Lee Seok-hoon’s nautical adventure film follows rival pirates, bandits and soldiers chasing a royal seal swallowed by a whale. It’s a big budget, enjoyable romp but there are numerous elements that are less accomplished than others and ultimately the lingering thought is just how easily the film could have been so much better. [Read More]
LKL articles by Hangul Celluloid (page 8)
Broken (방황하는 칼날, 2014) review: vengeance and a search for closure
While on a cursory glance ‘Broken’ would appear to be yet another example of the Korean revenge thriller, take a closer look and you will find it to be a detailing of one man’s search for closure and a way to bring an end to heart-wrenching pain far more than any pursuit of vigilante justice. [Read More]
I am Trash (나는 쓰레기다, 2014) review: when family becomes filth
I am Trash is as hard-hitting and shocking as almost any Korean film in recent memory but its importance cannot be overstated; and while its character outcome could never be condoned in reality, its ultimate statement loudly screams of severe punishment sorely being needed in society for extreme sexual crimes. [Read More]
Innocent Thing (가시, 2014) review: innocence, obsession and consequence
Innocent Thing follows a married teacher drawn into a dangerous relationship with a determined student. While somewhat marred by a deliberate, and noticeable, withholding of information, it still manages to stand as an engaging drama/thriller; a story of love, obsession and revenge the conclusion of which greatly strengthens the entire preceding narrative. [Read More]
Juvenile Offender (범죄소년, 2012) review: gritty social commentary meets romantic melodrama
‘Juvenile Offender’ is both a depiction of disaffected youth focused on those who for one reason or another find themselves on the very edge of ‘normal’ society; and also an almost archetypal romantic melodrama narrative. As such, it is ultimately as warm, caring, affectionate and affecting as it is gritty, hard-hitting and socially aware. [Read More]
Let’s Dance (자, 이제 댄스타임, 2013) review: examining South Korea’s abortion debate
Let’s Dance combines historical information, footage from legal proceeding, real life first-person interviews and acted content to provide an insightful documentary on the ongoing debate relating to the legality of, and attitudes to, abortion in South Korea. The poignant and often traumatic individual stories of the female interviewees will stay with you. [Read More]
Miss Granny (수상한 그녀, 2014) review: youth reclaimed, manners forgotten
While ‘Miss Granny’ is light-hearted entertainment at its core, it nonetheless contains aspects inherent to classic Korean comedies over the years and elements that speak of a number of hugely influential films; all adding up to an intelligently written, genuinely funny film that stands as an example of quality Korean comedy at its very best. [Read More]
Revivre (화장, 2014) review: between duty and desire
Im Kwon-taek’s Revivre is a powerful story of a man, whose wife is terminally ill, who begins to fantasise about a sexual relationship with a much younger woman. Deftly contrasting traditionalism and modernity within the characters themselves, Revivre’s strengths ultimately lie in the painful, poignant realism on show, in spite of one rather questionable character motivation. [Read More]
Ryu Seonghie interview: artist, designer, problem solver
Production designer Ryu Seonghie discusses shaping meaning through space, colour, and symbolism; balancing realism and fantasy; working with directors like Park Chan-wook and Bong Joon-ho; navigating gender barriers, budget limits, and collaboration; and her concerns about commercial trends, sexuality, and diminishing narrative depth in contemporary Korean cinema. [Read More]
Ahn Sung-ki interview: a life in acting
Ahn Sung-ki reflects on Korean cinema’s roots in historical trauma, its role in addressing social issues, and his career choices under censorship and change. He discusses long collaborations with Im Kwon-taek, the importance of scripts and emotional depth, evolving acting freedoms, international productions, and his belief that cinema’s power lies in moving hearts rather than scale or fame. [Read More]
Obsessed (인간중독, 2014) review: shattered duty and forbidden desires
‘Obsessed’ for the most part succeeds in being a sensual, brooding and beautifully slow-burning tale of forbidden love, but while director Kim Dae-woo’s expertise in depicting palpably erotically-charged narratives serves as one of the film’s many strong points his decision to pile ‘final’ melodramatic moment on top of final melodramatic moment is easily its weakest. [Read More]
Park Chan-kyong interview: Manshin, Asian Gothic and artistic autonomy
Park Chan-kyong discusses financing Manshin outside the studio system, balancing artistic freedom with commercial pressures, and his recurring focus on shamanism, tradition and “Asian gothic” aesthetics. He reflects on collaboration with his brother Park Chan-wook, the creative value of short films, digital democratisation of filmmaking, and Korea’s layered relationship with its past. [Read More]
July Jung interview: loneliness, damage and connection in “A Girl at My Door”
July Jung discusses the obstacles facing female filmmakers in Korea, the precarious path to making A Girl at My Door, and her focus on loneliness, abuse, sexuality and prejudice. She explains the rural setting as a social microcosm, her collaboration with Lee Chang-dong, and her belief that intimate, local stories can achieve universal resonance. [Read More]
Kim Seong-hun interview – from relationship comedy to A Hard Day: “after ten years, the mountain changes”
Director Kim Seong-hun discusses his path from assistant director to filmmaker, the genre shift leading to A Hard Day, and how time, failure, and global cinema shaped his approach. He reflects on narrative structure, character-driven storytelling, restrained depiction of sex and violence, and challenging perceptions of Korean cinema. [Read More]
Cho Young-wuk interview: motifs, process and collaboration in film music
Cho Young-wuk discusses his approach to film scoring, from early motif selection and character-focused themes to team-based composition. He reflects on collaborations with Park Chan-wook, instrument choices, gender and music, avoiding self-imitation, balancing commerce and art, and adapting styles—from classical motifs to spaghetti westerns. [Read More]
Clarice Eun-hae Ok interview: bringing a film to its completion with music
Music director Clarice Eun-hae Ok discusses her path into film scoring, close collaboration with director Oh In-chun, and the creation of Mourning Grave’s music. She explains how motifs, instrumentation, and the balance of acoustic and electronic sounds shape horror, romance, pacing, and emotional memory within a multi-genre narrative. [Read More]