Brent L

I did a search for a thread specifically on this topic in the movie forum, and didn't find one.

Only recently have I really dived into foreign films, including Asian films. Over the past two weeks, I've gone mad with watching Asian films specifically.

I have watched the following in the past week or so. Yes, I realize that not all of these are Korean.

Zatoichi

Battlefield Baseball

Hero

Attack the Gas Station

Memories of Murder

My Sassy Girl

Windstruck

Christmas In August

The Classic

Oldboy

I download all of them, and I will own all of the above eventually. I've already ordered three of the above. Here are the ones that I have ordered DVDs of online.

Windstruck
Memories Of Murder
Ping Pong
The Uninvited
Yomigaeri: Resurrection
My Sassy Girl
Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance
JSA: Joint Security Area
Il Mare
Oldboy
The Harmonium in My Memory
Failan

Amazingly, I've come to realize that most of the truly great ones I've watched are from Korea. I never knew that such great work came from that country, it's really blew me away. Out of what I've seen so far, my favorites have been My Sassy Girl, Oldboy, and Memories of Murder. All three of those have instantly become some of my favorite films ever, especially My Sassy Girl. I really liked Windstruck also, even though many critics hated it. I don't care though, as it blew me away also. Korean filmmakers sure have a way with drawing out true emotions, not fake passing emotion, but TRUE emotions, from the viewers.

I'm really wanting to see Lover's Concerto, Peppermint Candy, Green Fish, and Oasis, as well as the ones that I've ordered but haven't watched online yet.

Is Korean film truly becoming a force to be reckoned with, or have I only been discovering the great films from there? I know every country has their good films and their trash, but there is just a certain charm of these Korean films. I can't wait to see more and more, I'm loving it.

I've been very impressed with Ji-hyun Jun, Tae-hyun Cha, Min-sik Choi and Kang-ho Song.

And yes, just as most are after they see her, I've become a huge fan of Ji-hyun Jun!

joeydaninja

http://www.koreanfilm.org/

this will help.

it seems like Korea had a breakthrough in 1999 with Shiri

http://www.koreanfilm.org/kfilm99.html

Brent L

Yeah I'm a member there also. I was just wondering what the guys here thought. I haven't seen Shiri yet, but I plan on doing so soon.

I want to see Taegukgi and R-Point pretty soon also.

Is there a way to find out what the closest theater to me is that shows these types of films?

Jay G.

Korean films have been discussed and enjoyed for years in the International forum on this site, along with other Asian films.

For the most part, yes, Korean films seem to be undergoing a period of creative vibrancy. That's not to say they haven't released some bombs as well, but a lot of good stuff has been coming out of Korea for some time now.

If you liked Attack of the Gas Station, I would recommend Kick the Moon, and Jailbreakers, both of which are from the same writer/director team.

As for seeing these in theatres, you'll be hard pressed outside of LA or NY to see these films except in film festivals. Thank goodness for DVD, eh?

candyrocket786

Don't forget to add Arahan to your list. Try to get the limited box set. I think dvdfromkorea still has it.

V-ism

Isn't there something about movie theaters in Korea have certain months dedicated only to Korean films, so the market doesn't get dominated by hollywood films.

Giles

For Washingtonian's the DC Korean Film Festival begins this week:

Korean Cinema Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Personally, I am a little peeved that genre films, like Save the Green Planet, H or Oldboy weren't secured for the festival. Since both 'H' and 'Green Planet' was shown last month at New York's Korean Film Festival at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Fok

yeah Asian movies are pretty cool, they have something else that hollywood films don't have.....can't put my finger on it.

DonnachaOne

Asian leads

Giles

a plot?

fumanstan

My friend just recommended My Sassy Girl to me last night... ordered it and hoping to check it out soon

tofu

That's it on the money

The quality of Korean movies has really risen lately. I always thought it was due to the success of Shiri and My Sassy Girl.

Fok

I was thinking more of a human nature aspect to the films.

sundog

Have you seen 'The Isle'?

Actually, I've noticed the emergence of Korean cinema bloom into a powerful force, from the beginning of the decade, as well.

I regret missing the Korean program Giles mentioned when it was around me.

Cardiac161

I personally think, and as was mentioned, that the emergence of contemporary Korean cinema started with Shiri back in 1999. I was in travelling around Asia in mid-2000 (HK, Singapore, Japan & Thailand) and the buzz about Shiri was building as the movie that topped "Titanic" in Korea.

Eventhough I thought Shiri was a mediocre Korean attempt to create a Hollywood-type blockbuster using their own political situation, more films started to come up that would surpass a lot of moviegoers' expectations in terms of plot, ambiguity and characters around the Korean political climate.

The following films will make you realize that Korean cinema has now come on its own:
OldBoy - Grand Prix Winner in the Cannes
JSA
Memories of Murder - searing true story about an investigation towards a serial killing back in the 80s
Tale of Two Sisters - one of the best Asian horror films
Samaria - impact of child prostitution to a father

Mind you, all these great works came in a span of only 5 years os we can expect more incredible stuff!!! I hear that Ki-Duk Kim just one the Venice Film Festival for his "Empty Room" and his "3-Iron" is being raved at in the Toronto Film Festival.

Grimfarrow

I personally think that the Korean cinema craze right now is vastly overrated. The other director worth a flip is Lee Chang-Dong, and maybe Hoo Sang-Soo. (I'm not counting Im Kwon-Taek) Park Chan-Wook and Kwak Jae-Young are already starting their descent, and Kim Ki-Duk is the biggest con-artist and chauvanist in the business (well, outside of Catherine Breillat) - and I've met the guy!

Plus, I'm sick of worthless Korean horror films like THE UNINVITED, FACE, PHONE and INTO THE MIRROR. Enough is enough!

On the other hand, I think Thailand's cinematic renaissance is just starting. There'll be much more incredible stuff coming from Thailand soon. I've seen parts of TOM YUM KOONG, the sequel to ONG-BAK, and it doen't look like it'll disappoint in the least. Not to talk about Pen-Ek Ratanaruang's new INVISIBLE WAVE and others I can't talk about yet...

Giles

hey Grim
just out of curiosity have you seen Mon Rak Transistor?

Grimfarrow

Nope, but the DVD is at the office. I've just been too lazy to watch it (I have enough films to watch as it is!)