A review of some of the films that screened in London during the 2017 – another busy year. For me the undoubted highlight of the London film year was the Bae Chang-ho retrospective at the London Korean Film Festival: a chance to see a couple of his movies – including the classic Whale Hunting (1984) – … [Read More]
Director: Choi Seung-ho
Film review double bill: Bamseom Pirates and Criminal Conspiracy
This weekend gave us the opportunity to watch two very different documentaries which cast their critical eye over contemporary Korean society and recent political history. Part of the fascination of both of them for UK-based Korea-watchers is the way they resonate: they provide, in the one case, a laser-like dissection of an issue of which … [Read More]
Choi Seung-ho interview: Norigae – where justice fails
Director Choi Seung-ho discusses Norigae’s origins in real-world abuse scandals, its critique of sexual coercion and lenient sentencing, and the choice to portray injustice through a sombre tone. He addresses funding constraints, casting challenges, and how lighting, music, and explicit scenes serve the film’s social and moral intent. [Read More]
Norigae (노리개, 2013) review: power, abuse and a damning indictment of justice
Inspired by true-life tales of the sexual coercion and abuse of celebrity figures in Korea, ‘Norigae’ was guaranteed to be both controversial and shocking. It tells a story that desperately needed to be told and points an accusing finger at the free rein often afforded to the powerful at the expense of the vulnerable. [Read More]