#korean movies

[mybruisedankleneedsakiss]

Can you do a web weaving post on 'home'

as a knife

as a goodbye

as longing

as something peaceful, a resolution; final.

Home by Warsan Shire / Valeria Duca- Content for Breakfast / Home by Warsan Shire / tumblr user @katabasiss / tumblr user @honeytuesday / tumblr user @loveology2022 / Drunk Guy in Boston / End of Beginning, Djo / Class of 2013, Mitski / I'll Remember You as Red by Sophie Pearson / A House in Nebraska, Ethel Cain / Penne For Your Thoughts by Katie Butler / tumblr user @tayyaboenix / Coming Home by Mary Oliver / Little Forest(2018) dir. Yim Soon-rye / Chemtrails Over the Country Club by Lana Del Rey

[kimtaeri]

kim tae ri behind the scenes of little forest (2018)

[demonspeeding666]

6 Horror and Thriller Asian / International Movies Reccomendations:

Helter Skelter (2012 Japanese Movie, directed by Mika Ninagawa)

Love Exposure (2008 Japanese Movie, directed by Sion Sono)

Battle Royale (2000 Japanese Movie, directed by Kinji Fukasaku)

A Tale Of Two Sisters (2003 Korean Movie, directed by Jee-Woon Kim)

Kill Bill (2003 American - Japanese Movie, directed by Quentin Tarantino)

Audition (1999 Japanese Movie, directed by Takashi Miike)

[exhaustedeyess]

🎬 Past Lives (2023)

[retrocinemv]

𖥔 ࣪ ˖ 39. oldboy (2003) dir. Chan-wook Park

[orangesinwinter]

[diamantdog]

i have finally watched exhuma and i think it’s good, but if i have to compare it with the wailing aka another korean horror movie with shamanism and colonial trauma, i much prefer the latter. i think the wailing is scarier too.

anyway, if you like exhuma, i’d like to recommend the wailing if you haven’t watched that one already.

[coreancitizen]

[speakingparts]

Chinjeolhan geumjassi [Sympathy for Lady Vengeance] 2005 Park Chan-Wook

poster art by BEN TURNER

[valkaryah]

I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK ‘싸이보그지만 괜찮아’ (2006) dir. Park Chan-wook

[bigyikes97]

recommend me another depressing Korean gangster movie

>:D

Hmmm hmmm ok so if you say "another", that means you maybe already watched either "The Merciless" or "A Bittersweet Life" or perhaps both, which were the depressing Korean gangster movies I posted about most on here and both of which I very highly recommend...A Bittersweet Life is one of my favorite movies of all time, if not my top fave. In case you watched one but not the other:

A Bittersweet Life - a story about a man who catches one imperfect glimpse of beauty and throws away everything in a inevitable and helpless grasp at something he knows he can never have. I cried at the soundtrack for days after my first watch, haha.

The Merciless - a stylishly shot and perhaps more hardboiled noir about a chosen one who really meant it when he said he shouldn't be the chosen one, which falls apart in a spectacular and heartrending explosion of betrayal, confusion, and devastation. Like watching a trainwreck in slow motion.

These are most definitely my top 2 in the whole world so far, and honestly nothing else really plucks exactly those same chords with me in terms of overall excellence, but here's a few others nonetheless:

A Company Man - More of a straightforward shoot-em-up. Could be taken as either an action flick kinda sorta similar to Bittersweet Life (gangster wants out, gang won't let him go) or a harsh satire of South Korean work culture, which makes it (imho) slightly more interesting. Definitely depressing gangsters, for sure!

The Man from Nowhere - it's more of a vigilante justice/revenge thriller and a lot of people liked it, but unfortunately since it was one of the first in the genre (at least from South Korea), in my opinion it's since been done better. Or maybe I'm just chronically Kdrama-ing so I have more stringent standards, lol. The main lead's looks are to die for though if that's an aspect that appeals to you--and many folks loved it, 100% on Rotten Tomatoes!

The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil - On paper it looks amazing--a brash cop has to team up with a gangster to take down an even bigger criminal, exposing the corruption of the cops and the weird code of honor among the criminals. Usually that's my cup of tea and I came in SO ready to love this movie but...somehow didn't. I don't know why. It even had Ma Dong Seok, who's usually great! However, it got 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, so maybe you'll see something about it I missed if you watch it :)

Gangnam Blues - So, I didn't watch this one myself, but it's got Lee Min Ho and a historical-fiction take on the real-life corruption and money/power plays surrounding the creation of the glitzy Gangnam district from a marsh in the 70's, it looks interesting! I'll probably watch it in the future.

Speaking of, Ma Dong Seok is pretty much the go-to guy for Korean gangster movies. He's been in the genre since forever, if you search his name you'll likely find some good ones I haven't heard about.

I don't know if you're interested in extending your search to dramas, but in case you are:

Insider - one of THE best kdramas I've seen, hands down. The set-up is similar to The Merciless in that a guy goes undercover in prison to catch a gangster and ends up forming bonds with a high-ranking member while working on the inside. However, the similarities stop there. I think I binged it in like 3 days. It's gritty and doesn't let up, but the main guy is one of my favorite protagonists ever and the ending was fantastic

Big Mouth - it came out around the same time and also involves a wrongful imprisonment, but with a hilarious twist (along with some Very Not Hilarious ones) that make it a different flavor. I got busy and didn't finish (and also didn't have subtitles while it was airing)

Watcher - This one's more on the one-righteous-cop-vs-corrupt-conglomerate side of things, which will always and forever be my jam. The moody atmosphere and insanely tight writing make this one of my favorites. I've seen it like 4 or 5 times and seem to catch something new each time, the writing is extremely satisfying and there are great female characters too, which I'm all about.

Nobody Knows - I'm watching this one right now and it's also more on righteous detective vs killer side of things, but it's got a fascinating female lead, great characters, consistent plot and great storytelling so far.

Triangle - this one is about gangsters and casinos and is unique because it's one of the WORST kdramas I've EVER seen, but it's so bad it crosses the line right back into good again because it's so freaking funny how everyone manages to act the worst plot and the worst characters with the deepest sincerity. Everyone's gorgeous, which helps. It's funnier if you're a chronic Kdrama enjoyer to see all the worst tropes played out in the funniest ways with dead straight faces. They actually wrote it episode by episode based on viewer feedback and ran out of time at the end because the feedback was conflicting--and BOY does it show in unintentionally hilarious ways.

Bad and Crazy - I LOVE this drama, especially the first act. It's violent and dark, with comedy thrown in, and one of the most interesting and sensitive portrayals of a mental illness on screen that I've ever seen in both American and Korean TV. Yet another righteous-cop-vs-conglomerate plot, my beloved. I'll eat that storyline up each time though.

So that's movies and dramas off the top of my head--if I think of any other good ones, I'll let you know! Happy watching and omg, if any of those tickle your fancy I'd love to hear your thoughts! :D

*Ok, one runner up: From the director of "A Bittersweet Life", "A Tale of Two Sisters" is a psychological horror that is just. so. good. I'm not usually a horror person and I was hooked and think about it all the time, very excellent!

[dramavenue]

death bell (2008)

they have the same stare lol

[thatwizardofearthsea]

Past Lives (2023)

[exhaustedeyess]

🎬 Past Lives (2023)

[icanseethefuture333]

Who is this dispatch couple?!

Can you at least give us hints…👀🍵

The next Dispatch couple

I believe the next couple Dispatch that will be exposed are going to be two actors, not idols. They could be coworkers or have worked together in a drama/movie. Its possible he has admired her since he was young. Her image originally could have been delicate and ingenue but has transitioned into a more mature and regal essence. The woman is very well known, while the man is more so up and coming. He is likely younger than her, possibly a few years (I'm getting she's in her 30s and he's in his mid to late 20s). The woman prefers to take things slow. So when they start getting closer romantically and news media will say they're dating, she will not like this. She could pull away from him due to the fear of being perceived differently. The woman doesn't like to let her guard down and will vulnerable during this time. It will cause her anxiety, while the man will try to do his best to comfort her. He is very affectionate, charming, and chivalrous. I believe he has great patience as well. I could see them getting married in the future! It won't be right away though, it could take them 3-5 years to eventually get to that period. Their relationship would be celebrated my many! Some people will think "It took them long enough."

[snapofaneye]