TOP 20 SOUTH KOREAN FILMS OF 2023
This list is dedicated to Lee Sun-kyun (이선균).
20.) Honeysweet - 달짝지근해: 7510
Directed by Lee Han
A very sweet film that is acted with such a sense of sincerity that you will find yourself awash with a blissful smile. It's a simple but very effective romance tale that features people in their 40s finding true love in each other and most importantly, them being able to be appreciated for just being who they are, scars and all. Cinema doesn't always need to reinvent the wheel, but rather to be honest and that's what Honeysweet does so poignantly, it stays honest in its humanity on display. I found myself laughing and smiling a lot during this film, and when the sadder parts crept up, I was a mess. Director Lee is not always a hit with me, but this is easily one of his best to date.
19.) Devils - 악마들
Directed by Kim Jae-hoon
Devils is a fun serial killer crime thriller with a body swapping twist. Think a very dark and serious version of Freaky, for obvious reasons, but drop the high school element and add in hard-boiled cops. It's definitely my kind of flick and while maybe it doesn't rank among the giants of Korean thrillers, it's certainly one of the best I've seen in a while and I was gripped from the neon-soaked bloody opening all the way to the end, which while it feels sort of sudden, I do like the direction it all went. Great performances, a lot of blood and gruesome bits, and a whole lot of twisting and turning, which leads this film on a quick and demented path. Korea just gets thrillers and I cannot get enough!
18.) Toxic Parents - 독친
Directed by Kim Su-in
Kim Su-in's directorial debut is a brutally blunt portrayal of a shattered family and in particular the absurd expectations that children are faced with by many of their parents. Sure, this is definitely a universal topic, but one doesn't need much knowledge of Korean culture, particularly in education and in the case of this film, the entertainment realm, to see how much stress is put onto these children. It drives a lot of young ones to the darkest corners of their minds and often results in suicide tragically. Toxic Parents shies away from nothing and I absolutely admire it for that. There are a handful of films told with a similar premise as this, Bleak Night coming to mind as I type, but it's such a relevant issue unfortunately, that we need reminders of this in the form of some medium, and this movie delivers the message loud and clear. It's one of the best social commentaries on the lives of teenagers and poor family dynamics that I've seen in a very long time.
17.) Soulmate - 소울메이트
Directed by Min Yong-keun
Absolutely sublime filmmaking. A beautifully told tale of women afraid to embrace their hearts. It speaks a lot on identity and social expectations, and really hit hard for me in so many moments. I think my one issue is that the picture doesn't seem to know when to end. A lot is revealed in the end, and while I admired where things went and what ended up happening was dramatically impacting, I just couldn't help but feel it tried packing in too much in its final moments and just didn't flow as smoothly as the rest of this years long story. Other than that Soulmate is a wonderful little film, one that will stick with me and one that reminds me to seek out the original Chinese version from a handful of years back. I can't speak to that work, but this version works and does so well. This one will land in the hearts of a lot of viewers for years to come.
16.) Yellow Door: '90s Lo-fi Film Club - 노란문: 세기말 시네필 다이어리
Directed by Lee Hyuk-rae
The only Korean documentary I ended up seeing this year happened to be a very happy experience, as I got to reminisce with acclaimed director Bong Joon-ho (Parasite) and company as they talk about "Yellow Door", a film club that was born in the 90s when a wave of of cinema crazed superfans were born, and ultimately a lot of folks that came to work in the industry in some shape or form got their starts here. It is extremely well shot for a film that is primarily just interviews playing over various images and close-ups of the interviewees. The eye for framing is impeccable here, and ends up being some of the best cinematography seen all year. It's visually alluring and the story, while niche, will appeal to those who love Korean cinema of yesteryear, or just for admirers of Bong Joon-ho in general. He is sort of the central focal point, but others get a time to shine as well. We do get to see a peek at BJH's very first film, and it is glorious. A documentary filled to the brim with great memories and a ton of passion, making for a quick and wondrous trip down memory lane.
Directed by Kim Jee-woon
Cobweb is a triumphant return to comedy for director Kim Jee-woon, which harkens back to his early days of film, with works such as A Quiet Family and The Foul King, while feeling modern with his years of expertise in crafting a technical powerhouse in filmmaking. This is clearly a love letter to the cinema and directors of the past, with Song's character obviously being inspired by Kim Ki-young (The Housemaid), and then the references to Lee Man-hee (A Day Off), and director Shin (Shin Sang-ok) being a cameo that's played hilariously by Jung Woo-sung. It feels like it is made for a certain crowd and may work better as a local piece than internationally speaking, but for those who admire Kim's works and those golden era classics of 1960s Korean cinema, this is going to be your jam. It's just a ton of fun and an overall great time.
Directors: John Adams, Zelda Adams, Toby Poser
