Korean Cinema
Dubbed the 'new Hong Kong', Korean cinema has taken the international film world by storm with its brutal and confrontational style and original political perspectives. Encompassing both the North and South Korean industries it is the films from the south that have become worldwide hits. From border security thriller, 'JSA' to the haunting 'Oasis' to the mesmerising madness of 'Old Boy', Korean cinema is bold, diverse and here to stay.
Pictured: Horror-chiller already slated for an American remake, 'A Tale of Two Sisters'.
Haeundae ( Tidal Wave ) (2009)
6.4/10
Director: Je-gyun Yun
Starring: Jeong-hwa Eom, Ji-won Ha, Kyung-gu Sol, Joong-Hoon Park
During the summer, the beach resort of Haeundae is packed with up to one million vacationing Koreans. On one such day, marine geologist Kim Hwi (Joong... Read more
Thirst (2009)
7.2/10
Director: Chan-wook Park
Starring: Hae-sook Kim, Ok-vin Kim, Young-chang Song, Kang-ho Song
Top Korean star Kang-ho Song plays a devout, kind priest whose life (after-life?) is forever changed by a transfusion of vampire blood that unleashes... Read more
The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008)
7.3/10
Director: Kim Jee-Woon
Starring: Kang-ho Song, Byung-hun Lee, Woo-sung Jung
Korean director Ji-woon Kim nods to the spaghetti western with this treasure hunt flick set in the wilds of 1930s Manchuria. A hitman (the Bad) is hir... Read more
The Chaser (2008)
7.9/10
Director: Hong-jin Na
Starring: Yun-seok Kim, Jung-woo Ha, Yeong-hie Seo, In-gi Jung, Hyo-ju Park
Jung-ho is a former cop turned pimp. He is a foul-tempered, hard-talking man driven by the pursuit of easy money. So when some of his girls start goin... Read more
Secret Sunshine (2007)
7.5/10
Director: Lee Chang-Dong
Starring: Do-yeon Jeon, Kang-ho Song
A master of intensely emotional human dramas, director Lee Chang-dong is a luminary of contemporary Korean cinema, and his place on the international... Read more
Dragon Wars (2007)
3.6/10
Director: Shim Hyung-rae
Starring: Jason Behr, Robert Forster, Amanda Brooks
A.k.a. 'D-War'. Hundreds of flying, fire-breathing dragons descend upon Los Angeles, in this special effects-filled sci-fi actioner. Now, a reporter m... Read more
A Dirty Carnival (2006)
7.4/10
Director: Ha Yu
Starring: Zo In-Sung, Lee Bo-young, Namkoon Min
Director Ha Yu really knows the dark, gritty alleys behind Korea's gleaming skyscrapers. In this universe of thugs, Byung-doo is a small time crook ek... Read more
The City of Violence (2006)
6.7/10
Director: Seung-wan Ryoo
Starring: Doo-hong Jung, Seung-wan Ryoo, Beom-su Lee
A Seoul cop learns that an old friend, and ex-gangster, has been murdered and returns to his hometown for the funeral, only to find that something eve... Read more
Aachi and Ssipak (2006)
6.9/10
Director: Jo Beom-Jin
Set in a futuristic world powered entirely by human excrement, and a government anxious to control this sole, important source of energy. Special sens... Read more
No Mercy for the Rude (2006)
7.2/10
Director: Cheol-hie Park
Starring: Ha-kyun Shin, Ji-hye Yun, Min-jun Kim, Su-heui Go, Byeong-ok Kim
Brutal violence blends with post-modern comedy and absurd set-pieces in this hip Korean flick about a man with a severe speech impediment who refuses... Read more