Set in 1960s rural Korea, this coming-of-age romance explores a tender love triangle between a young teacher, his colleague and a schoolgirl discovering first love through her journal. At the same time sad, funny, moving and uplifting, The Harmonium In My Memory is what everyone’s first love should be. [Read More]
People: Lee Byung-hun (page 2)
I Saw The Devil (악마를 보았다, 2010) review: a visceral descent into the emptiness of revenge
A visceral, brutal yet at times beautiful film, I Saw The Devil pits a sadistic serial killer against a grieving secret agent, and shows that no closure, appeasement or fulfillment is to be found in the act of revenge, with only emptiness and the unforeseen consequences of vengeful actions ultimately resulting from it. [Read More]
Kim Ji-woon interview: the utter emptiness of revenge
Kim Ji-woon discusses I Saw the Devil, the controversy over its extreme violence, his approach to revenge and human darkness, casting Lee Byung-hun and Choi Min-sik, and his upcoming Hollywood project. He also reflects on scripting, genre, and how psychological and emotional truths shape his films. [Read More]
Kim Ji-woon’s I Saw the Devil: more than just gore?
Aashish Gadhvi speaks on behalf of three LKL reviewers: Kim Ji-woon’s latest is a disappointment. Hype can be a film’s best friend or its worst enemy. In the case of some films it has worked (The Blair Witch Project) and in the case of others it has backfired spectacularly (Star Wars Prequels), but the fact … [Read More]
A belated look back at 2009
For the past 3 years LKL has concocted a quiz of the year as a way of gathering together some of the news stories which have most caught our eye. This year, as I came to draw up the list in mid December I found it hard to think of anything amusing or diverting: most … [Read More]
Bungee Jump at the KCC
The first of this month’s film screenings featuring the sadly missed Lee Eun-ju is Bungee Jumping of their own (번지점프를 하다) (Kim Dae-seung, 2001), also starring Lee Byung-hun. Here’s a synopsis, in fluent Konglish, from KMDB. The summer of 1983. SEO In-woo, majoring in Korean language & literature, has not believed in love and fate, … [Read More]
Storm Shadow v Saya: Who wins?
Just seen GI Joe; and saw Last Vampire last month. Who wins in the battle of Storm Shadow v Saya? I think Lee Byung-hun wins hands down over Jeon Ji-hyun, despite having less to do. # [Read More]
GI Joe – “utterly relentless”
“Big, dumb, loud and utterly relentless. Everything you could want from a summer blockbuster,” says Time Out on GI Joe (Lee Byung Hun) out now #. Actually, it’s rather good. [Read More]
Celebs, Pit bulls and hairdos
As is customary at this time of year, I’ve been looking at the readership statistics. And, in general, the results are remarkably similar to last year. Yes, it’s the same old celebrities which generate the traffic. For those who know what they’re looking for it’s Super Junior which is the sure winner, while for those … [Read More]
LKL 2008 Quiz of the year – the answers
The answers to the teasers posed just before the New Year. 1 Stressful times What does the current credit crunch and the most recent DPRK nuclear test have in common? a) the media blame them on an incompetent government who should have seen it coming and somehow prevented it b) they would both cause a … [Read More]
The Good, The Bad, The Weird (좋은 놈, 나쁜 놈, 이상한 놈, 2008) review: exhilarating action and genre-blending fun
The Good, The Bad, The Weird revels in kinetic set-pieces, black humour and playful genre parody, delivering relentless momentum and crowd-pleasing thrills. OK, the plot isn’t multi-layered, there’s no real “good will triumph over evil” but if that’s what you’re looking for you’re missing the point. [Read More]
Good, bad or weird? A look at Kim Jee-woon’s classic western
Now the festival is over, perhaps it’s time to set down some thoughts on the lead film, Kim Ji-woon’s Manchurian western. This was one of the most hotly anticipated films in recent years, on a par with Lady Vengeance and Secret Sunshine. Kim Ji-woon has built up an enviable track record with his past films. … [Read More]
Lee Byung-hun on being the bad guy
Lee Byung-hun, in town for the launch of the London Korean Film Festival, took advantage of his trip to have some interviews and engage in other promotional activities. He impressed the crowds at the opening screening of The Good the Bad and the Weird, and again the next day at the post film discussion, with … [Read More]
Stars launch Korean Film Festival
In what must be the biggest-budget launch of the KCC’s third London Korean Film Festival, director Kim Ji-woon and actor Lee Byung-hun were brought to London to introduce the flagship film of the festival, The Good the Bad and the Weird. Tony Rayns, the UK’s most established Korean film expert, was also there to celebrate. … [Read More]
Addicted (중독, 2002) review: love, identity and the aftermath of loss
After a tragic accident leaves one brother brain-dead and the other profoundly changed, Addicted explores whether love can survive death, doubt and fractured identity. Each of the characters becomes an unwilling victim of the love that they choose and each has to question whether to pay the high price which that love requires. [Read More]
Rain 8 – Colbert 4: an unscientific survey of hallyu in Asia
Devoted followers of Korean popular culture will remember the Rain v Colbert battle in Time magazine last year. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5c7fj_stephen-colbert-vs-rain-dance-off_fun The much smaller population of devoted LKL readers will remember that I did a straw poll of my US co-workers last year: how many out of an unrepresentative sample of US bank regulatory specialists had heard … [Read More]