Reviews

No Oldboy, but that's ok.

Park Chanwook turns the page and leaves behind the mechanisms of revenge to tell of a different kind of love within the bare walls of an asylum. Our spoiled eyes recognize the extravagant cover that could only come from Mr. Vengeance, but the content offers nothing more than lighthearted entertainment.

In the full conviction that she is a cyborg, half human, half machine, young Younggoon (Lim Sujeong, A Tale of Two Sisters) burns herself badly while trying to recharge her batteries. She is sent to an asylum where she chats with the soda machine, goes on hunger strikes and instead of eating the institutional food, licks batteries to regain her strength. The staff tries everything from electric shocks to force-feeding through the nose, without much success.

But then she meets Park Ilsun (South Korean megastar Rain, Speed ​​Racer), a male patient who, after being gang-raped in the army, sewed his anus together and now hops around like a rabbit. Hoping to take advantage of Ilsun’s kleptomania, Younggoon persuades him to steal her ability to feel sympathy so she can destroy the evil doctors surrounding her, something to which Ilsun agrees and he learns the rules of her strange world in the hope of giving her back her appetite.

Having completed his sweet revenge trilogy, which included the masterpiece Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, the downright leaden Oldboy, and the visual candy Lady Vengeance, Korean director Park Chanwook leaves his dissection of the mechanisms of revenge to step into the world of fantasy, where just about anything can happen. With the revenge trilogy box set on the table, it is easy to call the comedy I'm a Cyborg... a career step into a completely new path for the director who usually draws such dark brushstrokes, when everything is pastel-colored and the humor is largely farcical. But if there is something that characterizes Park Chanwook's films, it is his way of unabashedly crossing genre boundaries and then of course the visual playfulness, and we get both here.

Because of course he would never settle for a film that didn't look outrageously good, we are dazzled right from the usual ape-like opening credits camouflaged among all the electronic equipment and props in the film's Metropolis-flirting opening sequence in a factory environment, to the moments of visual effects magic that occur when we get to follow into the head of a Cyborg among machine guns, alpine peaks and giant ladybugs. In the world of dreams, you get the feeling that Park Chanwook has discovered Michael Gondry. But despite this, the story, framed in such an exclusive and expensive gold frame, would do just as well as a stripped-down theater play on a bare stage in the nearest high school auditorium. We understand quite quickly that even crazy people in a crazy world need love, so unfortunately 107 minutes of detours around the subject become a bit tiring.

I found myself sitting unengaged waiting for someone to get their teeth pulled, because if we're being honest, it's my understimulated eyes and my repressed bloodlust that have been longing for more Park Chanook impressions on the big screen, not my hopes of seeing a new One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest or that the girl's favorite Rain would turn out to be some new McMurphy. I've seen enough Korean comedies to realize that it's not my cup of tea, that humor can be experienced as very strange and infantile by the uninitiated, and so it is here. The gaps between the small flashes of brilliance become too large in this witty and petty love story that hardly violates the extravagant visual style that has become Park's signature, but unfortunately forgets that we have to keep our eyes open to experience it.

Read More

A Hauntingly Beautiful Film

This film leaves a profound impression—I found myself drifting in and out of sleep, still enveloped in its scenes. One aspect that truly surprised me was Xiao Zhan’s portrayal of Guo Jing. His solid, robust physique perfectly captures the essence of the character, making him feel remarkably real. The Mongolian actors were equally outstanding, not merely performing but embodying the spirit of true warriors from the steppe.

With its rich visual storytelling and deeply resonant dialogue, this film is one to be savored. It transcends the narrative of the Southern Song Dynasty, conveying a profound empathy for both the Mongolian grasslands and the people of the Southern Song. Several moments brought me to tears, stirring emotions that felt raw and deeply persona

Read More

An Extraordinary Character Study by a World Class Director

I saw Shao Yi Hui's second film (HER STORY) first, and went backwards to see her only other film, B FOR BUSY.

Let me warn anyone interested in seeing this it's merely a character study of love, divorce, and the character of cinema itself. There is no plot.

We simply watch an extremely well crafted study of all sorts of characters, each as fascinating as the next. I could spent 48 episodes watching these people, but unfortunately this is a film and so get about 10 episodes compressed into two hours.

Most directors cannot keep your attention in a story with no plot. Shao Yi Hui keeps everything interesting, the pace moves, but it's also relaxing somehow. No one will break a bottle and use it as a weapon on anyone. No drug use, fist fights, none of the vast array of cheap 'thrills' are here to dress up the mundane. Instead --

-- the mundane is presented to us as a lovely bouquet of flowers. No flower is perfect, and no two flowers are the same, but this director's ability to arrange 'flowers' is world class. Very few directors over the years have shown this skill. Shao Yi Hui loves people and their ability to be human on camera reassures us of our human experience.

When you're dealing with this gifted a writer/director, in the class of say Woody Allen -- inevitably the film becomes about film itself. There's a story told late in the film that is as fantastic as it is suspiciously fictitious. We believe it's both a lie and a truth, which is what all of cinema ultimately is: a fiction that rings truer than life itself.

As Shao Yi Hui's first film, seemingly a student film -- I can accept this otherwise pointless journey. This movie isn't about the story. It's about Shao Yi Hui's skill sets and her magic ability to generate great characters.

Don't believe me? Her next film HER STORY is all this but better. An auteur to both watch and be in awe of.

BY THE WAY -- If you don't do Mandarin, you won't understand the ending of this film -- because it's being 'texted' during the credits. If you are streaming this, pause the texting and you use Google Translate's 'Image' mode to translate.

Read More

Walked right into this one...

So this was an incredibly emotionally touching film. The whole point is to stir the viewers' emotions and empathy and I think they manage to do that.
I don't know what I was thinking, watching this. I was so brave and only cried once at the very end but truth is, given the fact that it's been over a decade since I lost my grandmother and I'm still not over it, I don't know why I thought I could handle a story like this.
However, this was very well made. The actress playing the grandmother is truly amazing and she just looks so cozy and grandma-coded too. Like, screw all those ungrateful jerks! How are they not obsessed with hanging out with her?!
Anyway, I have had the unfortunate chance to watch some low budget Thai dramas but this one is obviously of a whole other tier and I loved being introduced to the country through such a movie.
I personally enjoyed this movie. Worth the hype and then some! Obviously the plot was great; so was the acting, production and so on. I would just like to shout out the great set designs. It set the mood and felt so natural that it helped make you feel closer to the story and its characters.
Highly recommend. Prepare lots of tissues though.

Read More

my opinion

I just watched Train to Busan and wow—it completely blew me away. From the moment I stepped into the chaotic world of a zombie outbreak on a speeding train, I was hooked. What I loved most was how the film managed to mix edge-of-your-seat terror with moments of real, heartfelt emotion.

The story follows a father and his daughter whose bond deepens as they fight to survive. I found myself rooting for them not just because of the thrilling action but because the film reminded me of how important family and sacrifice are, even in the most desperate situations.

The tension throughout the movie is palpable, thanks in part to the confined setting of the train, which really ramped up the suspense. And while the zombies are terrifyingly relentless, it’s the human drama— the courage, the tough decisions, the personal sacrifices—that really made an impact on me.

In the end, Train to Busan isn’t just another zombie flick; it’s a powerful reminder of what makes us human. I left the theater feeling both exhilarated and emotionally moved, and I can’t recommend it enough.

Read More

Not recommended

The concept seemed promising: exorcism, mysticism, demons, mixed martial arts – it all sounded intriguing. However, instead of an engaging story with a deep atmosphere, I got a dragged-out drama with a weak plot and intrusive religious propaganda.

The film runs for two hours, but most of that time is spent not on developing the plot or characters but on the protagonist’s inner struggles. Yong-hu constantly wrestles with his past and his faith, but his character development feels disjointed. He spends almost the entire film rejecting the existence of God, only to suddenly embrace his new role without any deep explanation or motivation.

Another major issue is the antagonist. His story is barely explored. We never learn what drove him to worship a demon or seek immortality. He had the potential to be an interesting character, yet he was given so little screen time that he feels secondary.

On the positive side, some scenes are visually impressive, and the fight choreography is well-executed. However, that alone is not enough to save the film from feeling hollow. It leaves an impression of incompleteness and wasted potential.

Read More

Vastly disappointing

I'll never understand how this movie has such a high rating. They didn't have a compelling first love story at all. There was no real reason for them to be hung up on one another. They were classmates that went on one play date with their moms before she immigrates, the end. They weren't even old enough to have each other's first kiss. So many future time jumps that left the story feeling stilted with generally unlikeable characters. I've seen so many dramas that created a much better connection between the characters than this movie did, the fact that this movie couldn't do that is baffling. I'm truly at a loss for words, it was so disappointing. I really hated it.

Read More

This story engraved in my heart...

This movie really engraved deeply in my heart like a tattoo, that no matter how many more years or how many more BL i watch, there's nothing can compared to it. Call it a BL is not justify it genre, instead of BL, i would call it a genius piece of Queer media, since it doesn't just talk about love between two boys, rather its show us the reality of how difficult and heartbreaking society make queer people go through just because we want to live as the way we are. People that brave enough to express who they are get push to the ground and those that hid themself among normal people ended up hurting everyone around them and get to lived their life with regret.
I still ended up crying every time hearing the OST, its such a beautiful song, 10/10.
And also the movie seems like its manifested on the actor themself since after the promotion period ended they are not keep in touch for a few years already, i don't know what going on with them but as a fans i really hope there will be a day that i see these two people together again. TAT

Read More

Perfect Sequel!

Perfect Sequel with all Lovey dovey moments, ups n downs in their dating era.

Me not cursing the lift doors closing so quickly (the Iconic KuroAda Elevator scene)😂
but yeah, We don't always need an exclusive "ssiK" scene for a smooth closure of a beautiful Happy ending :)
That's the Magic of Cherry Magic (JDrama version) ! ✨ :)

Don't miss the Anime and Thai version too.
Whatever this has not covered from KuroAda's magical story, above two adaptations covered.

Currently reading the Ongoing Manga, found that this JD live action drama, Anime and Thai version TOGETHER covered everything from the manga.

Read More

This film is just trying too much to be many things, but doesn't achieve anything. It starts with a comedy vibe, with some drama involved, then it goes deep in the drama, but there are so many scenes that just try too hard, almost feels like the film is ordering me to cry, and is just not natural, takes away all the impact that seeing people die should have. In the end the film turns into Avengers/Fast and Furious with a very unrealistic car chase, that again it feels out of tone, because the film is about a sensitive real life event, and having such a brainless action scene out of nowhere is just weird and bad.

Read More

The cast’s acting is impressive but the plot is such a shame

Not a good movie to be honest, but the acting from the cast is phenomenal, especially Park So Dam. Kang Dong Won is the reason I knew about this movie in the first place and he also nailed the role. His appearance makes my viewing experience more enjoyable.

Unfortunately, the plot is a such waste of the actors’ talent. I find it boring and dragging, especially in the first half. The second half is better, but also mainly because of the cast’s acting. This is supposed to be a horror movie but the scary parts are too few and mild. 

Kim Yun-seok’s character is also very annoying with his rude behavior. He plays a Priest and keeps insulting his deacon, Kang Dong Won’s character. Do they really think that would make him a cool or funny guy? Because I don’t find that cool or funny at all. That’s bullying.

Not to mention that they sacrifice the piglet. Poor little creature! And that’s the deal breaker for me. 


5.5 out of 10 for the cast’s efforts.

Read More

It's okay

I never expected a movie to be made about this incident, but I was so happy to find this.
That doesn't mean this is a great movie, though. Rather than a polish, in my opinion, it needs a whole structural change from the start. The story is told as if you're reading a passage from a history book, especially in the first act. Which sucks, because this would have worked really well had it been written more character-driven with such a tragic event.

The reincarnation trope was unnecessary though. Also lighting in the dark scenes were atrocious, I could barely see anything even when I turned on the brightness. Please stop, y'all.

Read More

An Intense, Heartfelt Remake: A Cinematic Journey of Secret: Untold Melody

The Korean remake of Secret: Untold Melody offers a refreshing take on the original version, with a more detailed & emotionally layered ending. The remake strikes a perfect balance between humor & poignant moments, making it both heartwarming & engaging. Kyungsoo's ability to convey deep emotion through subtle eye expressions & his body language while playing the piano is nothing short of mesmerizing. The chemistry between the leass is undeniable. It's a beautiful tribute to the original, while also giving the remake its own unique visual identity that compliments the heartfelt & intense performance. I would give this film a repeat!

Read More