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I love Korean movies as much as I love K-dramas and have been watching them for just as long. Although I do not need to invest the same amount of time, their impact on me is just as deep. Some of my most-loved actors have in fact never done a drama (hi there, Park Hae-il!) and when they finally do (woohoo, Hwang Jung-min!), I can barely suppress my joy.
Here are the K-movies that I’ve watched. Scattered among them are movies without ratings and which make up my Guilt List (aka that growing stash of unwatched movies in my K-bookcase). I hope to finish them before 2011 rolls around!
Ratings: 1-10 (1 for awful and 10 for awesome!)
3-Iron (8.5)
2009 Lost Memories
A Bittersweet Life (10)
A Day (8)
A Dirty Carnival
A Good Day for an Affair (9)
A Million
A Millionaire’s First Love (3)
A Moment to Remember (6)
A Promise (7.5)
A Tale of Two Sisters
Addicted (8.5)
An Affair (9)
Arahan (8.5)
April Snow (8)
Art Museum by the Zoo (8)
Art of Fighting
Au Revoir, UFO (7)
Baby and I (7)
Barking Dogs Never Bite (8.5)
Beat
Besame Mucho (7.5)
Bet on My Disco
Blood Rain
Bloody Tie
Blue Swallow (10)
Boat (6)
Break Out
Breath
Bungee Jumping of Their Own (8.5)
Can’t Live Without Robbery (8)
Christmas in August (9.5)
Conduct Zero (9)
Crying Fist (10)
Daddy-Long-Legs (8.5)
Dance with the Wind
Ditto (8)
Duelist (12)
Everybody Has Secrets (2)
Failan (9)
Family Ties (9)
Fly Daddy (8)
Flying Boys (8.5)
For Horowitz (8.5)
Forbidden Quest (9)
Forever the Moment (8)
Friend
Gagman
Ghost House (6.5)
Green Fish (8)
Guns and Talk (9)
Hanbando
Hansel and Gretel
Happiness (9)
Happy End (9)
Happy Funeral Director
Haeundae
He is Cool (7.5)
Heart Is… (6.5)
Hi, Dharma! (8)
Hi, Dharma 2: Showdown in Seoul (6)
Holiday
Ice Rain (8.5)
I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK
Il Mare (9)
Indian Summer (9)
…Ing (8.5)
Innocent Steps (8)
Interview (7)
Jealousy is My Middle Name (8.5)
Joint Security Area (9)
King and the Clown (10)
La Vie en Rose
Last Present (8.5)
Lee Dae-ro Can’t Die
Lost in Love
Love Letter (8)
Love of South and North (3)
Love Phobia
Lovers: A Compilation
Lovers of Six Years
Lump of Sugar
M (10)
Madeleine (8.5)
Mapado (7.5)
Marathon (8)
Marriage is a Crazy Thing (8.5)
Marrying the Mafia 1 (8)
Marrying the Mafia II
Maundy Thursday (9.5)
Memories of Murder (10)
Mister Socrates
Monopoly
Motel Cactus (7)
Mother
Musa
Mutt Boy
My Beautiful Girl, Mari (8.5)
My Boyfriend is Type B (3)
My Dear Enemy (10)
My Little Bride (8)
My Lovely Week (9)
My Mother, the Mermaid (9)
My Sassy Girl (8.5)
My Scary Girl (9)
My Tutor Friend (8.5)
My Wife Got Married (9)
My Wife is a Gangster III (3)
Never Forever (8)
Nowhere to Hide
Oasis (9)
Oh! Brothers (8)
Oldboy (9.5)
Old Miss Diary (8)
Once Upon a Time in High School
One Fine Spring Day (8.5)
Our Sweet Days of Youth
Over the Rainbow (8.5)
Paradise Murdered (8.5)
Passage to Buddha
Please Teach Me English (8)
Plum Blossom (8)
Portrait of the Days of Youth
Princess Aurora
Radio Star (10)
Rough Cut (9)
Rules of Dating (9)
Running Wild
S Diary
Sad Movie
Scent of Love (7.5)
Secret Sunshine
Shadowless Sword
She’s on Duty
Shinsukki Blues
Shiri
Silmido (8.5)
Singles (9)
Someone Special (9)
Sopyonje (10)
Sorum (9)
South of the Border
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring (8.5)
Springtime
Super Family
Superstar Mr. Gam (9)
Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (9)
Taegukgi (7.5)
Take Care of My Cat (9)
Tazza: The High Rollers
Temptation of Wolves (8)
The Aggressives (9)
The Art of Seduction (7.5)
The Beast and the Beauty (8)
The Big Swindle (8)
The Boy Who Goes to Heaven
The Chaser (10)
The Classic (8)
The Contact (8)
The Fox Family (8.5)
The Good, The Bad, The Weird (8.5)
The Happy Life (10)
The Harmonium in My Memory (9)
The Host (9.5)
The Moonlight of Seoul (8.5)
The Quiet Family (9)
The Return
The Road to the Racetrack
The Unforgiven (9)
The Uninvited
The Way Home (8.5)
Time (8)
Too Beautiful to Lie (8.5)
Untold Scandal (8.5)
Virgin Snow
Voice of a Murderer (8)
Waikiki Brothers (9)
Wanee and Junah (8)
Wedding Campaign (8.5)
Welcome to Dongmakgol (9)
Who Are You (8.5)
You Are My Sunshine (9)
Young Ja’s Heydays
The Chaser, of course ! King & The Clown – great !
How about Old Boy ?
I only have two words for OLD BOY = DISTURBING & DISGUSTING!
But I gave it a 10 out of 10! One of the strangest and greatest revenge movies I’ve ever seen.
Note : I just turned 19 this year so technically, I have the license to watch it
Ohhh… Oldboy. Great movie. But will I watch it again? NO! It’s beyond disturbing.
How about The Host?
Oh, I love The Host (and I absolutely adore the cast). I thought of including it in this list but decided in the end to go for little-known Conduct Zero (which I love for its awesome chemistry between Ryu Seung-beom and Gong Hyo-jin).
One of the things I hope to do in this blog is highlight the films and dramas that don’t get talked about very much. So Conduct Zero won over blockbuster The Host. ^^
Old Boy? That’s how I get to know this thespian actor & sexiest man on earth…YJT! It’s such a gory and pyschologically disturbing movie that after I watched it, I crumpled the dvd in the trash can, seriously…
I’m all for romatic movies/dramas but recently I like to take my watching to the next level so I decided to venture into other genre thus recently I took the courage to watch BSL and the Chaser and tomorrow will be watching The Host which I have putting off for the past two years. The next pick will be My Dear Enemy which I heard is a very charming movie. I’m so glad HJW is collaborating with JDY again as I love him in Lovers in Prague, such a cute & protective bodyguard! That’s it for prattling
Hi Janie
I can’t throw my Oldboy DVD in the trash, alas. It’s the special or limited edition set. ^^ I found the movie so disturbing I did not even watch the bonus features.
I LOVE My Dear Enemy. It’s exactly my type of movie and I can watch it over and over. Ah, Ha Jung-woo! *swoons*
any1 can tell…wer can i find the english version of “The King and the Clown”…plzz send it to my e-mail…plzzz
As it happens, the region 1 (aka US) version of The King and the Clown will be released in September. Or rereleased as the case may be. You can pre-order from Amazon. Should you not wish to order it, let’s just say that well….it’s out there in torrent form with subs.
Hi glen
Oops, sorry I can’t help you. I don’t download movies so have no idea where to find links. Maybe someone else reading this will be able to give you a lead.
Thanks for stopping by!
Hi Thundie,
I remembered reading somewhere in this blog where you mentioned Harmonium in my Memory. I have watched it twice last year ‘cos it such a sweet movie. Now I have this important question to ask which has been bugging me.
[SPOILER]
See I don’t think the teacher and student end up marrying each other but others think otherwise. Based on the credit at the end of the movie, there were a few wedding photos and family pictures; yes the bride resembled JDY but I don’t think it’s the student. Aish, not sure if I am reading into it too much… see in the beginning of the show, we knew the student, now married, picked up the LP and played it and there we learned of her special memory about her first crush on Mr. Kang; Further based on the title of the movie it is just her “memory” and the “dream” didn’t get fulfilled
so I don’t think they end up living happily ever after together ;p Unless, Mr. Kang married her but because he is much older so he died first ;p So my question is did Mr. Kang married student Yun Hong-yeon or not? I need your piece of mind for my peace of mind 
Hi Janie
Good question about Harmonium in My Memory. Are you tempting me to do a rewatch? ^^
[ENDING SPOILER]
Hmm, I always thought they did get married. Which is why the whole story is so sweet, because their relationship seemed so one-sided at first. She was so smitten and so was he, except his feelings weren’t for her but someone else.
But I may be wrong. I guess a rewatch is necessary? ^^
Thanks, Thundie for your response, guess I am reading into it too much ;p even that rubie-hunnie disagreed with me; ya lor, why spoil the sweet movie… o kay, they indeed have lived happily ever after, now my heart is at ease
(p.s. my dvd came with a korean commentary of each scene from beginning to end of credit; I have been bugging my korean chingu but to no avail to watch the commentary so I could understand what the director said at the ending of the credit.)
LOL. Thundie, love your news updates both the drama’s and movie’s category. Have you watch Chae SW movie’s entitle Jail Braker? How’s about it? So you have watch An Affair? Whoa, that movie was too steamy and I skipped part of it still I can understand the subtle meaning and the ending. Just don’t do it, baby. Don’t do it. Break off the marriage and be with the man you love OR stay devoted to the one you have promise/choose with a sacred vow and enhance the love and passion in your marriage.^^
OR don’t married at all.Hehe.
you mentioned the classic in the who are you review but it didn’t make your top forty! Other than that, I like your taste in movies
You’ve highlighted many gems.
omg, and i thought i was the only one who loved Duelist… =)
Hi Thundie~ nice blog! i really enjoyed your year-end review on javabeans! ^___^
The Harmonium in My Memory
Warning: Spoiler…
I had a Korean friend of mine listen to the director Young-Jae Lee’s comments at the end of the movie to clear up the ending. The teacher does indeed marry the student. Lee says this is shown through the family pictures when the credits roll. Also, this is shown when we see the Connie Francis LP again in Yun Hong-yeon’s possession, years later when she is a young adult.
An interesting thing about the goodbye scene is that it was filmed on the same day the teacher’s arrival scene was filmed. Talk about folding space and time! That must have required a lot of effort on actor Lee Byung-Hun, the teacher, to portray both the feelings of newness upon arrival as well as that of a sad restrospective after seemingly a whole year has passed.
According to what my friend translated, the director said the actor who plays the teacher wished to reshoot the ending scene but the disappearing daylight didn’t permit another take. I think it’s fine as it is. When real people undergo sad farewells, they don’t follow scripts. A person’s gestures and facial expressions when saying goodbye may not belie his true feelings underneath.
Another thing is that the director says he knows real life doesn’t always have happy endings, but he created one for the sake of the audience. He said he wanted them to have that happy feeling at the end of the movie.
I am gratified that Lee resolved the movie with a happy ending. Why? Both the student and the teacher are such likable characters, you want them to find fulfillment in each other. Second, the false ending is so sad that to leave it as such would be an almost unbearable, unforgettable trauma for the viewer. The parting shot of the girl’s eyes as he whom she loved more than anything in her young world, is disappearing from her life forever, is so painful to watch.
With the thousands of movies out there “reflecting reality” with sad, tragic, or even disturbing endings, movie goers need a break sometimes. In light of how difficult real life is usually, how people rarely get what they want, especially when it comes to love, sometimes a happy ending is justified.
So, yes, “And they lived happily forever after.”
Enjoy this movie.
Latest!
124 movies with ratings
57 movies without ratings (and which I must finish by Dec 2011)
Reviewed: 31 (my goal is to review every movie I’ve watched; sounds like a tall order, though)
Thundie, your rating for Duelist.. hehe.
Ooooh, does this mean you’ve seen Happiness? Are you going to post your thoughts? *puppy dog eyes*
Hi Dahee!
Yep, I watched Happiness last year. Must have been a couple of months after finishing Accidental Couple. I liked it but have forgotten many details (including the ending, oops!). Will need to rewatch it if I write a review. It’s been many moons since my last movie review (M) and I really want to start writing those again. Just need to find the time. *sigh*
Psst, did you see that the Happiness couple made my Best Couple (Movie) list?
I just finished Late Blossom. Ahhhhh, such a sweet movie. Still haven’t written my review. Sighs….
Yes, I saw that. It made me happy, although I know some people kinda hated Hwang Jung Min’s character in that movie, hehe.
But, but…how could you forget the ENDING?
It was the highlight of the entire movie! Hwang Jung Min’s acting…!! (Okay, I’ll shut up now. Talking about Hwang Jung Min does weird things to me.)
Hey Thundie
I hope you do add ‘The Antique Bakery’ to your ever-growing and never-ending list of movies to watch:-)I would love to read your take on it.:-)It’s what would have happened if ‘Chocolat’ ever met ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’.Quirky gem of a movie – you never know what happens next and it’s an amazing mix of genres so you might be at a loss to classify it under just one:-)
Kim Jae-wook is a scene stealer as the pâtissier who can make any guy fall for him regardless of whether he is straight or gay.Quite a change from his brooding waffle guy Sun-ki character in ‘Coffee Prince’.This is one actor to watch out for.
Looking forward to his role in the upcoming drama ‘Bad Guy’.And Oh, Joo Ji-hoon is also there in a different avatar in case you still have Mawang withdrawal symptoms.:-)
Was surprised to see La Vie en Rose on your list.
Is there a Korean film with that title? I only know of the French one starring Marion Cotillard.
Hi V
La Vie en Rose is a 1994 movie by Kim Hong-joon. It’s in a boxset called Korean Classic Cinema Collection; there are seven movies in this special collection. You can read the synopses for the seven movies below:
http://www.yesasia.com/global/1021612446-0-0-0-en/info.html
Hmm…My Dear Enemy at 10 and Oldboy only 9.5…
Dear Enemy does have two of the best Korean actors out there as its leads though, so I guess maybe that accounts for the perfect 10. Of course, Oldboy’s cast is full of greats too. Park Chan-wook’s films always boast a great cast though.
Road to the Racetrack is pretty bleh IMHO, but we will see what you think.
a moment to remember… got 6 only?? why o why??? i rated it a 10..
Oh, I was actually being rather kind. If I didn’t have pals who adore JWS to bits, I would have given the movie a lower rating on account of how much I disliked it for being emotionally manipulative. But I’m keenly aware that I’m in the minority here.
haha…I know, to each his own opinion. anyway, thanks for your movie ratings. I used it as my basis to watch other dramas that I’ve never heard of. I always visit ur site.. very nice!!
Ahhh! Duelist as the picture! Me <3333 I love you even more when you love Duelist as well!! I just finished rewatching jeonwoochi. For god knows how many times already. And the scene where he pull a prank to be a god and reveals himself as woochi and he swords dance. Ah, just remind me so much of his duelist character! So I had to come here and reads about any of your related Duelist post. Lol. And I've always meant to poke you in soompi cuz I was so happy seeing your Duelist siggie. Heee!
And LOL Duelist (12) !! XDDD
i don’t get how some people love this movie. i just finished watching it and it is so fucking confusing…
this=the duelist, sry
LOL, thefrenchiesrock, you’re not alone. Lots of people find Duelist utterly befuddling.
But… I didn’t!
http://thundiesprattle.com/tag/duelist/
And I have company! Some recent discussion on the “Because he rocks” page on Duelist’s appeal:
http://thundiesprattle.com/because-he-rocks/
I’m surprised that Frozen Flower is not here. Or is there a different title? I liked the film even though not many would. It’s just so artistic. Anyway, it’s so amazing how many films you’ve watched. Will definitely check-out your recommendations. I like that people here are Kang Dong woo fans! Woo! I just like him in everything (except Too Beautiful to Lie – that movie was dull and I don’t understand why people liked it). Thank you!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, I need some good movie recs – have you seen Castaway on the Moon?
http://asianmediawiki.com/Castaway_on_the_Moon
I watched it recently and I fell in love. The director also wrote the screenplay and I felt that it really showed in how strongly his vision was conveyed onscreen. It takes a kind of silly, surreal premise and makes a very human story about the way we fit into the world and relate to others really come to life. It was beautiful.
Hi Eleven11!
I’ve not seen Castaway on the Moon but it sounds like something I would love. Jung Jae-young’s one of my favorite actors. He always seems to exude this world-weary vibe that just resonates. He can be pretty funny too, in a dry sort of way. (Guns and Talk, Someone Special, etc.)
Sigh. I have so many unwatched movies stashed away!
Haha, agreed about Jung Jae-young. I’ve only seen him in CotM, but what you said described his acting perfectly. We went on to watch ‘Madonna: Like a Virgin’ (by the same director) after CotM and it was just as good, if not better. Very different story though, of a teenage boy who wants to become a woman, and joins the school ssireum team in order to win prize money from a competition, to get surgery. Gah, I cannot recommend these movies enough if you want something funny, touching and yet kind of down-to-earth?
On a similar note, I just watched ‘I’m a Cyborg, but That’s Okay’, because apparently I haven’t had my fill of quirky Korean rom-coms. We watched ‘Oldboy’ immediately before it and OMG, the contrast, it burns. Yet there’s still a kind of similar atmosphere surrounding both of them, even though one is amazing, devastating and f**d up to all hell, and the other is sweet and legitimately crazy (in a much less ‘I-need-to-bleach-my-brain-now’ kind of way). I only just watched the movies tonight, so I haven’t had a chance to let the subtleties sink in, but gosh Park Chan-wook is talented! He definitely doesn’t pull puches, and I can respect that, although it makes me wary of what to expect.
Good luck with your movie To-do List! It’s just getting into my uni holidays now, so I finally get the chance to waste a day locked in my bedroom with mine. So. Much. Fun.