[ajzepp]

So last year I really started getting into the French New Wave of the 1960s. Recently I have not only been spending time with Korean films, but absolutely loving it. One of my main criticisms of big budget Hollywood studios is their tendency to push the "blue skies" happy endings, which make the movies predictable and less interesting. Obviously that's not always the case, but I've seen many directors and studio execs talking about how that influence is often present. It's very clear to me that Korean filmmakers do not give a SH*T about any of that. They will go places that many mainstream American films will not. You just never know what is around the corner for any of the characters. The end result is a genre that I absolutely have fallen in love with. Some of my favorites thus far include:

"I Saw the Devil"
"A Hard Day"
"Unstoppable"
"The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil"
"The Tunnel"
"Train to Busan"

The one that had the most impact on me was "I Saw the Devil". Even though it's a very different film, it had the same sort of effect on me as "Seven". The antagonist - especially in the 2nd half - is one of the best I've ever seen. It also has a great ending.

Just thought I'd put some of these on your radar in case you're looking for something different to enjoy.

Happy Viewing.

[Jon L]

I don't see any of director Na Hong-jin's movies on the list, but if one liked "I saw the Devil," director Na's movies may have some appeal.

The Chaser
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1190539/?ref_=nm_knf_t1

The Yellow Sea
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1230385/?ref_=nm_knf_i3

The Wailing
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5215952/?ref_=nm_knf_i2

[ajzepp]

I don't see any of director Na Hong-jin's movies on the list, but if one liked "I saw the Devil," director Na's movies may have some appeal.

The Chaser
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1190539/?ref_=nm_knf_t1

The Yellow Sea
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1230385/?ref_=nm_knf_i3

The Wailing
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5215952/?ref_=nm_knf_i2

I forgot about The Chaser. I'm planning to watch the other two shortly.

BTW, for those interested, there is an "add on" subscription service called "Hi-Yah! TV". If you have Amazon Prime, Roku, Xfinity, Dish Network, or one or two others, you can add this on to your service for 3 bucks a month. Lots of really great Asian cinema titles, including a nice selection from South Korea. It's the best three bucks I've spent in a while.

[stlrman]

Cool thread !!!
You did see Parasite right? It won best film of the year .  It was awesome ?
Have you seen any of the directors’ other films?

[Jon L]

You did see Parasite right? It won best film of the year .  It was awesome ?
Have you seen any of the directors’ other films?

I may be in the minority, but I did not think "Parasite" was all that special.  Director Bong's been disappointing me with his more recent works such as "Snowpiercer," which I don't like at all. 
His earlier works, on the other hand, are worth watching:  "The Host" (2006), "Memories of Murder"(2003). 

[Bemopti123]

I forgot about The Chaser. I'm planning to watch the other two shortly.

BTW, for those interested, there is an "add on" subscription service called "Hi-Yah! TV". If you have Amazon Prime, Roku, Xfinity, Dish Network, or one or two others, you can add this on to your service for 3 bucks a month. Lots of really great Asian cinema titles, including a nice selection from South Korea. It's the best three bucks I've spent in a while.

The Yellow Sea is a masterpiece.  Very lyrical in quality and the end scene, is so typically "Korean" vs what is proper of a Western/Hollywood ending. 

[fado]

Naeil's Cantabile
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naeil%27s_Cantabile#Main

Naeil's Cantabile is not an Emmy award winning TV series but it is all about music and an academy of music trying to become recognized as a top school. Since the main focus is on students, it is also has a coming of age theme. For me it was great fun and a lot of music and one of just a few that I have watched again.

[WGH]

Kingdom on Netflix is a South Korean action zombie series set in 1560, a few years after the Japanese invasions of Korea. Great story, excellent period costumes, voracious zombies. The recently released Season 2 may be better than the first season.

Bong Joon Ho, the director of Parasite, the 2020 Academy Awards Best Picture may be a new name to many, but he has directed 6 other films that should be seen.

Snowpiercer (2013) and Okja (2017) are both available on Netflix. His previous films will be harder to find but well worth the search:

Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000) is a dark comedy
Memories of Murder (2003) a murder mystery
The Host (2006) is a very funny monster movie
Mother (2009) is a suspenseful murder mystery

I started watching Bong Joon Ho films 10 years ago, at that time the only way to watch them was to find the movies on South Korean movie buff web sites, a little bit of a challenge since I don't read or speak Korean.

[undertowogt1]

Train to Busan was a very emotional and frightening movie. Great Flick.

[ajzepp]

Cool thread !!!
You did see Parasite right? It won best film of the year .  It was awesome ?
Have you seen any of the directors’ other films?

I have it here from Netflix...looking forward to seeing it this weekend. Seriously, this South Korean film scene is like a gold mine. Im having a blast with these films.

Undertow: Yes indeed, that film blew me away. Great ride!

[ajzepp]

The Yellow Sea is a masterpiece.  Very lyrical in quality and the end scene, is so typically "Korean" vs what is proper of a Western/Hollywood ending.

I have that on my list, as well. Glad to hear another solid review of it. And what you said about the ending is exactly why I have so much respect for these films. I feel I can never anticipate what will happen next or how it will end. Hollywood blockbusters are too often predictable and convenient. These Korean films are more realistic to me...sometimes bad shit happens in the real world, and they understand that. None of these tidy bows of sunshine at the end of every film. Sometimes the good guys win...sometimes the bad guys win. I prefer it that way.