Tag Archives: South Korean Film

Lucky Chan-sil (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): Cheer up, Chan-sil

Posted on March 10, 2020 by kaist455

South Korean independent film “Lucky Chan-sil” is often amusing and interesting for several good reasons. While clearly reminiscent of those little comedy films of Hong Sang-soo, the movie distinguishes itself via its filmmaker heroine’s comic struggle with what seems to … Continue reading →

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Beasts Clawing at Straws (2020) ☆☆☆(3/4): Nasty and twisty

Posted on February 20, 2020 by kaist455

South Korean film “Beasts Clawing at Straws” is a nasty and twisty comic thriller about a group of seedy figures trying to win and survive. While there are surely a number of unpleasant and violent moments to make you wince, … Continue reading →

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An Honest Candidate (2019) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Suddenly, she can’t lie!

Posted on February 14, 2020 by kaist455

I chuckled from time to time as watching the first half of South Korean comedy film “An Honest Candidate”, which could be one of the funnier South Korean movies of this year if it pushed its rather familiar premise harder … Continue reading →

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Secret Zoo (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): These ‘animals’ won’t hurt you…

Posted on January 16, 2020 by kaist455

When I watched the trailer of South Korean comedy film “Secret Zoo”, I seriously wondered whether its outrageous comic premise could work on the big screen. Several moments glimpsed from the trailer seemed so silly and unrealistic to me that … Continue reading →

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Forbidden Dream (2019) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): The King and his favorite inventor

Posted on January 10, 2020 by kaist455

South Korean historical drama film “Forbidden Dream” puts its two well-known real-life figures into a sappy old-fashioned bromance tale which did not engage me much. Although I have no problem with its many fictional aspects, the movie is rather flat, … Continue reading →

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Moonlit Winter (2019) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): A letter from her first love

Posted on November 19, 2019 by kaist455

South Korean film “Moonlit Winter” reminds me that it is always more compelling to observe star-crossed lovers in agony and restraint. Here are two very unhappy women who have quietly yearned for each other since they were separated from each … Continue reading →

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Sub-Zero Wind (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): Her bleak adolescent years

Posted on November 17, 2019 by kaist455

South Korean film “Sub-Zero Wind” is as bleak as its very title suggests. Like many of recent South Korean coming-of-age drama films, the movie is often shrouded in stark and gloomy realism, but its story and characters are thoughtfully handled … Continue reading →

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Kim Ji-young: Born 1982 (2019) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): An ordinary South Korean female life

Posted on October 24, 2019 by kaist455

I could not help but respond to a number of seemingly mundane but undeniably strong moments in South Korean film “Kim Ji-young: Born 1982”, which has been one of the most anticipated movies of this year in South Korea thanks … Continue reading →

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My Punch-drunk Boxer (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): Pansori boxer

Posted on October 12, 2019 by kaist455

The promotional poster of South Korean film “My Punch-drunk Boxer”, whose original title is “Pansori Boxer”, looked pretty odd and silly to me when I came across it a few months ago. After all, the juxtaposition of boxing and a … Continue reading →

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Crazy Romance (2019) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Very ordinary to say the least

Posted on October 12, 2019 by kaist455

To my disappointment, South Korean romantic comedy film “Crazy Romance”, whose original title is “The Most Ordinary Romance”, turns out to be very ordinary while not bringing anything particular new to its genre territory. Although it is not entirely without … Continue reading →

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