Although I’ll admit that I’m not a big fan of ‘best of’ lists I do recognise that they can often be a shortcut into a subject that the reader may not be familiar with. One the questions I was asked recently by a reader of the site was to suggest fifteen films which would provide a good introduction to the last decade, or so, of New Korean Cinema. I’ve given plenty of recommendations of different films in the past, but it’s a task that doesn’t get any easier – the sheer scope of Korea’s output means that it’s hard to represent every filmmaker, idea, genre, etc. The list below is the answer that I gave a few weeks ago, although I also admitted in my original reply that if I was asked the same question a week later that the list would probably have changed. I may have done so since I originally complied it. I thought it might be interesting to post this at the start of this years Korean Blogathon, so here’s Part One of a list of some of the films that I personally think are a pretty good introduction to Korean cinema, given in chronological order and with my original brief comments why I’d chosen these particular titles:
Christmas In August (Hur Jin-ho, 1998)
Although it’s not the most popular in the West, the key film genre in Korea has historically been the melodrama. Christmas In August is a brilliantly subdued melodrama in which a photographer and a a traffic warden strike up a friendship. He doesn’t tell her that he is dying, and this drama runs throughout the background of this brilliantly acted, beautifully underplayed character piece. It’s very moving. The two leads from the film (Han Suk-kyu and Shim Eun-ha) became a massively popular on-screen couple in Korea and they were cast again as the leads in Tell Me Something – a very different film, more akin to the the tone of David Finchers Se7en (1995).
Peppermint Candy (Lee Chang-dong, 1999)
Lee Chang-dong isn’t the most commercial filmmaker (in the West he’s considered more ‘art-house’) but his films are very popular in Korea and he tackles subjects such as history, politics, old age, illness and makes very slow but very moving dramas. Peppermint Candy may not be his best film but it’s probably his most accessible – it tells the story of a mans life in backwards, starting with his death, and travels back in time over key moments in recent Korean political history. It’s very powerful film with excellent performances and a worthy introduction to one of Korea’s greatest filmmakers.
Nowhere to Hide (Lee Myung-se, 1999)
There’s no other filmmaker quite like Lee Myung-se, in Korea or elsewhere. A director who experiments and toys with the format of film itself. Nowhere To Hide has a very basic plot – a cop is looking for a gangster – but its narrative is told through the most bizarre, unique and visually interesting way possible. The film was distributed in the UK and the US, although audiences seemed to be a little bit confused by it, especially as the distributor attempted to align the film with the recent popularity of Hong Kong cinema, but while Lee Myung-se takes, steals and borrows from all kinds of imagery there’s no clear comparison to be made with any other filmmaker or genre to be made. Lees other films are also highly recommended, particularly Duelist (2005) which experiments with style in a period setting.
Shiri (Kang Je-kyu, 1999)
This was Korea’s first big-budget blockbuster and it’s a bit rough around the edges but its a very interesting cold-war action thriller. Featuring a cast who would all become big stars, including Song Kang-ho (The Host), Choi Min-sik (Oldboy) and Kim Yun-jin (the US television series ‘Lost’). The North / South plot was, at the time, bordering on the controversial.
Beyond Hollywood Review
DVD Verdict Review
J.S.A. – Joint Security Area (Park Chan-wook, 2000)
A more serious film than Shiri, J.S.A. also deals with North / South relations – its the story of an investigation into a shooting in the DMZ and the North and South soldiers involved. It’s still a very powerful film, one of Park Chan-wooks best, and boasts great performances from actors who would become even bigger stars including Song Kang-ho (Shiri), Lee Byung-hun (A Bittersweet Life) and Shin Ha-kyun (Sympathy For Mr Vengeance). Director Park Chan-wook went onto make probably the most well-known Korean film worldwide with Oldboy, which forms part of the ‘Vengeance Trilogy’ which has been incredibly influential around the globe and is worth checking out.
Beyond Hollywood Review
My Sassy Girl (Kwak Jae-young, 2001)
Romantic comedies are incredibly popular in Korean cinema, and this is still one of the biggest box-office smashes. It’s a long film which is divided into three sections and tells the story of a young mans relationship with a girl who doesn’t seem to conform to the normal expectations of Korean society. It’s a very funny film and was a massively popular across Asia and has been remade several times including a Japanese television series, and both Bollywood and Hollywood versions. Films continue to reference My Sassy Girl today and the two leads (Jun Ji-hyun and Cha Tae-hyun) remain big stars.
What’s Korean Cinema? Ep 1: My Sassy Girl
Part Two of this list will be posted tomorrow!
Great choices Martin! I look forward to part II.
I wonder if Sector 7 might make an appearance!
Cheers Pierce. You never know, Sector 7 might just edge its way in there… Maybe I should put together a list of 15 duds?…
Definitely a list that I’d concur with, especially in terms of introducing the birth of the Korean New Wave.
Cool – well I’m only listing 15 in total so there will be stacks of great films missing and I’d be interested in knowing which films people would add or take out of the list. Plus, I don’t know about yourself but the titles I’d pick for newcomers are different to those that I’d recommend to people who have seen a few of the films already..
Yeah and who you’re recommending to will make a difference too. A cinephile will be more likely to accept Nowhere to Hide than a casual moviegoer, as I’ve had a lot of friends tell me they were bored while watching the film. You could replace it with Attack the Gas Station for more casual movie watchers.
Great list Martin! Includes 3 of my all time fav Korean films