Change Your Image
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Reviews
Dagteo Bong (1995)
Typical romantic comedy, yet still enjoyable to watch
This film revolves around Dr. Bong, a dentist with a little son and appetite for going out with women. The son wants a mother, and finally meets a woman that he likes. However, the father hates her, due to a feud that starts between them after they hit each other's cars. What follows is a typical, yet still funny account of their escapades and the son's attempts to get them together. . .
Chilsu wa Mansu (1988)
Striking movie reflecting on class struggle
This is a movie with a message. It highlights the struggle of two men, Chilsu and Mansu. Both are painters without a stable job. The movie follows the daily pointless lives of these two men, joined by desperation and lack of employment. The film sends many messages to the viewer. The most poignant is the daily struggle of the common man in Korea (in th 80's) with no education. It reflects the hopelessness of the poor, as well as the outsider. This is shown by the younger man's dream of going to Miami as an escape from his world, even though he has never been there. It is also shown by the older man's inability to obtain stable work, due to his father's history of being a communist. The second message (to me) is that of cultural imperialism by the West in Korea. In the movie, one sees many influences of Western ideas. The girl that the younger man likes works at Burger King; The older guy dresses up as a painter from France in order to impress the women; the younger man sees America (miami) as a solution to his life; he wears a shirt resembling the American flag; and the billboard the 2 men paint is that of an advertisement for American whiskey.
Injeong sajeong bol geot eobtda (1999)
An interesting film in technical aspects, basic formula plot
Okay, so this whole movie is about a group of seemingly dim-witted cops trying to catch a genius villain. It may seem to have a sub par plot, but the director's artistic touch more than makes up for the obvious and trite plot. It is not a "normal" film in this respect, with slow motion techniques, etc. . . I guess the closest thing to this (that I saw) would be Three Kings - with the bullet embedding itself into Mark Walhberg scene. A slightly bizarre and weird film in terms of technique and what the viewer expects, but still a good film. I do have to say that this is probably one of those films that you either love or hate. As for me, I loved it.
Swiri (1999)
Love, action, patriotism, and geopolitics all wrapped into an excellent film (in terms of the Korean film industry)
Although this movie did really well, it is a formula film that follows the basic western and Hollywood structure. Nonetheless, it is still a great movie, with a love story smoothly intertwining with an action movie. This movie raises the concerns, fears, as well as hope of the Korean people. We are all afraid of North Korean terrorism, all out war, and the like. People are increasingly critical of the Sunshine policy continued by Kim Dae Jung, but in our hearts, we all empathize with the plight of the North Korean people. After all, they are our brothers and sisters. What this film effectively does is to partly reformulate as well as reflect the changing view of North Koreans in the minds of south Koreans. The images of red devils has gone, and in its place is a country that has the same goal of unifying the Korean peoples. You know this is true when you sort of understand the enemy's intentions, and you don't want them to die.
At least, that is what i got out of it. . .
Danji geudaega yeojalaneun iyumaneulo (1990)
Touching and critical story, lacking artistic and technical touch
On the surface, this film is a story about a woman and her family's struggle through the tribulations of a rape/defence trial. A middle aged woman, wife of a restaurant owner, and mother of a disabled son, is acosted by two teenagers while outside a discotheque in the early morning. The two men try to rape the woman, but she is able to escape before being defiled by biting one of her assailants. While she is persuaded not to press charges by her peers, the "bitten" teenager presses charges and a trial ensues. If you know about Korean society and law, what follows is a story about women's role and view in society as well as within individual families. It showcases the inequality of women in Korean society (even somewhat today). My professor told me feminists liked the movie, but it did not do so well in theatres. It might have to do with the overall technical details. It looks more like an 80's television movie in terms of quality, but that is also partly due to the late development of the Korean film industry.