Korean films

[skylee]

I guess "王的男人" would probably be more appropriate.

Yes this is the name used in the Chinese Chosun Daily -> http://chinese.chosun.com/big5/site/data/html_dir/2006/04/06/20060406000016.html

上月創下韓國國內票房新紀錄的《王的男人》吸引觀眾77萬人次，整體累計觀眾人數達到1228萬人次。

[bhchao]

I saw My Sassy Girl for the first time last night and I enjoyed it very much. Great acting from Jun Ji Hyun. You could sympathize with her whenever she smiled, cried in sorrow, shouted, or even punched Cha Tae-hyun in the face several times in the film. And Cha was very likeable in the film, even though by modern standards, I doubt that most men today would be willing to be dominated by a tomboyish girl in the manner portrayed by Jun.

The film was quite unpredictable, especially the ending. The scene where Cha rescues a sleepy Jun from an approaching train resembles Gregory Peck sheltering a sleepy Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday. Both male characters disliked the girl in the beginning, but gradually fell irresistibly in love with her.

[skylee]

I saw "Daisy" today (well technically it was yesterday). I think it was not bad. Usually I don't like films with a lot of monologues but pretty faces in this film made them bearable.

bhchao, if you like Jun Ji Hyun I think you should also see this one.

[bhchao]

I saw Wedding Campaign a few days ago. Not bad. It is quite entertaining despite some "coarse", "unrefined" silly behavior from the two leading men. However that is how they were supposed to portray two bumlike farmers from the countryside. And they portrayed it quite well.

Therefore female viewers who expect leading men material from this film will be disappointed.

Soo Ae, the actress in the film, was superb. Overall an above average film with very good acting, but I would not rate the film "excellent caliber".

[skylee]

I saw the "King and Clown" on DVD this morning and I don't think it is good. Part of it is a bit boring and the characters are weak. That look-alike beijing opera performance is particularly awful (I think the director includes such a scene to show the audience that there is a korean man whose beauty is comparable to Leslie Cheung's in "Farewell to my concubine").

Not recommended.

[bhchao]

Saw Il Mare. If you have an imaginative mind and can tolerate the voodoo timewarp, then watching this film will be a more enjoyable experience than someone with a realist mind.

I found it difficult to accept Lee Jung Jae and Jun Ji Hyun's virtual time differences. But I tried to tolerate it while watching the film. Other than that, the film was very beautifully made, especially the sequences where Lee and Jun personally see each other, their subtle movements and facial expressions in the subway. The scene where Jun desperately races to the mailbox to prevent Lee from making that fateful trip to the coffeehouse, and her reaction immediately afterwards was quite heartwrenching.

What I find confusing is why Jun got struck on the road as well, instead of just Lee.

What made this film enjoyable in my view was the poignant acting performances of Lee Jung Jae and Jun Ji Hyun. Lee was stylish while being masculine and emotionally convincing at the same time. However I think Jun cried better in My Sassy Girl than in this film. IMO, Song Hae Gyo would have better personal chemistry with Lee if she starred in the film.

The dog in the film was cute.

[rose~]

Apart from the films mentioned above, I liked When Romance Meets Destiny/ 광식이 동생 광태/ 光石的弟弟光泰. I think it's a nice light comedy, nothing earth-shattering but just quite simple and funny. It could make a good antidote to Oldboy

[Yuchi]

Just recently saw The Host (괴물 goe mul or 怪物 in hanja), it's a very good movie, though it's dragged out at some points. It has a 7.5 rating on IMDB, which is the only reason I watched it =P

[tsp_uk]

I don't understand Oldboy at all - was a very very weird movie

[Ian_Lee]

Yesterday I watched 文根英's 댄서의순정 -- 翩翩喜歡你/舞動真愛/舞者的純情.

This is the Korean version of "Shall we dance?" (tragic version). 文根英 is really splendid:

(1) Her ballroom dance is great (seems she is even better in ballet).

(2) Her Mandarin is also good (Does anyone know if she really spoke it in the movie?)

(3) The Yongbian accented Korean that she emulated is quite similar to the one you watch spoken by the anchor in North Korean TV.

[skylee]

(2) Her Mandarin is also good (Does anyone know if she really spoke it in the movie?)

Ha? I saw this film a while ago and I have no impression of her speaking good mandarin. I remember she sings Yelaixiang quite horribly, though. I still have the DVD but don't think the film is worth a re-watching.

Ian, have you seen 張柏芝's 白蘭 yet (see your own post #16) ? Do you think her Korean is good?

[Ian_Lee]

I think 文根英's 夜來香 is not that bad. At least I can tell that is Mandarin. And I like her scolding the guy as 白癡.

I slept half way through watching 白蘭 and so far I still don't have interest to continue watching it.

[toygirl]

loved oldboy, but i also love "freaky weird" movies. movies that when it's over and you're sitting through the credits you wonder what the *$^# you just watched!

shiri is one of my top favs for asian movies in general. i might still be stuck to all the mainstream movies, not sure, just started watching korean movies about a year and a half ago.

oh, not sure if it was mentioned earlier, but Tae Gu Ki is a really good movie about the korean war.

[bhchao]

I liked Oldboy. The subject material covered in the film was sick, and the ending was a little disturbing. But what made this film very good in my opinion was the storyline and the unpredictable ending itself. These are what good films are made of. Keeps your attention by making you wonder how the film will turn out at the end.

I give Oldboy an 'F' for content material, but an 'A' for great story.

[elizaberth]

I don't watch Korean movies becuase i am boycotting them now..

Shameless Koreans...

[rose~]

Sorry for my ignorance, but boycotting them over what?

[elizaberth]

Sorry for my ignorance, but boycotting them over what?

then you are really ignorant...sorry...go conduct research yourself...

[skylee]

Pardon my real ignorance, but boycotting Koreans over what?

[WilsonFong]

yeah, i'm curious too. i've lived in korea for almost a year now and i really like korean movies (they make the best movies in asia right now). why are you boycotting them?

p.s. elizaberth, that's a really chinglish name you have (like a couple of people i've met at university, carlvin and janica)

[bhchao]

Shu Qi is in the lead role of the third installment of My Wife is a Gangster:

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/Engnews/20061214/670000000020061214225541E9.html

The third installment of the wildly successful "My Wife Is a Gangster" franchise uses the same recipe of fights, car chases, explosions and a romantic happy ending, but takes on a different form with China's Shu Qi as the heroine.

Loved by audiences but scoffed at by critics, the films' premise of a machete-wielding female mob boss has not gone stale yet....

"For Shu Qi's character, we wanted the Hong Kong scenes to look cool, whereas the Korean gangsters needed to be funny," said director Cho Jin-gyu, who also made No. 1.

"The first sequel was rather rough and clumsy, because I didn't know as much about directing at that time. But I was ambitious in my approach, and the film has its own merits," he said, "For this one, I tried to adopt a different approach, a different style."....

As in other action movies, fighting, stunts and silly jokes take center stage over serious characterization and plot. But Shu brings it closer to the melodrama fold than the previous two ever got, and Lee Bum-soo acquits himself well as her awkward partner.

The original film was a domestic box-office sensation, claiming 5.3 million viewers. It was one of the first Korean films to chased by a U.S. studio for remake rights. No. 2 never quite lived up to its pitch but still pulled in 1.8 million theater viewers.

"My Wife Is a Gangster 3" is produced by Hyunjin Cinema and distributed by Showbox. It will be released nationwide on Dec. 28

http://www.china.org.cn/english/entertainment/189277.htm

My Wife is a Gangster 3, the latest in the long running crime comedy series has been sold at the American Film Market to no less than 8 Asian territories, achieving a new record for the most money paid for a Korean film at the event.

The film was also sold to Germany, with companies from other European countries and the U.S. still circling the rights. The series has enjoyed a higher profile in the West since the rights to the original "My Wife is a Gangster" were sold for a Hollywood remake back in 2001.

The film's popularity across Asia has no doubt been boosted by the presence of Hong Kong star Shu Qi in the lead role. It is due to hit cinemas December 28th, and also features Korean actors Lee Beom-soo, Hyung Young and Oh Ji-ho.