Top 10 Must See Korean Movies

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We here at WVG are dedicated to bringing you the latest news and media from the gaming world, but we are also huge film nerds as well. So occasionally we will break from the script and write an article about film or television. Hey IGN does it, can’t we be as cool as IGN? Probably not, but we’ll try our damndest.

Some of the best movies the last 20 years have come out of South Korea. The industry doesn’t have much money to fund a lot of bs projects like Hollywood does so they have to pick and choose their scripts so what you get is a lot of quality. They also take more chances and are tragic in nature, happy endings in Korean films are rare which is something Hollywood frowns upon, but it makes for more truthful cinema. To limit it to just 10 is criminal, but here we go.

10. Attack the Gas Station

IMDB Synopsis

A quartet of disaffected Korean youths have robbed a Seoul gas station. Later, while hanging out in a Chinese noodle shop, they decide to rob the same gas station. After taking the gas station over, their wacky antics ensue; forcing the manager to sing, kidnapping customers that complain about the service, and staging fist-fights between street gang members and gas station employees; all of these reflect their own gripes against society.

Our Take
A completely off the wall insane movie and that’s what makes it so great. Never takes itself seriously as the humor is quick and witty and the action is over the top hilarious and violent at the same time. Attack the Gas Station will have you laughing and cringing at the same time.

9. JSA: Joint Security Area

IMDB Synopsis

In the DMZ separating North and South Korea, two North Korean soldiers have been killed, supposedly by one South Korean soldier. But the 11 bullets found in the bodies, together with the 5 remaining bullets in the assassin’s magazine clip, amount to 16 bullets for a gun that should normally hold 15 bullets. The investigating Swiss/Swedish team from the neutral countries overseeing the DMZ suspects that another, unknown party was involved – all of which points to some sort of cover up. The truth is much simpler and much more tragic.

Our Take
Korea’s best director Chan-Wook Park first hit it big with this beautifully shot tension filled drama. A film that brings to light the true life hatred between North and South Korea. JSA effortlessly shows the human side of the conflict with fantastic performances throughout and flawless direction.

8. Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War

IMDB Synopsis

In 1950, in South Korea, shoe-shiner Jin-tae Lee and his 18-year-old old student brother, Jin-seok Lee, form a poor but happy family with their mother, Jin-tae’s fiancé Young-shin Kim, and her young sisters. Jin-tae and his mother are tough workers, who sacrifice themselves to send Jin-seok to the university. When North Korea invades the South, the family escapes to a relative’s house in the country, but along their journey, Jin-seok is forced to join the army to fight in the front, and Jin-tae enlists too to protect his young brother. The commander promises Jin-tae that if he gets a medal he would release his brother, and Jin-tae becomes the braver soldier in the company. Along the bloody war between brothers, the relationship of Jin-seok with his older brother deteriorates leading to a dramatic and tragic end.

Our Take
Not only is Tae Guk Gi the best Korean war film ever made it may be the best war movie period. The bond between the two brothers is really what this movie is all about and Bin Won and Dong-gun Jang give amazing performances as brothers forced into the Korean war. Drop the 9.99 at the local moviestop on this gem and you won’t be disappointed.

7. A Tale of Two Sisters

IMDB Synopsis

Two sisters who, after spending time in a mental institution, return to the home of their father and cruel stepmother. Once there, in addition to dealing with their stepmother’s obsessive and unbalanced ways, an interfering ghost also affects their recovery.

Our Take
A Tale of Two Sisters is the kind of horror film that stays with you for months and it’s one of those movies that you just want to show people who have never seen Asian cinema. In America we have The Exorcist, in Japan they have Audition, in Korea they have A Tale of Two Sisters.

6. The Chaser

IMDB Synopsis

Joong-ho is a dirty detective turned pimp in financial trouble as several of his girls have recently disappeared without clearing their debts. While trying to track them down, he finds a clue that the vanished girls were all called up by a same client whom one of his girls is meeting with right now.

Our Take
How about a story about a former cop turned pimp pissed off because all of his hoes are disappearing? Sounds interesting right? Well it is. A thriller from start to finish with a fantastic performance from main character Yun-seok Kim.

5. Welcome to Dongmakgol
IMDB Synopsis

This movie shows an extremely remote mountain village in a very small country. These folks are almost nymphs. There came a group of North Korean stragglers who are kind and full of humanism. South Korean deserters who feel guilty about massacre committed by cold-blooded South Korean Army join them.

Our Take
A strange and beautiful film. Some tragic moments throughout make you really fall in love with the characters. Imagine war all around you, but you are not aware of it at all, that’s where this journey takes you and then the rabbit hole gets a little deeper.

4. Voice of a Murderer

IMDB Synopsis

Han Kyung Bae (Sol Kyung Gu) is a successful news anchor with a beautiful wife (Kim Nam Joo) and a nine-year-old son, but his quiet life comes crashing down when his son gets kidnapped. In the next 44 days, they continuously receive calls from the kidnapper in his chillingly cold and emotionless voice with instructions and requests for ransom. The police are determined to find the kidnapper, but he effortlessly eludes capture; not only is he a step ahead at every turn, he seems to enjoy toying with the police in this cat-and-mouse chase. As the kidnapper keeps walking free, Kyung Bae becomes increasingly desperate and frustrated with the police, as he knows time is running out for his child.

A haunting true story brought to life with stark realism thanks to the incomparable Kyung Gu Sol(Public Enemy, Oasis, Peppermint Candy). The emotions that his character goes through is astonishing and Korea’s greatest actor is up to the task. A masterpiece made all the more chilling knowing this tragic tale of kidnapping is true.

3. Save the Green Planet!
IMDB Synopsis

A Tromatized young man abducts Korean leaders, believing they’re toxic reptilian aliens – a fifth column launching a takeover of beloved Earth. Stumped law enforcement geniuses half-seriously hire a disgraced, disheveled private detective with a long-ago history of super-crime solving.

Our Take
Save the Green Planet! is a science fiction gem that more people need to experience. Hard to explain without giving out spoilers and I have no idea how to cover text to scroll over. Anyways, if you’re looking for a totally original idea in the world of science fiction with humor and truly frightening moments then you’ve found your movie.

2. Vengeance Trilogy
Our Take
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy and Lady Vengeance are all incredible movies in the great director Chan-Wook Park’s vengeance trilogy. The most popular being Oldboy which is already in talks of being remade in Hollywood with Will Smith playing Oh Dae Su. Originally portrayed by the great Choi Min Sik, Oldboy is an amazing film in which Chan-Wook Park directs every scene like it’s own individual piece of art. Sympathy and Lady are also remarkable achievements with their own tragic stories that need to be seen.

1. Memories of Murder

IMDB Synopsis

In 1986, in the province of Gyunggi, in South Korea, a second young and beautiful woman is found dead, raped and tied and gagged with her underwear. Detective Park Doo-Man and Detective Cho Yong-koo, two brutal and stupid local detectives without any technique, investigate the murder using brutality and torturing the suspects, without any practical result. The Detective Seo Tae-Yoon from Seul comes to the country to help the investigations and is convinced that a serial-killer is killing the women. When a third woman is found dead in the same “modus-operandi”, the detectives find leads of the assassin.

Our Take
Memories of Murder is the best serial killer movie I have ever seen. Kang-ho Song(Thirst, Secret Sunshine, The Host) gives another great performance as a head slapping detective on the trail of a serial killer. Beautifully shot, flawlessly acted and phenomenal pacing make up a movie that will blow you away. Netflix it, rent it, itunes it, DVD it, Blu-Ray it, PS3 it, XBOX 360 it, whatever the hell you need to do get your hands on this movie and all the movies on this list and stop whining about subtitles, it is very possible to enjoy wonderful foreign movies and this is a great place to start.

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