Korean Movie Guide
Introduction
This is my personal guide to Korean movies. I hope this biased movie selection can be a small reference for those who are open to other cultures.
Useful Links
IMDb : One of the largest movie database around the world.
Koreanfilm.org : Excellent Korean movie website written by Screen International magazine writer, Darcy Paquet.
The-Isle.org : Index of Korean movies with useful information about DVDs and reviews.
Related Articles
  • Blockbuster Nation-How Seoul beat Hollywood, making Korea an Asian star (3 May, 2004, Newsweek)
  • South Korea's movie boom (24 Oct, 2003, BBC)
  • A short history of Korean film : 1903-1999 (Koreanfilm.org)
  • Discovering Korean Cinema (DVD Times)
  • Sassy Girls & Funny Gangsters: Korean Comedies (Korean Cinema: The New Hong Kong by Anthony Leong)

  • My Favorite Movies
  • My Sassy Girl (2001)
  • Joint Security Area (2000)
  • Save the Green Planet! (2003)
  • Classic (2003)
  • Oasis (2002)
  • Taegukgi (2004)
  • Oldboy (2003)
  • Memories of Murder (2003)
  •      [ Top ][ Archives ]


    My Sassy Girl (2001)aka : Yeopgijeogin geunyeo / Yupgi girl

    Genre : Comedy / Romance
    Director : Jae-yong Kwak
    Cast : Ji-hyun Jeon
    Tae-hyun Cha
    Links : Official Site (Korean)
    IMDb
    Koreanfilm.org
    The-Isle.org
    yesasia.com
    I was not interested in Korean movies until I ordered My Sassy Girl here in U.S. Actually I watched this movie when it was released in Korea, 2001. Though I laughed a lot, I was not impressed much. When I came to U.S., I felt to watch it again just for fun. At this time, however, I got so addicted that I watched it again and again over 100 times (literally). I admit that how much one enjoys a movie really depends on personal preference and I think some may like this movie and others may not. However, anyone who is interested in a romentic comedy outside Hollywood, I think this movie can be a good refreshment.
         [ Top ][ Archives ]

    Joint Security Area (2000) aka : Gongdong gyeongbi guyeok JSA

    Genre : Drama / War / Thriller
    Director : Chan-wook Park
    Cast : Kang-ho Song
    Byung-hun Lee
    Yeong-ae Lee
    Links : Official Site (Korean)
    IMDb
    Koreanfilm.org
    The-Isle.org
    Though my favortie is My Sassy Girl, I think Joint Security Area is the best Korean movie, not because of the movie itself but its socio-political meaning in Korean society which has been dominated by excessive anti-communism after the tragic Korean war. The movie is about a story of four guards in the joint security area which is controlled by south and north, and actually it does not contain lots of action or thriller scenes. However, I think highly of this movie becuase at least this movie shows some aspects of sincerity : the pain that the divided Koreas had to suffer and the aspiration for reunification. Recently the director Chan-wook Park made a very shocking, violent but beautiful revenge movie called Oldboy.
         [ Top ][ Archives ]

    Save the Green Planet! (2003) aka : Jigureul jikyeora!

    :
    Genre : Thriller / Sci-Fi / Horror / Comedy
    Director : Jun-han Jeong
    Cast : Ha-kyun Shin
    Yun-shik Baek
    Jeong-min Hwang
    Links IMDb
    Koreanfilm.org
    The-Isle.org
         [ Top ][ Archives ]

    Classic (2003)

    Genre : Romance
    Director : Je-yong Kwak
    Cast : Ye-jin Son
    Seung-woo Cho
    Links : Official Site (Korean)
    IMDb
    Koreanfilm.org
    The-Isle.org
         [ Top ][ Archives ]

    Oasis (2002)

    Genre : Drama / Romance
    Director : Chang-dong Lee
    Cast : Kyung-gu Seol
    So-ri Moon
    Links : Official Site (Korean)
    IMDb
    Koreanfilm.org
    The-Isle.org
         [ Top ][ Archives ]

    Taegukgi (2004) aka : Taegukgi hwinalrimyeo / Brotherhood

    Genre : War / Drama
    Director : Je-gyu Kang
    Cast : Dong-Gun Jang
    Bin Won
    Eun-joo Lee
    Links : Official Site (Korean)
    IMDb
    Koreanfilm.org
    Trailer
    I really want to watch this movie!
         [ Top ][ Archives ]

    Oldboy (2003)

    Genre : Action / Thriller
    Director : Chan-wook Park
    Cast : Min-sik Choi
    Ji-tae Yu
    Hye-jeong Gang
    Links : Official Site (Korean)
    IMDb
    Koreanfilm.org
    The-Isle.org
         [ Top ][ Archives ]

    Memories of Murder (2003) aka : Salinui chueok

    Genre : Crime / Thriller
    Director : Joon-ho Bong
    Cast : Kang-ho Song
    Sang-kyung Kim
    Links : Official Site (Korean)
    IMDb
    Koreanfilm.org
    The-Isle.org
         [ Top ][ Archives ]