Top 5: (sort of) Overlooked South Korean Films
For many cinephiles, South Korea has been a bold and creative voice this millenia. Ranging from modern classics such as; Old Boy (and it’s other 2 installments in the Vengeance trilogy: Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance and Lady Vengeance respectively), The Handmaiden and Thirst (funnily enough all directed by Park Chan-wook). To more cult affairs like; Train To Busan, The Good, The Bad and The Weird and I’m a Cyborg and That’s OK..
But it’s only been until now that more mainstream western audiences will be becoming acquainted with the country’s many flavoured smorgasboard due to the (much deserved) Academy Award sweep from Bong Joon-ho’s class focused critical darling Parasite. Not only the first Best Picture, Best International Picture, Best Screenplay and Best Director win for South Korea but also the first time they’ve won or even been nominated for anything, a fact that has never sat well with me and I’m sure many others.
Now obviously I could write about all the above mentioned films but I feel (especially at the time of writing this list) they have been talked about enough and I wanted to highlight a few of my personal favourites and lesser known gems.
- Burning (2018)
The closest South Korea had got to an Oscar nomination, making the shortlist last year for Best Foreign Language Picture (as it was known then), Lee Chang-dong’s Burning is an almost Lynchian neo-noir slow burn thriller. The film follows aspiring writer Lee Jong-su (Yoo Ah-in) who has recently reconnected with an old childhood friend Shin Hae-mi (Jeon Jong-seo) but after coming back from a trip to Africa with the mysterious and charming Ben (Steven Yeun) things start to take a turn. From schrodinger-like cats to unreliable narrators and a yawn full of meaning, Burning will keep you guessing and haunt you until well after the credits have rolled.
- I Saw The Devil (2010)
If there’s one thing South Korea does well, it’s revenge and Kim Jee-woon’s I Saw The Devil is no exception and quite possibly one of the bleakest. When known serial killer Jang Kyung-chul (Choi Min-sik) murders the fiance to NIS agent Kim Soo-hyun (Lee Byung-hun), Kim will stop at nothing to act vengeance upon the man who took his would be wife’s life, even if that means becoming a monsterous killer himself. Not for the faint of heart, this blood thirsty tale pulls no punches and has often been in lists with the likes of Martyrs and Antichrist for it’s grizzly depiction and the relentless lengths Jang and Kim will go to to get rid of each other. Also watch out for a certain 360 panning shot.
- A Tale Of Two Sisters (2003)
My personal introduction to South Korean cinema, A Tale Of Two Sisters tells the story of the titular sisters as they return home from a mental institution, not only having to deal with their overbearing stepmother but also the ghost of their deceased mother. Some may know the plot of this film from it’s american remake The Uninvited but rest assured this deals with the gothic folktale subject matter a lot better. Kim Jee-woon graces this list yet again to show not only can he do revenge thrillers but also take on the haunted house horror formula. With winning chemistry from the two leads (Im Soo-jung and Moon Geun-young), a captivating performance from Yum Jung-ah as the stepmother and creepy yet beautiful cinematography this film (like many) will make you wonder why they even bothered to remake it in the first place.
- The Villainess (2017)
Wanna know what influenced that bike chase from John Wick:Chapter 3 — Parabellum? Then look no further than Jung Byung-gil’s The Villainess. Kicking off with a five minute one take POV shot of our lead antagonist brawling her way through a hallway of mercenaries, The Villainess sets the stage for the hyper stylized revenge/origin story. Kim Ok-bin plays Sook-hee, a trained assassin wanting to leave her old life behind but becomes roped back in due to the presence of an old acquaintance. Set pieces galore, this although at times plot heavy action thriller really comes through when it needs to and could even hold a candle (or a pencil) to the previously referenced Mr. Wick. Low-key kinda hoping Sook-hee (or just Kim Ok-bin) can slice her way into a cameo in John Wick: Chapter 4.
- Microhabitat (2017)
Once you’re done with all the revenge and horror of the aforementioned four, why not go for something a little more quaint. What some have described as South Korea’s answer to Frances Ha, Microhabitat follows the life of 30-something Miso (Esom) while she makes do with life as long she has the things that matter most to her; cigarettes, whisky and her boyfriend. The film can also be quite poignant, where Microhabitat differs from Frances is it’s themes of the economy and addiction which are treated with such brevity throughout you almost don’t notice them until the final scene. Charming and warm, you really come to love Miso and her quest for a happy and sustainable life which is elevated by the comforting performance by Esom and the frost bitten cinematography depicting a rather chilly Seoul in winter.
