Tag Archives: South Korean Film

A Haunting Hitchhike (2017) ☆☆☆(3/4): In an unkind world

Posted on May 12, 2019 by kaist455

South Korean film “A Haunting Hitchhike” is the gloomy story of a young teenage girl struggling with harsh aspects of her unkind world. She simply hopes that things will get better for her, but she only finds herself facing more … Continue reading →

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To My River (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): The daily life of a poet

Posted on April 14, 2019 by kaist455

South Korean independent film “To My River” grows on me more as I reflect on it more. As a dry but sensitive character drama about life and poetry, it requires some patience from time to time, but it gradually comes … Continue reading →

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Another Child (2019) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): Two mothers, Two daughters

Posted on April 12, 2019 by kaist455

South Korean film “Another Child” surprised me. Although it begins with a rather soapy promise, the movie engaged and interested me more than expected as showing considerable humor, sensitivity, and thoughtfulness in its deft handling of story and characters, and … Continue reading →

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Birthday (2018) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Remembering their son

Posted on April 4, 2019 by kaist455

South Korean film “Birthday” is an earnest melodrama about the personal grief and sadness surrounding the sinking of MV Sewol on April 16th, 2014. While it is certainly well-intentioned and tactfully handles its subject with some restraint and respect, there … Continue reading →

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Hotel by the River (2018) ☆☆☆(3/4): One day of an aging poet guy

Posted on March 31, 2019 by kaist455

South Korean film “Hotel by the River”, the latest work from Hong Sang-soo, relatively feels more melancholic and reflective than Hong’s previous works. While there are several amusing moments of low-key humor as you can expect from his film, the … Continue reading →

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Idol (2019) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): A tense but murky South Korean noir thriller

Posted on March 20, 2019 by kaist455

I am still not that sure whether I understand everything presented in South Korean noir thriller film “Idol”, which sometimes seems to signify nothing but confusion and frustration. While that probably does not matter much considering how adamantly murky the … Continue reading →

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A Resistance (2019) ☆☆☆(3/4): The Story of Yu Gwan-sun

Posted on March 1, 2019 by kaist455

South Korean film “A Resistance” is a respectful period drama movie about Yu Gwan-sun, one of the most prominent activists in the March 1st Movement against Imperial Japanese colonial rule of Korea in 1919. Considering that Yu has been one … Continue reading →

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Innocent Witness (2018) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Sincere but predictable

Posted on February 14, 2019 by kaist455

South Korean film “Innocent Witness” does not turn out to be worse than I feared. As a guy in the autistic spectrum, I was certainly concerned a lot about its depiction of autism before watching it, and I was relieved … Continue reading →

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February (2017) ☆☆☆1/2(3.5/4): As she struggles during cold winter days

Posted on February 7, 2019 by kaist455

South Korean independent film “February” is a melancholic drama about one young woman’s Sisyphean struggle with her cold, harsh reality. While calmly observing her plight without any judgment or excuse, the movie works as a haunting character study accompanied with … Continue reading →

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Extreme Job (2018) ☆☆(2/4): A half-fried cop comedy

Posted on January 31, 2019 by kaist455

I am not an ideal audience for South Korean comedy film “Extreme Job”, which is currently having a considerable box office success in South Korea after released in last week. While I understand its comic appeal to local audiences to … Continue reading →

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