Tag Archives: Choi Min-sik

Exhuma (2024) Review

March 15, 2024 Paul Bramhall

Director: Jang Jae-Hyon Cast: Choi Min-sik, Yoo Hae-jin, Kim Go-eun, Lee Do-hyun, Jeon Jin-Ki, Kim Jae-cheol, Hong Seo-jun Running Time: 134 min. By Paul Bramhall While many directors in the Korean film industry tend to gravitate between different genres, there’s something admirable about how director and writer Jang Jae-hyeon has carved out a niche for himself helming supernatural horror mysteries. After making his feature length debut with The Priests in … Continue reading →

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Heart Blackened (2017) Review

July 27, 2018 Paul Bramhall
"Heart Blackened" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Jeong Ji-woo Cast: Choi Min-Sik, Park Shin-Hye, Ryoo Joon-Yeol, Lee Honey, Park Hae-Joon, Lee Soo-Kyung Running Time: 125 min. By Paul Bramhall The current trend of Asian movies being remade within the region shows no signs of slowing down, with most recently China remaking the Korean movie A Hard Day into Peace Breaker, and Korea returning the favour by remaking Drug War into Believer. In Believer, Korean actor Choi … Continue reading →

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New World (2013) Review

December 22, 2017 Martin Sandison

Director: Park Hoon-jung Writer: Park Hoon-jung Cast: Lee Jung-jae, Choi Min-sik, Hwang Jung-min, Song Ji-hyo, Park Sung-woong, Kim Yoon-seong, Na Kwang-hoon, Park Seo-yeon, Choi Il-hwa Running Time: 134 min.  By Martin Sandison Filmmaker Park Hoon-jung has a limited filmography, but as the credited screenwriter on the all-time masterpiece I Saw the Devil, he started off his career very strongly. His 2nd film as director – following 2011’s The Showdown – is New World, an off-the-wall mix of gangster … Continue reading →

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Tiger: An Old Hunter’s Tale, The (2015) Review

December 31, 2015 Paul Bramhall

AKA: The Tiger Director: Park Hoon-Jung Cast: Choi Min-Sik, Jeong Man-Sik, Kim Sang-Ho, Sung Yoo-Bin, Ren Osugi, Jung Suk-Won, Ra Mi-Ran, Yoo Jae-Myung, Kim Hong-Fa, Woo Jung-Kook Running Time: 139 min. By Paul Bramhall In 2015 Korean history was a hot topic, mainly due to President Park Geun-hye’s hugely unpopular decision to replace all high school history text books, currently produced by private publishers, with anonymously written government-issued ones by … Continue reading →

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Admiral: Roaring Currents, The (2014) Review

April 23, 2015 Kelly Warner
"The Admiral: Roaring Currents" DVD Cover

AKA: Roaring Currents Director: Kim Han-min Cast: Choi Min-Sik, Ryu Seung-Ryong, Jo Jin-Woong, Kim Myung-Gon, Jin Gu, Lee Jung-Hyun, Kwon Yul, Ryohei Otani, Lee Seung-Jun, Kim Gang-Il, Jo Ha-Suk Running Time: 127 min. By Kelly Warner Admiral Yi Sun-shin is remembered as one of Korea’s greatest heroes. In the 1590s, Japan invaded Korea with the intention of conquering the country and expanding its empire. By 1597, the Japanese were winning … Continue reading →

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Lucy (2014) Review

August 15, 2014 Paul Bramhall
"Lucy" Chinese Theatrical Poster

Director: Luc Besson Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Morgan Freeman, Choi Min-sik, Amr Waked, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Pilou Asbæk, Analeigh Tipton, Nicolas Phongpheth, Jan Oliver Schroeder Running Time: 89 min. By Paul Bramhall Back in the 1990’s Luc Besson was considered to be in the top tier of action directors, infusing his movies like La Femme Nikita, Leon: The Professional, and The Fifth Element with a distinctive European style and intelligence, while also … Continue reading →

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I Saw the Devil (2010) Review

February 25, 2012 JJ Hatfield

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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Crying Fist (2005) Review

December 17, 2011 JJ Bona
"Crying Fist" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Ryoo Seung-wan Cast: Choi Min-Sik, Ryu Seung-Beom, Im Won-Hee, Cheon Ho-Jin, Seo Hye-Rin, Byeon Hee-Bong, Na Mun-Hee, Gi Ju-Bong, Kim Su-Hyeon, Lee Jun-Gu Running Time: 134 min. By Equinox21 The problem with most, if not virtually all, sports movies is that you can tell who is going to win the big “game” at the end. Not so with Ryu Seung-wan’s latest movie, Crying Fist. This is a movie focusing … Continue reading →

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Shiri | aka Swiri (1999) Review

August 16, 2011 JJ Bona
"Shiri" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Kang Je-Gyu Producer: Kang Je-Kyu Cast: Han Seok-Kyu, Song Kang-Ho, Choi Min-Shik, Kim Yun-Jin, Yun Ju-Sang, Park Yong-Woo Running Time: 125 min. By Numskull Normally, I hate it when people talk about movies “sending messages.” The blocs of suburban yuppie mommies (better known as “soccer moms”) that currently hold a disproportionately large amount of dominion over American life have hijacked the word “message” and imposed upon it a definition … Continue reading →

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Old Boy (2003) Review

February 1, 2011 JJ Bona
"Oldboy" Japanese Theatrical Poster

AKA: Oldboy Director: Park Chan-wook Cast: Choi Min-Sik, Yu Ji-Tae, Kang Hye-Jeong, Ji Dae-Han, Oh Dal-Su, Kim Byeong-Ok, Kim Su-Hyeon, Park Myeong-Sin, Lee Dae-Yeon, Yun Jin-Seo Running Time: 120 min. By Owlman Oldboy is one of those films that prove difficult to review. Not because it wasn’t entertaining (it very much was). Nor was the storyline and character development lacking (storyline was very engaging, character development was strong). No, it’s … Continue reading →

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Failan (2001) Review

January 13, 2011 JJ Bona
Failan | Blu-ray (Whole Grain Pictures)

Director: Song Hae-Seong Cast: Choi Min-Sik, Cecilia Cheung Pak-Chi, Kong Hyung-Jin, Jeong Dae-Hun, Son Byung-Ho, Hae-gon Kim, Ji Dae-Han, Kim Soo-Hyun, Kim Ji-Yeong Running Time: 116 min. By Klotera This is a very unique film. At a very general level, one would call it a drama. But, it is more like a character based gangster film put together with a romance film that has no romance. Yes, it sounds strange, … Continue reading →

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Quiet Family, The (1998) Review

January 4, 2011 JJ Bona
"The Quiet Family" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Kim Ji Woon Cast: Park In-Hwan, Na Moon-Hee, Choi Min-sik, Song Kang-ho, Go Ho-Kyung, Choi Cheol-ho Running Time: 105 mins. By Equinox21 Welcome to The Misty Inn Where guests check in, but they don’t check out! And, as the saying goes, the family that kills together stays together. The Quiet Family is a movie about a group of people who make such stupid decisions and are so dysfunctional you … Continue reading →

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Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005) Review

January 3, 2011 JJ Bona
"Sympathy for Lady Vengeance" Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Park Chan-wook Cast: Lee Young-Ae, Choi Min-Sik, Kwon Ye-Young, Kim Shi-Hoo, Oh Dal-Su, Lee Seung-Shin, Ko Su-Hee, Kim Byung-Ok, Ra Mi-Ran, Seo Young-Ju, Kim Bu-Seon Running Time: 112 min. By Mighty Peking Man Watching a Park Chan-Wook film is like listening to a new Radiohead album; at first, you’re not exactly sure what to think, but your initial reaction to the production is positive. To simply put it, a … Continue reading →

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