Now here are 11 South Korean films of this year.

1. The Dream Songs
   The emotional power of “The Dream Songs” mainly depends on how much you know about a certain disastrous incident which shook the whole South Korean society on April 16th, 2014. I think the story itself will still come to you as a touchingly intimate coming-of-age tale even if you do not know that much, but, considering its understandable restraint on what it is really about, you should do some homework in advance for feeling and understanding more of how many South Korean audiences will respond to the movie. This is the best South Korean films of this year, and I sincerely urge you to check it out when you get a chance to watch it.

2. The Hill of Secrets
   “The Hill of Secrets” is a seemingly simple coming-of-age tale which turns out to be much more complex than expected. As calmly and sensitively observing its little young heroine’s secrets and lies along the story, the movie is quite amusing or suspenseful at times, and we come to understand and empathize more with her ongoing emotional struggles with not only herself but also her family. When it eventually arrives at the end of her emotional journey along the story, I came to care about its little young heroine a lot more than I expected, and that is surely an achievement to say the least.

3. A Wild Roomer
   “A Wild Roomer” surprised me in one unexpected way or another. While it mostly feels dry and detached in terms of mood, character, and storytelling, the movie often catches us off guard with a series of offbeat moments, and you may be a bit amazed due to how it organically arrives at its last very scene even though it seems to be aimlessly wandering here and there along with its earnestly ordinary hero. Sure, it will require some patience at first due to its slow narrative pacing and elusive tone, but it will draw you more into the story and characters once you accept what and how it is about, so I sincerely recommend you to give it a chance someday.

4. Iron Mask
   In my trivial opinion, there are not many things as intense, spectacular, and compelling to watch as a human mind under challenge, and little South Korean independent film “Iron Mask” is a terrific example of that. On the surface, it is basically your average sports drama, but it powerfully drives its story and characters via sheer intensity and focus, and the result is another highlight of South Korean cinema of this year. To be frank with you, I felt quite electrified and stupefied when I came out of the screening room at last night, and that is surely not something which happens to me that often.

5. Hail to Hell
   “Hail to Hell” surprised me more than once for good reasons. As following two young outcasts’ silly attempt of personal revenge, the movie generates a number of sharply humorous moments for us, and then it goes further than expected before somehow pulling off some genuine hope and optimism for both of them around the end of their bumpy journey. While they are not exactly likable even at the end of the story, I found myself rooting for them more than expected as observing how they feel a bit better about themselves and their life in a way to be appreciated by Friedrich Nietzsche, and that is quite an achievement to say the least.

6. Next Sohee
   I got chilled and then saddened as watching “Next Sohee”. If you are horrified and infuriated by what is so painfully presented during its first half, I guarantee you that you will be more exasperated and disgusted as watching the second half, which presents a bigger picture surrounding the sad personal tale of systemic ignorance and exploitation during its first half. I must tell you that what is depicted in the film is a mere reflection of what is happening to those numerous disadvantaged young people out there in the South Korean society even at this point, and you will reflect more on this serious social issue once the movie is over.

7. Archaeology of Love
   “Archaeology of Love” is a haunting character drama revolving around one toxic relationship and its aftermath. As dryly but sensitively observing its ordinary heroine’s emotional struggle along the story, the movie lets us understand and empathize more with her via a series of restrained but powerful personal moments, and that is why it is touching to see how she eventually finds some strength for moving forward more for herself.

8. Concrete Utopia
   “Concrete Utopia” is a dark but compelling apocalyptic thriller coupled with some biting social satire to be savored. While it feels conventional on the surface at times, the movie efficiently handles its story and characters in addition to establishing well its mood and background on the screen, and the result is one of more entertaining mainstream South Korean films during the summer season of this year.

9. Sleep
   “Sleep” seems to be a certain kind of story and then ends up becoming something much different. This is an odd mix of horror thriller and black comedy swinging back and forth somewhere between “The Exorcist” (1973) and “Repulsion” (1965), and I appreciated this interesting genre hybrid even though I often observed its story and characters from the distance while being more aware of its plot mechanism.

10. The Fifth Thoracic Vertebra
    My head goes blank for a while as mulling over how the hell I can describe or explain to you on “The Fifth Thoracic Vertebra”, which is, in my inconsequential opinion, one of the most singular films from South Korean cinema during last several years. As far as I remember, I have never watched anything quite like this, and, to be frank with you, I am still scratching my head a little on what it is about or how it is about. Therefore, I will just simply scribble on whatever I thought and felt during its rather short running time (65 minutes) here in this trivial review, and then you will decide for yourself whether you are going to try it or not if you ever get an opportunity to watch this opaque but undeniably compelling cinematic experiment.

Special mention: Sura: A Love Song
South Korean documentary “Sura: A Love Song” vividly and powerfully reminds me of how precious and beautiful nature can really be. Closely following the longtime civilian efforts for recording and saving the natural environment of the tidal flats of the Saemangeum area on the west coast of the Korean Peninsula, the documentary makes a very strong case on the devastating environmental damages caused by the Saemangeum Seawall Project at present, and I assure you that you will come to reflect more on its urgent environmental issues as its end credits roll. Yes, we often ruin nature a lot, but we can also restore it if we really try, and the documentary touchingly reminds that to me.