A painfully sad and dark storytelling of the events that led to the suicide a troubled man that lost all hope and humanity in him. Using reverse chronology in 7 segments, it shed some light on the key events of this life that changed him and led to this point, as well as it depicted a span of 20 years of Korean sociopolitical history. Technically exceptional, visually stunning and masterfully written, this devastatingly depressing and heartbreaking story owes most of its credits to Sol Kyung Gu's performance of a lifetime.
Bleak, gloomy, laconic and very depressing, this is the story of two lonely, wounded and resigned people. Filmed mostly at an impressive snowy landscape with a frozen lake, using pictures instead of words, it tackles the issues of dysfunctional families, giving up on life and suicide pacts. Watch with caution.
A peculiar story about shamanism, a deep-rooted practice in Korean culture, told in 4 parts: parts 1,2 and 3 introduce the three shamans and a gang leader involved in a redevelopment project, while part 4 shows the final ritual and battle among them. With a star cast and a satirical approach, this film isn't something groundbreaking or memorable, but an okay watch, mainly due to Jung Kyung Ho and Park Sung Woong and their undeniable chemistry.
A strange, chaotic movie with messy writing, confusing plot, dry humor and lots of second-hand embarrassment and awkward moments. Nothing memorable or engaging.
Part of an anthology of sci fi stories, this short film was a dark, sad, thought-provoking (and a bit confusing) story about suicide, grief, letting go and moving on after the tragic loss of a child.
Sociopolitical, moral and existential debates while eating bread and listening to Wagner. A short witty film adapted from one of Murakami's short stories.
1. Can we just pretend that season 2 never happened? 2. Why the heck did they lure us with lieutenant Lee in the poster? The only thing worth watching from this infuriatingly dumb and disappointing part was the post-credits scene of the last episode.
Always a pleasure to read your well-crafted, meticulously detailed and thoroughly informative articles. I knew from the the title on the front page that you were the author, with your recognizable unique writing style which clearly shows how much love, time and effort you've poured out into this. I've watched 5/10 of Murakami's titles in MDL database and enjoyed them all. Now I have 5 more to add in my PTW list. Keep up the good work, my friend!
Part of an anthology of sci fi stories, this short film explores the modern trend of dating, as well as the physical appearance modification with plastic surgery, through a love story on a virtual dating app. Too sugary and superficial for my taste, but the pairing of Choi Si Won and Uee was worth the watch.
Part of an anthology of sci fi stories, this short film depicts the impact of interactive social media, school and cyber bullying, and how people create fake online personas in order to be liked and feel accepted. With a stark setting, an eerie atmosphere and some intriguing symbolisms, this was a compelling and thought-provoking watch.
A fast-paced, adrenaline inducing survival story in a dystopian school setting. Though there were lots of annoying teenagers doing utterly dumb things while screaming/crying all around and some plot-holes bigger than the craters those creatures made, it was an engaging watch, mainly due to the exemplary visuals and music, the teaming built-up and lieutenant Lee's charisma.
Part of an anthology of sci fi stories, this short film was technically beautiful and its premise interesting, but the outcome was lukewarm and the romance underdeveloped. Not that bad, just a missed opportunity for something memorable.
Part of an anthology of sci fi stories, this short film had a fast-paced, engaging story with a great human and AI pairing, compelling fighting scenes and a badass FL full of charisma. I wish there were more cases for this duo to solve!
Part of an anthology of sci fi stories, this short film is a sharp commentary on social discrimination but, most of all, a heartbreakingly beautiful love story - that one scene was more powerful, intimate and heart-fluttering than any romantic scene most dramas have ever given us.
A soothing, feel-good, healing and heartwarming slice of life story with an engaging slow-burn romance, great friendship bonding, character development and self-growth through many interesting side-stories. With wonderful rural scenery and emphasis to tradition and originality, even though sometimes it was too slow-paced, beautified and 'politically correct', this was a pleasant surprise and a breath of fresh air among the typical angsty dramas.
Part of an anthology of sci fi stories, this short film focuses on society's addiction to mobiles, as well as people's need to knew their future, find something to believe in and depend on, even if it is a questionable AI fortune-telling application.
It could easily be mistaken as one of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp collaborations! Ji Sung as a sexy, empathetic vampire in a bizarre story with a heavy, tragic background...
Part of an anthology of sci fi stories, this short film imposed some thought-provoking questions about androids, their decision making and 'human emotions' ability, as well as some ethical dilemmas enriched with religion and filial piety elements. Strong start, but a bit too much of an ending.
"I saw this body was empty, so I moved in". "Soul" is a slow-paced art house psychological thriller, as well as a character driven family drama. Balancing between demonic possession, mental breakdown and psychosis, it unravels the twisted bond between a father and son haunted by their past, and explores the lengths of paternal love, dedication and sacrifice. The masterful claustrophobic cinematography of the misty, rural mountain and orchid setting combined with the ambient subtle music create an eerie and unearthly vibe, while the unsettling horror and grotesque elements build a palpable tension enhanced with artistic metaphors and symbolisms which convey the unspoken and unexpressed feelings of father and son. This is definitely an uneasy, provoking and sometimes disturbing watch, but also a unique, absorbing experience.
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Using reverse chronology in 7 segments, it shed some light on the key events of this life that changed him and led to this point, as well as it depicted a span of 20 years of Korean sociopolitical history.
Technically exceptional, visually stunning and masterfully written, this devastatingly depressing and heartbreaking story owes most of its credits to Sol Kyung Gu's performance of a lifetime.
Filmed mostly at an impressive snowy landscape with a frozen lake, using pictures instead of words, it tackles the issues of dysfunctional families, giving up on life and suicide pacts.
Watch with caution.
With a star cast and a satirical approach, this film isn't something groundbreaking or memorable, but an okay watch, mainly due to Jung Kyung Ho and Park Sung Woong and their undeniable chemistry.
A short witty film adapted from one of Murakami's short stories.
2. Why the heck did they lure us with lieutenant Lee in the poster?
The only thing worth watching from this infuriatingly dumb and disappointing part was the post-credits scene of the last episode.
I knew from the the title on the front page that you were the author, with your recognizable unique writing style which clearly shows how much love, time and effort you've poured out into this.
I've watched 5/10 of Murakami's titles in MDL database and enjoyed them all. Now I have 5 more to add in my PTW list.
Keep up the good work, my friend!
Too sugary and superficial for my taste, but the pairing of Choi Si Won and Uee was worth the watch.
With a stark setting, an eerie atmosphere and some intriguing symbolisms, this was a compelling and thought-provoking watch.
Though there were lots of annoying teenagers doing utterly dumb things while screaming/crying all around and some plot-holes bigger than the craters those creatures made, it was an engaging watch, mainly due to the exemplary visuals and music, the teaming built-up and lieutenant Lee's charisma.
I wish there were more cases for this duo to solve!
With wonderful rural scenery and emphasis to tradition and originality, even though sometimes it was too slow-paced, beautified and 'politically correct', this was a pleasant surprise and a breath of fresh air among the typical angsty dramas.
Ji Sung as a sexy, empathetic vampire in a bizarre story with a heavy, tragic background...
Strong start, but a bit too much of an ending.
"Soul" is a slow-paced art house psychological thriller, as well as a character driven family drama. Balancing between demonic possession, mental breakdown and psychosis, it unravels the twisted bond between a father and son haunted by their past, and explores the lengths of paternal love, dedication and sacrifice.
The masterful claustrophobic cinematography of the misty, rural mountain and orchid setting combined with the ambient subtle music create an eerie and unearthly vibe, while the unsettling horror and grotesque elements build a palpable tension enhanced with artistic metaphors and symbolisms which convey the unspoken and unexpressed feelings of father and son.
This is definitely an uneasy, provoking and sometimes disturbing watch, but also a unique, absorbing experience.