“Night in Paradise” Korean Theatrical Poster
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 came before. However one man who seems determined to keep the chopper wielding, steel bat brandishing, punch in the face aesthetic of the genre alive is director and screenwriter Park Hoon-jung. After scripting a double-dose of gritty machismo in 2010 with Kim Ji-woon’s I Saw the Devil and Ryoo Seung-wan’s The Unjust, the same year he also tried his hand at directing with the period actioner The Showdown. It was his 2012 sophomore directorial feature The New World in which he really came into his own though, a hardboiled gangster tale steeped in violence, and anchored by the powerhouse trio of Lee Jung-jae, Choi Min-sik, and Hwang Jung-min.
Since his 2010 debut Hoon-jung has consistently released a movie every couple of years, an accomplishment no other mainstream Korean director currently working can lay claim to. In 2015 he returned to a period setting by reuniting with Choi Min-sik for Tiger: An Old Hunter’s Tale, in 2016 he helmed the serial killer thriller V.I.P., and perhaps most ambitiously, mixed elements of superhero sci-fi and teenage drama with 2018’s The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion. In 2021 he returns to the genre which gave him his biggest hit, and arguably the one he’s most comfortable in, with Night in Paradise.
In fact Hoon-jung is going for another genre blending exercise with his latest, this time taking the straight-up no-nonsense gangster genre, and mixing in that uniquely Korean genre – the terminal illness melodrama. In the lead role as the loyal righthand man of a gang boss is the gravelly voiced Um Tae-goo (The Great Battle, Coin Locker Girl). The gang Tae-goo is a part of seems to be the weaker in a brewing battle against a more ruthless rival faction, who themselves are keen to bring him over to their side. However Tae-goo’s biggest concern is his terminally ill sister and her young daughter, who he has an obvious soft spot before and is determined to find a transplant to save, having found out he isn’t a compatible donor. His determination tragically doesn’t last long when both are killed in a car crash, which draws immediate suspicions of it being the rival gangs doing, sending Tae-goo on a bloody warpath.
The above description may sound like a lean and mean gangster flick, however all of this happens before the title card has even appeared onscreen. Like most of Hoon-jung’s productions (and some may argue Korean cinema in general), Night in Paradise comes with a hefty 130-minute runtime, and the events mentioned are only the catalyst for the main plot. Having attempted to kill the rival gang boss in a blood-soaked bathhouse sequence, Tae-goo is sent to Jeju Island to lay low for a week before continuing on to Vladivostok in Russia. His boss (Park Ho-san – The Call, Derailed) arranges for him to be put up with a former associate (Lee Ki-young – Soo, A Bittersweet Life) who’s running a gun trafficking operation under the guise of a peaceful farm, and his adopted daughter (Jeon Yeo-bin – Secret Zoo, After My Death). Of course, trouble follows, and Tae-goo’s attempt to lay low for a week lasts as long as the title suggests.
The plot of Night in Paradise asks us to accept some glaringly large contrivances. The aloof Yeo-bin turns out to also be suffering from a terminal illness, and her favorite meal happens to be the same one that Tae-goo had planned to take his sister and niece to eat on the day they were killed. As an attempt at building an emotional connection between the pair it fails miserably, purely because of how lazy it feels, but thankfully their relationship works in other ways due to the decision to keep it platonic rather than a doomed romance. This genre blending is what leads to the 2 distinct plot threads that make up Night in Paradise. On the one hand we have Tae-goo and Yeo-bin developing an almost reluctant friendship, based on their shared concern of how long they have to live, and on the other we have the rival gangs on the mainland, with the second-in-charge of the boss Tae-goo attempted to murder looking to seek revenge.
Playing the second-in-charge is Cha Seung-won (Man on High Heels, Blades of Blood), clocking in an entertaining role where he seems to be riffing on a similar character he played in Believer, where he was credited as a special appearance. The ruthlessness of Seung-won’s character proves to be no match for Park Ho-san’s weak-willed gang boss, who it increasingly becomes clear will sell anyone out if it means saving his own skin. The 2 plot threads eventually come together when Seung-won, Ho-san, and a small army of sharp suit attired gangsters hop on a plane to Jeju to hunt down Tae-goo. Plenty of hacking, slashing, and blunt force trauma to the face ensue.
Hoon-jung’s latest invariably feels like a greatest hits of many of the gangster classics that came before it. Tae-goo’s demeanour and appearance feel like they owe a nod to Jo In-sung’s similar character from A Dirty Carnival, Yoo Ha’s 2006 take on the genre. The involvement of the Russian mafia feels reminiscent of similar scenes in Kim Jee-woon’s A Bittersweet Life (also from 2006), and indeed the whole concept of a gangster being sent to a peaceful island to lay low for a while evokes the plot of Takeshi Kitano’s 1993 classic Sonatine. The gift that Hoon-jung has is that none of these similarities feel derogative in any way, and the sense of familiarity is a welcome one rather than a distraction. In one scene that has Tae-goo frantically fighting off multiple attackers, Hoon-jung entertainingly pays homage to himself, by having Tae-goo spit out the same line that Hwang Jung-min barks at his attackers in The New World’s carpark battle.
What could be construed as being a negative is the inevitability of where Night in Paradise is headed. While I wouldn’t use the word predictable, and certainly wouldn’t call it a spoiler, from the moment Tae-goo is told to head to Vladivostok after spending the week in Jeju, it feels like foreshadowing in great big massive letters that we know he’ll never make it beyond Korean shores. What may come as a surprise is just how far the plot is willing to go when it comes to sending characters to meet their maker. Night in Paradise almost rivals Asura: City of Madness for its blatant disregard to have any character reach the end credits in any kind of respectable state, with many scenes in the final stretch ending with a gratuitous amount of blood spilled (and sprayed) everywhere.
It’s also true that not every aspect of Night in Paradise necessarily connects as it feels it probably should. The slow burn friendship between Tae-goo and Yeo-bin works well before its introduced into the context of the wider narrative involving the gangsters, however once it becomes an important part of the plot, their relationship simply doesn’t feel meaningful enough to fully buy-in to some of the decisions made. This is particularly true for the scene which concludes a steadily escalating number of conflicts that take place in the final third, culminating in a visit to a seafood restaurant. It’s satisfyingly bloody and doesn’t take any prisoners, but it also doesn’t come with the expected feeling of catharsis which is what it really needed.
Similar to both Tazza: One Eyed Jack and The Divine Move 2: The Wrathful, Night in Paradise feels like it could have easily been made 15 years earlier, when gangster movies felt more unwilling to compromise and gritty than they do today. Park Hoon-jung continues to be a director who knows how to crank up the violence to ridiculous levels, he just needs to tighten up his narratives and could be considered one of the best directors working today. As it is, thanks to the performances from the likes of Um Tae-goo and Cha Seung-won, combined with the cinematography of Jeju Island offering up a distinctly different landscape for a gangster flick to play out in, Night in Paradise is still recommended viewing.
Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 6/10
Ok so where do I start ? :thinking: There’s a LOT to like here, unlike Park Jung Hoon’s last effort in the action crime genre “V.I.P.”. He actually gives us characters we can identify with more easily and relate to on a human level, there’s also less interest in exploring political consequences of the plot and more of an emphasis on human drama and character relationships, which again, only bolsters the emotional attachment for the viewer. Putting this in action chat is rather inaccurate for this film, as despite there being several lengthy action sequences over the 2+ hour runtime, I would refrain from calling this an all out actioner (much like to be honest many other Korean action films) “Night in Paradise” is more of a character study, with elements of neo-noir crime thrills and action. That’s a GOOD thing, as NIP’s clever and measured use of action and violence (and violence here, when it comes, is very, very brutal and intense) serves to move the story forward and erupts as a result of characters’ having exhausted any/every other option for resolving their conflicts.
What’s more engrossing from a narrative perspective in the film is the central relationship between Tae-Goo and Jae-Yeon, their characters are similar in many ways, in that they’ve both lost/are losing their will to live, failing to see the beauty in life or what it can offer(this is contrasted beautifully by the location of Jeju Island, where the gorgeous scenery is at odds with the bleak outlook of its main characters). Both have good reasons too, being at the end of life and on the verge of death, just in different ways. For Tae-Goo, the impending death sentence is external, a consequence of his actions and as we later find out… his misjudgment. For Jae-Yeon, it’s something more internal, something she had no choice over and can’t fight. Yet despite the circumstances and the depressed tone, these two manage to gleam moments of genuine sympathy and real connection.
Something that goes beyond just basic gender attraction and into something deeper and more meaningful. The interactions are all fantastically written and I was taken aback sometimes by the degree of softness, compassion and even humor Jung Hoon wrote his characters with, despite the violent nature of their lives as well as the savage brutality each of them eventually unleash. A lot of the praise has to go to the cast too, with Park Tae-Goo and Jeon Yeo-Been playing their roles brilliantly, there’s a lot of subtlety and nuance to their performances and by the end of the film, the best possible thing happens that many films of this ilk forget about, these characters CHANGE, they’ve started out one way, with a strong core of beliefs and a particular worldview and by the end they’ve changed completely, having found a reason to hold onto and even fight for life despite knowing their impending doom. It’s each-other that keeps them going and it’s the kind of romance that isn’t shoe-horned in or forced in any way(there’s no kiss scenes, and a cold, careless invitation for intimacy by Jae-Yeon is coldly rejected by Tae-Goo who seeks more from her than just sex, which I thought was not only appropriate for character but also quite original). Other performances include Cha-Seung Won CHEWING UP scenery as a rival mob boss after Tae-Goo for revenge, but having a moral compass and a sense of honor that his subordinate Park-Ho San stands in stark contrast to, initially starting out as a empathetic mob boss looking after his own and gradually being greedier, more desperate and ultimately more deceitful. Cha-Seung Won in particular just spews menace in nearly every scene he’s in, going the extra mile with violence but being equally as destructive with words and always staying true to his word. He’s really the perfect villain for Tae-Goo’s character and their interactions in the film are some of my favorite scenes.
Lastly I can not NOT mention the cinematography in this film which is just so full of visually spectacular frames and compositions, that nearly every shot on Jeju Island is a postcard-worthy tourist advertisement for the location irl. The camerawork is sleek and efficient, eschewing shaky camera and over-the-top experimental shots for more classically-composed, steady shots that feel meticulously planned out and choreographed which extends into the film’s few but nonetheless, exciting action sequences that get the blood pumping: including an opening fight in Sauna that makes you well, not go to the sauna anymore lol. A brilliant foot chase in an airport that escalates into an equally brilliant car chase and a finale that racks up so many bodies and spent shell-casings that John Wick would look at it and go: 0_0
Is the film perfect ? No, there are some pacing issues particularly towards the second act of the film, where some scenes are elongated for no other reason but to lengthen the runtime (at least they seemed like it to me upon first viewing) there’s some bizarre editing around a particular inciting incident for the main character I won’t spoil, I’ll just say, it’s a scene you’ve seen many times before as setup in this kind of film, but the way they’ve shot and edited it was rather bizarre and ultimately was the only creatively different choice in this film that I wish was helmed more traditionally as it kind of detaches some of the emotional impact and dampens the fallout of that scene, though then again (and I’ve been thinking hard about this) the way it IS helmed isn’t exactly out of line with the rest of the film’s tone or visual style, soooooo *Shrugs*. Some smaller side characters that you initially think are gonna have bigger part to play get sidelined really quickly or worse yet, are brought up towards the very end in a very forgettable way, but besides those issues, “Night in Paradise” is another strong genre outing from Korean cinema, can’t fault it.
Andrew you’ve been holding out on us, you’re a Korean cinema fan as well as a devoted Scott Adkins follower? 🙂 Thanks for sharing your thoughts as always! Completely agree about Cha Seung-won’s scenery chewing, it’s funny because I wished his similar role in ‘Believer’ was bigger, and it kind of feels like Hoon-jung felt the same way. I wonder if he always had Seung-won in mind to play the character, because for me it’s definitely one of his most enjoyable roles (although nothing will beat his turn in ‘‘Man on High Heels’!).
Completely agree with you on the Jeju Island location! On a selfish note it’s one of my favorite places and where I spent my honeymoon, but being more subjective, it was great to see it being put to use in Korean cinema once more. In recent years it’s been relegated to being used as the backdrop for Mainland China targeted co-productions like the abysmal ‘Bounty Hunters’ and ‘Bad Guys Always Die’, where its setting almost feels like a tourism video (not dissimilar to how a lot of the Thailand shot Shaw Brothers productions in the 70’s felt like travelogues!). ‘Night in Paradise’ shows how it should be used!
OMG DUDE I forget he’s the main character in Man on High Heels, he’s so different in that film, both appearance wise and personality, shows how much range he’s got as an actor and yeah I wish “Believer” in general was better, it’s definitely not as good of a Korean remake of a Chinese property as “Cold Eyes” was to “Eye in the Sky”.
Also Paul not exactly Asian cinema but really interested in hearing your thought on 87eleven’s new action movie “Nobody” with Bob Odenkirk 0_0 it’s dropping on VOD April 16th and would love to hear what you think of it !
I confess I’m on the fence about checking out ‘Nobody’, as I’ve had a severe allergy to anything featuring Alain Moussi since watching ‘Kickboxer: Retaliation’ a few years ago, and I keep on seeing his face in the trailer. Hopefully there’s an antihistamine out there that could help me out.
xD having seen it, he’s not in it much, only that one scene on the bus from the trailer and I’ve gotta say, for the short time he’s there, he’s actually really good in the role and performs very well during the action, yes it helps that he was working with the 87eleven stunt team and an actual, talented director for a change, but still, he’s actually pretty good in it, but he’s only in it for 4-5 mins.
Your wish is granted! –
https://cityonfire.com/nobody-2021-review-bob-odenkirk-ilya-naishuller-action-movie/
I just finished watching this film and agree whole-heartedly with your review, Paul, although I think I might bump my rating up to 6.5 or 7/10 if I’m feeling generous. After Park Hoon-jung recently expanded his canvas into historical epics (“The Tiger: An Old Hunter’s Tale”) and psychic teen sci-fi (“The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion”), his return to gangland material can’t help but feel a bit overly familiar, especially since “Night in Paradise” does feel so indebted to many of the movies you mentioned, particularly “A Bittersweet Life.” But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t find this film’s ultra-bloody denouement to be absolutely cathartic.
Bear in mind, I’m one of the weirdos who thinks “The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion” might be Park Hoon-jung’s best movie, even if the title is unwieldy as hell.
Having finally watched Night in Paradise, I have to say it was an immersive movie. I can’t rank it up with my favorite Korean movies, but it does deliver most of the goods. I agree that the chemistry between the leads was great and it was a change to see a reluctant friendship play out instead of a romantic one.
Have you seen the 2019 Korean film, The Beast? If not, it’s a remake of the 2004 French film, 36. (Also known as Department 36, 36th Precinct, and 36 Quai des Orfèvres.) I enjoy the French film and am curious to see the Korean take on it.
I haven’t seen ‘The Beast’ yet! To be honest I’ve started avoiding Korean remakes of European movies because I tend to find they miss the element which make me a fan of Korean cinema in the first place. ‘The Target’ (a remake of the 2010 French flick ‘Point Blank’) , ‘The Vanished’ (a remake of the 2012 Spanish flick ‘The Body’), and ‘Door Lock’ (a remake of the 2011 Spanish flick ‘Sleep Tight’) all missed the mark for me, so I’m not confident that ‘The Beast’ will buck the trend!
That certainly is interesting. I figured if Korea could succeed in remaking Chinese films, they could do the same with European. Although from what I’ve read about The Beast, it looks like it strays a bit from the source material.
Hello Paul. I tried not to watch it, but the itch was killing me and I ended up buying The Beast from yesasia.com. Personally, I found it to be a very strong movie, and it managed to put a good twist on the original 36 while being its own film.
Maybe you might have a different take, but it was a good blend of police procedural, serial killer thriller, and morality tale.
If a movie gets the Hernandez Stamp of Approval (with the exception of ‘Dragon Squad’!), then I’ll definitely be willing to check it out! Thanks for sharing your thoughts as always Andrew!
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