A Marvel-ous Superhero Journey: Hi-Five (2025) Review

Director: Kang Hyeong-cheol

Notable Cast: Yoo Ah-in,  Lee Jae-in, Ahn Jae-hong, Ra Mi-ran, Kim Hee-won, Oh Jung-se, Park Jin-young, Shin Goo

Before this review begins, I would like to express my admiration for Yoo Ah-in as a performer and my gratitude for his contributions to Korean cinema as a whole. I think he has made some of the most incredible performances the country has seen over the last decade, and I am beyond delighted to see him back on the screen once again. I will not get political here, but it is a shame to see him completely absent from the marketing of this film, and his lack of presence on even the poster is seen here. His character is absolutely hilarious, and he steals the show every time he is in frame, which thankfully, is quite often. With that out of the way, how is director Kang's latest comedic outing, this time being a superhero genre piece? It's absolutely fantastic, and I'm eager for everyone to see this one. If you love superhero movies in general and enjoy Kang's brand of extravagant humor, then this will be one you won't want to miss!

Money, Corruption, and Soju: Big Deal (2025) Review

 Director: Choi Yoon-jin

Notable Cast: Yoo Hae-jin, Lee Je-hoon, Son Hyun-joo, Byron Mann, Choi Young-jun, Kim Ki-hae

In 1997, a continent-wide financial crisis struck throughout Asia, eventually cutting deep into South Korea. Everyone was struggling to stay afloat, and even a company like Gukbo, the leading producer of Soju in the country, was quickly falling to the wayside. South Korea is one of the biggest consumers of alcohol in the world, so to see a company that is sort of at the heart of the average Korean adult's life taking a plummet... well money grubbers in the form of a global investment firm, step in to "help" the company out. The CFO and Financial Director at Gukbo is played by the great Yoo Hae-jin, one of the best cases of a character actor turned leading man in recent history, and the one pulling the strings at the investment company is played by the young and equally talented Lee Je-hoon. The two form a bond, and the complications of this last hurrah for Gukbo has dire consequences, and a rippling effect of money hungry individuals cause a great rift between the two parties involved, on a large scale, and down to a very personal, philosophical level.

His Name is Ahn Jung-geun: Harbin (2024) Review

Director: Woo Min-ho

Notable Cast: Hyun Bin, Park Jeong-min, Jeon Yeo-been, Jo Woo-jin, Lee Dong-wook

History is an infinite source of inspiration to the culture at large, shaping civilizations into what they are today; the influence of the past is something that shapes current-day mindsets the world over. South Korea has had a very tumultuous and challenging past like many other nations, and so it is no surprise that various mediums would look back to inspire their own telling of stories from yesteryear. Film is a massive avenue for retelling slices of history, and of course, just like the figureheads explored in these works or the very events being depicted within them, there always comes talks of propaganda or skewing facts to fit personal or political narratives. 

To say that a film, such as Harbin, is subject to finding itself outside of historians or politically fueled conversations from being had would be foolish, but to say that a film with a subject matter like this cannot be entertaining would also be to discredit a film as such. I went into this one with certain expectations, given that I am a huge fan of director Woo Min-ho and his previous works. In fact, his work prior to this, The Man Standing Next, also takes a piece of political history, albeit more modern than the events that unfolded in Harbin station that fateful day; suffice to say, director Woo has really become one who has a knack for telling these stories through cinema. So, how does this stack up to Woo Min-ho's previous works? Honestly, I think it fairs quite well, and of course, with these types of movies in general, I think the mileage will vary from person to person.

The Exorcism of Cha So-mi: Devils Stay (2024) Review

Director: Hyun Moon-Seop

Notable Cast: Park Shin-Yang, Lee Min-Ki, Lee Re

Within the last year or two, Korean cinema has seen a small boom of quality horror films, with the likes of Sleep, Metamorphosis, and even this year's standout in genre, Exhuma, all leaping to mind. Needless to say, quality fluctuates for the genre in South Korea, just as it does with any other country, but horror seems to be making a big comeback that we haven't seen from the region since the early 2000s, and I'm here for it. This year alone, I've seen quite a few Korean horror films, and I've enjoyed my time with each to varying degrees, but where does the latest religious-based themed horror Devils Stay land? Well, I'd say it is a good time, but it certainly has a bit of a bumpy presentation overall as a film, which I hope to express my thoughts on here.

The Fight for Freedom: Escape (2024) Review

Directed by Lee Jong-pil

Notable Cast: Lee Je-hoon, Koo Kyo-hwan, Hong Xa-bin, Seo Hyun-woo, Song Kang, Esom, Shin Hyun-ji, Lee Ho-jung, Jang Yo-hoon

"I'm going there to fail as much as I desire." - Lim Kyu-nam

Relations between North and South Korea have been explored via cinematic offerings for as long as the tensions began in real life. There have been many gems, some hidden and others praised universally, for the portrayal and explorations on-screen that highlight the intricacies and nuances between two very different countries and the powers that be, which ultimately shape how the citizens of each nation exist. If you want to see any films on this topic, you don't have to dig far. South Korea has been putting out titles for as long as I can remember, and a quick online search will give you an entire landscape of outings to explore. I will admit sometimes these films range in quality, and almost always, they have a very nationalistic leaning, which is to be expected to an extent, and Escape is no different in that regard. It sings its own praises quite loudly, but being a thrill ride that is meant to entertain first and foremost, this movie excels at delivering the goods. Escape is a taut thriller that keeps the tensions mounting to anxiety-inducing levels.

Bite Sized Frights: Tastes of Horror (2024) Review

Directors: Ahn Sang-hoon, Yoon Een-Kyoung, Kim Yong-gyun, Lim Dae-woong, Chae Yeo-jun

Notable Cast: Chang Seung-yeon, Oh Seung-hee, Jang Ye-eun, Shin Eun-soo, Kim Ho-jung, Kim Tae-hun, Jo Jae-yun, Yoon Hyun-min, Jang Gwang, Son Jina, Lee Joo-young, Kim Joo-ryong, Choi Su-im, Park Jin-a

 

In the final segment of Tastes of Horror, two young women face off in a perverse eating contest live online. Both are part of the mukbang movement, a live online show where people eat things for their viewers, and their online rivalry is taken to grotesque new heights by the end, resulting in abusive reveals that showcase the horrors beneath. It’s fitting that this final story in this South Korean horror anthology, titled “Gluttony,” would take a darkly humorous look at the horrors underneath the entertainment. If anything, “Gluttony” acts as a kind of thesis statement for the film, despite coming in at the end, and highlights its strengths. 

 

Directors in Focus: Kim Sung-soo | The Flu (2013)

Director: Kim Sung-soo

Notable Cast: Jang Hyuk, Soo Ae, Park Min-ha, Yoo Hai-jin, Ma Dong-seok, Lee Hee-jun, Cha In-pyo

Ten years after Director Kim made Please Teach Me English, he emerged from the shadows to unleash his most commercial effort to date, the disaster blockbuster, The Flu. Admittedly, this was around the time I had become introduced to the director; even though I had seen Beat quite a few years prior, I just was unaware of who he was and hadn't made the connection at this point in time. In his decade of absence from film, Kim dedicated his time to teaching more extensively at university to aspiring young visionaries. Still, the world definitely hankering for a comeback, and while stylistically, this may not be what the diehard fans of the esteemed director were waiting for, The Flu came out swinging at the box office, and was smashing success for the team. Regardless of the popularity or the anticipation of one of Korea's film giants returning to directing, how does the quality of this piece hold up? Upon revisiting this one, which I liked before, and living in a post-COVID world, let's just say how this all unfolds onscreen, I found it all the more harrowing and challenging to watch this go around.

Directors in Focus: Kim Sung-soo | Please Teach Me English (2003)

Director: Kim Sung-soo

Notable Cast: Lee Na-young, Jang Hyuk, Angela Kelly, Jeong Seok-yong, Na Moon-hee

From my understanding, Kim had gotten really deep into teaching film at University during this point in his career, and he made this film at that time. Why bring that up? I'm not sure. I think part of me is looking for a way to preface this write-up, knowing that the finished film is just not very good. Is Please Teach Me English a complete abomination to cinema? No, but it is certainly a stain on director Kim's otherwise pretty phenomenal filmography. People say even the greatest filmmakers can stumble, which is certainly the case here. While the film is fun and certainly doesn't take itself seriously whatsoever, it's this broad and over-the-top abrasive approach to the comedy that somehow both works in the film's favor and also as its very own downfall. This film certainly has garnered a fan base over the years and, in fact, was recently remastered and released on physical media once again in South Korea, so there is that. I will try my best to speak on the positive and negative aspects of this film, but I admit that I sometimes struggle to do so adequately, so bear with me.

Directors in Focus: Kim Sung-soo | Musa: The Warrior (2001)

 Director: Kim Sung-soo

Notable Cast: Jung Woo-sung, Zhang Ziyi, Ahn Sung-ki, Ju Jin-mo, Park Yong-woo, Park Jeong-hak, Jeong Seok-yong, Lee Du-il, Han Yeong-mok, Er Cha Huo, Yoo Hai-jin, Yu Rongguang, Song Jae-ho

Only those on journeys will see the dim roads that lead the way home.

After having crafted two of the most successful films in the '90s about the hot-blooded youth of Korean men, Kim took a surprise turn in the entering the 00s with something quite a bit different: A sprawling period of epic co-production between South Korea and China. In doing so, he created one of the most iconic sword-centric films of the era with the massively successful Musa: The Warrior (2001). He brought his muse Jung Woo-sung back on board to play Yeo-sol, the hero of the picture but also added Korean talents such as Ahn Sung-ki, Ju Jin-mo, and Yoo Hai-jin in one of his first iconic roles. In addition to the local talent, he casts Chinese screen giants Zhang Ziyi and even Yu Rongguang (of Iron Monkey fame). Needless to say, this film had a lot of attention on it from the moment it came out and it ended up gaining the hearts of many fans the world over. I remember seeing this in video stores when it came out when I was heavily into martial arts and wu xia films. Still, my passion for Korean cinema hadn't begun yet, and in fact, I don't believe I even realized its country of origin at that age, but I digress. The point is that this film was rising among hits such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon , and the two Zhang Yimou films that would follow this: Hero and House of Flying Daggers. I know these films are all Chinese productions and follow more traditional wu xia sensibilities. Musa was more grounded and would inspire local productions, such as Sword of the Moon , and set a trend with more realistic war-centered period pieces.

Grave Calling: Exhuma (2024) Review

 Director: Jang Jae-hyun

Notable Cast: Choi Min-sik, Kim Go-eun, Yoo Hai-jin, Lee Do-hyun, Kim Jae-chul, Kim Min-jun, Kim Byung-oh

"And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken" - Ecclesiastes 4:12

Horror films that deal with religious aspects have been around for decades, and I know titles are flooding to mind as you read this, so no need to name-drop anything. Faith and spirituality are truly remarkable and beautiful ways of life for many humans. Regardless of what you may or may not believe in, what awaits beyond death's door, with our understanding of this life, good or bad, can be exciting or terrifying. Since this is a spooky piece of cinema, as you can imagine, the supernatural forces that be aren't the friendliest lot around, and that is the very basis for Exhuma, the newest outing by acclaimed horror director Jang Jae-hyun, who previously won audiences over with his works Priests (2015) and Svaha: The Sixth Finger (2019). He continues his religion-themed horror here, this time delving into shamanism, among many other things, and what awaits the viewer embarking on this chilly and bloody adventure is a lot of thrills and a whole lot of pissed-off evil spirits.

Directors in Focus: Kim Sung-soo | City of the Rising Sun (1998)

Director: Kim Sung-soo

Notable Cast: Jung Woo-sung, Lee Jung-jae, Lee Beom-soo, Han Go-eun, Park Ji-hoon, Lee Ki-yeol, Park Sung-woong

In the late 90s, with the great success of Beat, Kim would follow up quickly, just a year later, with another Jung Woo-sung starring vehicle, titled City of the Rising Sun. What makes this title unique, among many other things, is that Jung co-starred alongside Lee Jung-jae, which would be a bromance that would blossom beyond the screen and hold up well over the years, as Jung and Lee have been friends ever since, and the two would end up directing their own films just in the past few years. Needless to say, they have a chemistry like no other, which is one of this work's very best elements. The two are simply electrifying together and light up the screen from start to finish. The style that Kim had been building up over the previous two directorial efforts would reach maximum impact here. This concoction of machismo, a bumping soundtrack, and visuals to the max make up a film that is certainly style over substance, but the style is oh so magical, and I cannot help but be enraptured by it all.

Directors in Focus: Kim Sung-soo | Beat (1997)

 Director: Kim Sung-soo

Notable Cast: Jung Woo-sung, Ko So-young, Yu Oh-seong, Kim Bu-seon, Im Chang-jung, Sa Hyeon-jin, Song Keum-sik

Just two short years after bursting on to the scene with Runaway, Kim found his real runaway hit with the 1995 tale of Korean delinquencies, a film that has become synonymous with both 90s youth and that of a very prolific career boom for one Jung Woo-sung, and that is the undeniable classic... Beat. It has become a piece of pop culture. I've seen it mentioned time and time again within various outlets of Korean television, so there's no denying its place within the streamline of cinema that was beginning to bubble up at the end of the decade, just on the cusp of the explosion of international success that would come the country's way shortly after. A re-release of both this film and City of the Rising Sun are happening in March of this year, so hoping to see both of these works be back in the spotlight again.

Directors in Focus: Kim Sung-soo | Runaway (1995) Review

Directed by: Kim Sung-soo

Notable Cast: Lee Byung-hun, Kim Eun-jeong, Jang Se-jin, Lee Kyung-young

In 1993, a budding filmmaker named Kim Sung-soo was met with critical acclaim with his short 18 minute film, Dead End, which quickly thrust him into the world of feature filmmaking and a two short years later, in '95, he debuted with Runaway, which features Lee Byung-hun in one of his very first roles, and features among other things, a sweeping jazz score, lots of blue lighting, sweaty (comically so) scenes of eroticism, and of course, a whole lot of 90s culture. The plot is also as of the era as imaginable. A video game designer (Lee) hooks up with an artist (Kim), and the two have a good time together one night, but as their steamy night comes to a close, the heat picks back up when a murder is witnessed just outside of Kim's apartment window. Seemingly out of nowhere, the two find themselves pulled into a game of cat-and-mouse as they begin to be hunted down by the group of murderers.

Directors in Focus: Yoon Jong-bin | Narco-Saints (2022) Review

Director: Yoon Jong-bin

Notable Cast: Ha Jung-woo, Hwang Jung-min, Park Hae-soo, Jo Woo-jin, Yoo Yeon-seok, Chang Chen, Choo Ja-hyun, Kim Min-gwi, Hyun Bong-sik, Lee Beong-ryeon

Episodes: 6

Coming to the end of my journey with director Yoon Jong-bin, I took a journey with his most recent project, his first foray into television, with the Netflix original limited series, Narco-Saints, based on true events about a man who happens upon a fish-selling scheme that he falls victim to, which ends up being a "laced" situation. Unaware of what was in the fish he had traveled from South Korea to Suriname to gather and sell for profit, Kang In-gu (Ha Jung-woo) finds himself working for the NIS when it is brought to his attention that a powerful drug lord, a local pastor named Jeon (Hwang Jung-min), screwed over his life. Hellbent on getting revenge and a boatload of promised cash in the process, In-gu agrees to help the agent that approaches him, and thus a journey of drugs, bloodshed, and a little worship for good measure ensues.

Directors in Focus: Yoon Jong-bin | The Spy Gone North (2018) Review

Director: Yoon Jong-bin

Notable Cast: Hwang Jung-bin, Lee Sung-min, Cho Jin-woong, Ju Ji-hoon, Jung So-ri, Kim Hong-pa, Gi Ju-bong

Set in the year 1993, a man named Heuk Geum-seong is sort of pulled against his will into becoming a spy for South Korea. He goes by the codename Black Venus and is posing as a businessman selling Chinese products in Beijing, snowballing into linking up with the North Korean government in hopes of acquiring intel on North Korea, Kim Jong-il, and digging into the state of their nuclear weapons and seeing just how powerful the hidden country may be. This is based on a true story, and of course, with any film of this nature, there will always be details altered for dramatization purposes, but with this end result in the form of The Spy Gone North, what we have is a powerfully told story of espionage that doesn't find itself stuck in the genre trapping of most spy films. There are no guns fired and no real action set pieces. Instead, the intensity, which is almost unbearable at times, comes from the real-life threat of the situation, which unfortunately remains true to this day, and the looming threat of war breaking out at any moment. This is right up there with the very best work from Yoon.

Directors in Focus: Yoon Jong-bin | Nameless Gangster (2012) Review

Director: Yoon Jong-bin

Notable Cast: Choi Min-sik, Ha Jung-woo, Kwak Do-won, Ma Dong-seok, Kim Sung-kyun, Kim Hye-eun, Cho Jin-woong, Kim Young-sun

During the sort of boom of Korean cinema in the early 2010s, many films came out that I consider to be absolute modern classics, some even masterful pieces of genre film. Among them, and there is a decent amount, would be one in the gangster genre. It has one stellar ensemble cast, including the likes of Choi Min-sik, Kwak Do-won, Ma Dong-seok, who was becoming increasingly popular at the time, and the same could be said for Cho Jin-woong. It is no surprise, but most certainly welcome that Yoon's muse and long-time collaborator, Ha Jung-woo, would also star alongside Choi, making for a fierce dynamic duo that lights up the screen from start to finish. Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time is a bona fide gangster film through and through, and it absolutely deserves to be placed among the best of the best from any period of time in cinema history.

It's the year 1990, and a massive war on crime has been declared by Busan police officials as corruption and criminal activity have soared to an all-time high. We bounce back and forth throughout the '80s and early '90s as we see the rise and fall of Choi Ik-hyun (Choi Min-sik), a customs officer who is near losing his job and completely down on his luck, until one fateful night when he finds himself upon a one-way ticket into the criminal underworld, in which he finds out that he just may be better at than he ever imagined. He teams up with a distant family member Choi Hyung-bae (Ha Jung-woo), who has been in the game for many years. The two hit it off, and Ik-hyun finds himself quickly rising to power, and the things it cost him along the way only seem to make him more powerful in the end. Things get twisty and turny, as you can imagine with any film in the genre, and lies and deceit come into play, and a lot of things are smashed into peoples' skulls as a result, and I mean a whole plethora of objects. I'll just say I can't imagine the amount of glass that a certain character gets embedded into his scalp and how long it must've taken to be dug out. Eesh.

A Bromantic Ride: Ransomed (2023) Review

Director: Kim Seong-hun

Notable Cast: Ha Jung-woo, Ju Ji-hoon, Lim Hyung-kook, Kim Eung-soo, Kim Jong-soo, Park Hyeok-kwon, Fehd Benchemsi, Burn Gorman

This is a much better Point Men. South Korea has been on a kick with patriotic diplomats rescuing fellow Koreans in a foreign country that is at war films. It's become a relatively popular genre in the last handful of years, and I've watched most of, if not all of them. For me, what makes Ransomed work so well, and what helps to set it apart from the norm, is the blooming bromance between Lee Min-jun (Ha Jung-woo) and Kim Pan-su (Ju Ji-hoon). Their characters feel typical of the genre, but they both give admirable performances and their chemistry is electrifying, which really help this 2hr and 15min journey feel well alive and constantly moving forward. Ransomed is one of the better offerings in this genre, and I think it is worth seeking out, even if you haven't been the biggest fan of these types of works.

Lee Min-jun is a budding diplomat who is trying his hardest to be someone. When everyone and everything seems to be working against him and his desires, one day, he receives a life-changing call. A fellow Korean diplomat is being held hostage in Beirut, Lebanon, from the war that had broken out two years prior in 1986. Seizing the opportunity to finally get his big break, Lee heads deep into the country on a highly intense mission with a large bag of ransom money. When he arrives, things go as wrong as one could imagine and he is thrust deep into a large-scale shootout and ultimately a run for his life; Lee happens upon a man in a taxi named Kim Pan-su, coincidentally a man of Korean heritage, and one with deep ties to Lebanon. The two meet by fate and find themselves on an action-packed journey to rescue a hostage who has since been forgotten about. Soon, news breaks, and the entire country has its eyes on them.

Directors in Focus: Yoon Jong-bin | Beastie Boys (2008) Review

Director: Yoon Jong-bin

Notable Cast: Yoon Kye-sang, Ha Jung-woo, Yoon Jin-seo, Kim Min-joo, Ma Dong-seok, Ya Hu-jun, Kwon Yul, Hong Yi-joo

Three years after his very successful student film, director Yoon Jong-bin put forth his sophomore effort, his first studio-backed film, a dark and moody drama, Beastie Boys, a.k.a The Moonlight of Seoul. The direct translation of the Korean title is where the first title comes from, but admittedly, and probably due to associating a said name with the iconic hip-hop trio, I can't help but gravitate towards the alternative title, which I also feel encapsulates the mood and overall vibe of the film so perfectly. The themes of toxic masculinity and the self-destructive and outwardly explosive behavior of certain men are explored here yet again, and with Ha Jung-woo back to play one of the leads, there is much to be liked here, and while I certainly think the film is quite good and well made, I'm not sure it all quite hits as hard as the debut of Mr. Yoon. Still, the journey is absolutely worth embarking on.

Directors in Focus: Yoon Jong-bin | The Unforgiven (2005) Review

Director: Yoon Jong-bin

Notable Cast: Ha Jung-woo, Seo Jang-won, Yoon Jong-bin, Han Soo-hyun, Lim Hyun-sung, Kim Seong-mi, Son Sang-beom

A young student of Chung-ang University, Yoon Jong-bin, put forth his graduating thesis film in the form of The Unforgiven, a micro-budget drama that is unapologetic in its harsh depictions of how many young men are mistreated within their required 2 years stint in the military, something that South Korea does, among other countries. This little feature went on to play in festivals, and even bag a few awards, and has become a quite respected film among Korean cinephiles, myself now included.

Lee Seung-young (Seo Jang-won) is a fresh face, newly recruited to the military. He keeps to himself but doesn't hesitate to speak up when others are in trouble. He finds himself a quick target of harassment by Su-dong (Lim Hyun-sung), who feels a need to push his rank and seniority over others, resulting in constant bullying and mistreatment of fellow soldiers. He is an entirely vile and heinous character, and Lim Hyun-sung plays him to disgusting perfection. The one person who comes to Lee's aid is Yoo Tae-jeong, who is played by Yoon alumni Ha Jung-woo, who really needs no introduction at this point. The two were old friends growing up, and Lee has moved up within the ranks and can keep Su-dong off his case, temporarily at least. The price to be paid, however, is that Yoo roughens up Lee in front of the guys and, behind closed doors, breaks down. He comforts Lee and explains to him that their friendship must remain a complete secret and that he will help him when possible, but things are just a specific way in the military, and he must abide by the laws and hierarchy no matter what. Lee is a very compassionate young man and wishes to change things as he plays out his mandatory time within and hopes to rise through the ranks himself.

Post-apocalyptic Punch: Badland Hunters (2024) Review

Director: Heo Myeong-haeng

Notable Cast: Ma Dong-seok, Lee Hee-jun, Lee Jun-young, Roh Jeong-eui, Ahn Ji-hye, Park Ji-hoon, Jang Young-nam, Park Hyo-joon

The Netflix-produced Korean film library has... a certain reputation. Some works I believe are great, such as Unlocked or Kill Boksoon, although I seem to be more in the minority on that one, but I digress. We get some titles, like... well, like Carter, which unfortunately speaks for itself. We also have that Yoo Ah-in-led driving film that I can't be bothered to remember the title of, and so on. Regardless, Netflix churns out quite a few Korean productions of varying quality, and 2024 kicks off with yet another film under their banner. This time, however, we also have the big man himself, Ma Dong-seok, a.k.a Don Lee, a.k.a. Isn't that the Train to Busan guy? Yes... the arm wrestling champ himself is kicking off 2024 with action, lots of action. Oh, and it is set in the world of last year's absolutely brilliant Concrete Utopia, which I dubbed my favorite film of 2023. How does it stack up? Muscle up, and let's get to punching down with Badland Hunters.