[Recommendation] 5 South Korean Movies for the Isolation Period

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Is the coronavirus situation getting you down? Do you find it difficult to spend days within the confines of your household? Try to pass the time with some Asian movies! On this blog, throughout this week, I’m going to provide my personal movie recommendation for the isolation period. So, gently sit back, and let’s go through the 5 South Korean productions that can ease your stay at home:

5. Tunnel (2016)

     Synopsis: Lee Jung-soo (Ha Jung-woo) is a successful car seller who is on his way to work. Taking a gas at the station takes a little bit longer, an elderly employee gives him two bottles of water; finally, Lee Jung-soo resumes his journey. He drives into a newly built tunnel leading from Seoul to Hada. All of a sudden, the whole construction collapses right in front of his eyes as he’s still driving through it. From this point on, the rescue team led by Captain Dae-kyung (Oh Dal-su) steps in in order to save Lee Jung-soo, who is trapped inside his car under the slide of dirt and concrete. However, due to a series of horrendous mistakes and political pressures, the government actually considers aborting the rescue operation. This is unbearable not only to trapped Lee Jung-soo, but also to his wife, Se-hyun (Bae Doona).

     Opinion: After seeing the title, I was prepared for a rehashed remake of a not-so-memorable disaster flick with Sylvester Stallone. Thankfully, as soon as the film started, I realised my mistake. As expected from Korean productions, even a disaster film like Tunnel is not all about epic action and larger-than-life heroes. In fact, it is about careful insight into human drama and objective examination of an extreme situation. Yet, don’t feel disappointed! There is action and it neatly blends together with the story. Highly recommended to anyone who is into one man’s survival drama. Although the film lasts slightly over two hours, it does not feel that much. A very well executed story that makes Tunnel a fine entry in the disaster genre.

4. Montage (2013)

     Synopsis: Detective Cheong-ho (Kim Sang-kyung) is still struggling with an unsolved kidnapping case which happened 15 years ago. Unexpectedly, the detective picks up a new lead only five days prior to the expiration of the case’s statute of limitations. Surprisingly, somebody left a flower at the crime scene. Even though Cheong-ho locates the man in question, the suspect manages to escape and it is already too late to prosecute him for his crimes. Detective quits the force, but soon after, he is called again as it turns out that another kidnapping occurred with exactly the same methods used as in Cheong-ho’s old case. Is it possible that the same kidnapper is active once again?

     Opinion: I can’t remember the last time since I’ve seen such a clever thriller. Of course, it’s done very much in the Hollywood style, but it does not suffer from the accumulation of insane plot twists and mind-bending revelations. From the opening scene, director (and writer) Jeong Keun-seob leaves the viewers completely in the dark (similarly to the mother behind the wheel with a bag on her head) as the central sequence of the story sets in motion a chain of convoluted events leading up to the kidnapper’s identity. All in all, Montage is a solid entertainment that will certainly keep you engaged in one sitting.

3. The Good, The Bad, The Weird (2008)

     Synopsis: Manchuria, year 1939. A professional hitman called Park Chang-yi [the Bad] (Lee Byung-hun) is hired to retrieve a map from a Japanese official who is travelling by train. However, before he gets his chance to do so after stopping the train, the map has already been stolen from the official by a thief known as Yoon Tae-goo [the Weird] (Song Kang-ho). What is more, Park Do-won [the Good] (Jung Woo-sung), an excellent marksman and a bounty hunter, appears on the scene to hunt down Park Chang-yi. The three men get entangled in a bloody pursuit after the map that allegedly leads to riches buried in the desert by the Qing Dynasty. In addition, it is also sought by the Manchurian bandits and the Japanese Imperial Army. Who will find the treasure and stay alive? Sit back and watch this spaghetti western made in Korea.

     Opinion: You are in for an experience which can be described as the kick-ass mash-up of Sergio Leone, Mad Max, and Indiana Jones. From the very first action sequence we get sucked into the action as Song Kang-ho’s character is rushing through the train carriages and the bullets are flying in all directions. The movie relies heavily on the style of spaghetti western, but it is not afraid to stray away from the inspiring genre in order to achieve other means. Rather than ripping off the classic with Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, and Lee Van Cleef, it pays homage to its father picture and other movies by blending intense camera work with upbeat music, practical effects, massive shootouts, blood, and explosions.

2. Memories of Murder (2003)

     Synopsis: The film depicts the case of the so-called Hwaseong serial murders that took place between 1986 and 1991, Korea’s first serial murder in history. In the story, we follow a local detective, Park Doo-man (Song Kang-ho), who hopelessly tries to solve the first murder. Unfortunately, methods and technology o the local law enforcement prove inefficient in catching the killer and, after wrongfully accusing a mentally handicapped boy of being a murder, a detective from Seoul, Seo Tae-yoon (Kim Sang-kyung), is assigned to the case. Initially, the two detectives clash with each other, but the arrival of Seo Tae-yoon really starts the investigation going. All clues lead to an inconspicuous factory worker who had moved to the town just before the first murder...

     Opinion: I recommend this film to anyone interested in the crime genre, yet ‘whodunit’ lovers may feel a bit disappointed. Memories of Murder goes for evoking distinct emotions of empathy, sadness, and rage, while also doing justice to the original source material. A flawless motion picture for a rainy night.

1. Parasite (2019)

 

     Synopsis: Kim Ki-taek (Song Kang-ho) is an unemployed driver who lives with his wife, Choong-sook (Jang Hye-jin), and their two children, son Ki-woo (Choi Woo-shik) and daughter Ki-jung (Park So-dam) in a rundown semi-basement apartment. The family has no prospects for a steady job and they resort to doing low-paid activities. All of a sudden, Min-hyuk (Park Seo-joon), Ki-woo’s friend, drops by and offers him to take over his job as an English tutor for a wealthy family, the Parks (Lee Sun-kyun and Cho Yeo-jeong). Ki-woo accepts and he ends up in a house of style and glamour. Gaining the Parks’ trust, Ki-taek’s family deceitfully takes over positions of the household’s other workers. Little do they know that this will lead to disastrous consequences.

     Opinion: The ultimate stay-at-home movie. I think it is best to watch it with your family and/or friends because the film keeps you guessing what will happen next. Parasite’s main assets are not the drastic shifts in tone, but the message it tries to communicate. This movie is not just about the haves and the have-nots. It’s about the deterioration of our society and we get to see that through the lens of Ki-taek and his family. To conclude, Parasite effectively discouraged me from trying to buy a fancy house with a big garden for myself..

Next time: 5 Taiwanese Movies for the Isolation Period. Stay tuned!