Bramhall When it comes to cinema the concept of using one location for a narrative to play out in always produces intriguing results, usually lending itself particularly well to the action and horror genres. From the building that the SWAT team needs … Continue reading

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My Wife Is a Gangster 3 (2006) Review

Director: Jo Jin Gyu Cast: Shu Qi, Lee Beom-Soo, Hyun Young, Oh Ji-Ho, Choi Min-Soo, Jo Hee-Bong, Ti Lung, Lee Ki-Yong, Ken Lo, Kim Byung-Choon, Kim Yang-Woo, Ji Dae-Han Running Time: 114 min.  By Paul Bramhall During the early – mid 2000’s Korean cinema felt like it was re-discovering itself, with some of its most popular titles earning the period the moniker of the Korean Wave, as the peninsulas output began … Continue reading

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Seoul Vibe (2022) Review

Director: Moon Hyun-Sung Cast: Yoo Ah-In, Ko Gyung-Pyo, Lee Kyu-Hyung, Park Ju-Hyun, Ong Seong-Wu, Moon So-Ri, Kim Sung-Kyun, Kim Chae-Eun, Baek Hyun-Jin, Eom Ji-Man Running Time: 138 min. By Paul Bramhall There must be something in the Korean air at the moment with setting movies in the lead up to the Olympics. While the 2020 gangster movie Paid in Blood set itself directly in the lead up to the 2018 … Continue reading

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Libera Me (2000) Review

Director: Yang Yun-Ho Cast: Choi Min-Soo, Cha Seung-Won, Yoo Ji-Tae, Kim Gyu-Ri, Park Sang-Myeon, Lee Ho-Jae, Jung Joon, Heo Jun-Ho, Jeong Ae-Ri, Kim Soo-Ro, Park Ga-Ryeong Running Time: 119 min. By Paul Bramhall Korean cinema was in an interesting place at the turn of the millennium. The 90’s was a tricky decade for the film industry, it’s first one as a democracy, and initially the outlook didn’t look promising for … Continue reading

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Steel Rain 2: Summit (2020) Review

Director: Yang Woo-Seok Cast: Jung Woo-Sung, Kwak Do-Won, Yoo Yeon-Seok, Shin Jung-Keun, Kim Wang-Do, Ryu Soo-Young, Angus Macfadyen, John D. Michaels, Yook Hyo-Myung Running Time: 131 min. By Paul Bramhall In 2017 director Yang Woo-seok helmed Steel Rain, an adaptation of his own web comic of the same name that saw Jung Woo-sung and Kwak Do-won thrown together from opposing sides of the Korean peninsula in an attempt to prevent … Continue reading

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Emergency Declaration (2022) Review

Director: Han Jae-Rim Cast: Song Kang-Ho, Lee Byung-Hun, Jeon Do-Yeon, Kim Nam-Gil, Im Si-Wan, Kim So-Jin, Park Hae-Joon, Kim Bo-Min, Hyun Bong-Sik, Seol In-A, Lee Yeol-Eum Running Time: 141 min. By Paul Bramhall  The disaster movie has become something of a regular fixture in Korean cinema over the last 15 years. We’ve had colossal tidal waves in 2009’s Haeundae, towering infernos in 2012’s The Tower, nuclear meltdowns in 2016’s Pandora, … Continue reading

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Carter (2022) Review

Director: Jeong Byeong-gil Cast: Joo Won, Lee Sung-Jae, Jung So-Ri, Kang Yoo-Ra, Camilla Belle, Mike Colter, Yeo Dae-Hyun, Shin Woo-Hee, Kim Won-Jung, Lee Ye-Joon, Jung Jae-Young Running Time: 133 min. By Paul Bramhall When it comes to modern day action cinema the influence of the John Wick aesthetic is undeniable, defined by its stripped-down approach to killing, and imbued with a kinetic energy and sense of immediacy that’s become the … Continue reading

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Special Delivery (2022) Review

Director: Park Dae-Min Cast: Park So-Dam, Song Sae-Byeok, Kim Eui-Sung, Jeong Hyun-Jun, Yum Hye-Ran, Han Hyun-Min, Heo Dong-Won, Yeon Woo-Jin, Baek Do-Gyum Running Time: 108 min. By Paul Bramhall  Following in the footsteps of Jason Statham in The Transporter series, in Special Delivery Park So-dam continues the fine cinematic tradition of playing a character who transports “anything that regular post carriers can’t.” Like its predecessors, Special Delivery frames itself as … Continue reading

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Witch: Part 2. The Other One, The (2022) Review

"The Witch: Part 2. The Other One" Theatrical Poster

Director: Park Hoon-Jung Cast: Shin Shi-A, Park Eun-Bin, Seo Eun-Su, Jin Goo, Sung Yoo-Bin, Lee Jong-Suk, Jo Min-Soo Running Time: 137 min. By Paul Bramhall At the end of my review for 2018’s The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion, I finished up by saying “If we do get another round of witchery, here’s hoping Hoon-jung go’s for a less is more approach, with more focus on being lean and mean, … Continue reading

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