Reviews

Epic

Harbin is a stirring historical epic that delivers on both emotion and spectacle. Hyun Bin shines as Ahn Jung-geun, giving a performance that balances steadfast conviction with inner conflict. The film’s visuals—thanks to cinematographer Hong Kyung-pyo—are nothing short of breathtaking: each snow-swept landscape and shadowy interior feels alive and immersive. Though the pacing slows at times and some character arcs could be deeper, the story’s heart—resistance, sacrifice, and patriotism—never wavers. Harbin is a powerful tribute to people who dared to fight for freedom, and an absolute must-see for fans of historical dramas

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An absurd journey though past and future with three endearing silly boys

I went to see this film with no expectation whatsoever, and i ended up enjoying it very very much !

The story, set on another planet, is completely absurd but that's what makes it so enticing. It's funny, moving, endearing and yet somehow there is also a sadness to it.
What happens when your 17yo soul wakes up in your 37yo body? What happens when you know who you'll become? Can you change a future that's already happened? Can you live your teenage years as freely as before?
Those are some of the questions this film asks, amongst its action-packed scenes straight out of a 90s videogame and its over-the-top characters. The journey on which the three boys/men embark is filled with laughter, nostalgia, silliness , a hint of darkness and heavy-punches !

I truly enjoyed watching it and would definitely watch it again !

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Flawed but interesting suspense story

Helpless was a bittersweet watch as it starred the late Lee Sun Kyun as a desperate man searching for his missing fiancée. Director Byun Young Joo directed this film adapted from the Japanese novel, “Kasha.”

On the way to deliver their wedding invitation to his parents, Jang Moon Ho’s fiancée disappears from his car while he is purchasing coffee and snacks at a rest stop. The police ignore his requests for help assuming she’s a runaway bride. When his every step leads to more questions, he calls upon his old friend and ex-police officer Kim “Everyone Was Taking Bribes” Jong Geun. The trail to Kang Sun Young and her past becomes increasingly dark and twisted.

The acting in this film was quite strong. Each of the three main actors pulled off complex and believable performances. The first and last acts were tense and well crafted, though the ending tiptoed into overwrought territory. The middle became weighted with too many characters and not enough attention paid to the most interesting one…Kang Sun Young.

I don’t want to write anything that would fall into spoiler territory, for this film is best enjoyed going into it knowing little about it. The pace could be painstakingly slow at times carried only by the actors and their commitment to their characters and the story. Helpless was more suspense than thriller, but worth a watch if you enjoy this genre.

12 September 2025

Triggers: Strong allusions to sexual assault and trafficking, suicide. Butterfly murder.
Seeing Lee Sun Kyun-whatever his problems, he didn't deserve the death penalty he sentenced himself to. RIP.

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A Chilling Masterpiece – Exhuma

"Exhuma" is a mesmerizing folklore-driven horror mystery that had me hooked from start to finish 🌌. I’ll be honest—I personally hate horror because it scares the living hell out of me 😱, but this film was so beautifully crafted that I sat through every second, completely drawn in.

Kim Go-eun absolutely shines here ✨—her performance is not only powerful but also hauntingly graceful, she gave me chills while being strangely captivating. The folklore elements woven throughout the film were fascinating, deep, and layered, adding a whole new dimension that felt rooted in history and culture without ever feeling confusing.

The cast as a whole delivers superbly, from Choi Min-sik’s commanding screen presence to Yoo Hae-jin’s grounded performance, and Lee Do-hyun’s intensity that balances out the supernatural tension. Every actor brought their own spark, making the ensemble unforgettable.

The cinematography, the chilling sound design, and that eerie yet enchanting atmosphere elevated the story beyond just “horror”—it became an experience. Honestly, "Exhuma" isn’t just a film, it’s a folklore-infused masterpiece that left me both terrified and in awe. 🌙🔥

⭐ 10/10 — and it’s easily one of the most unique Korean horror films I’ve ever seen.

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A Hauntingly Beautiful Ride – Holy Night: Demon Hunters

I’ll admit it upfront — I usually cannot handle horror 😅👻. It scares the living hell out of me and I tend to avoid it at all costs. But Holy Night: Demon Hunters pulled me in so strongly that I sat through it, and by the end, I absolutely loved every moment 💯🔥. It’s dark, mysterious, and gripping, yet the emotional pull makes it more than just a horror-action film.

The cast is phenomenal 🌟. Ma Dong-seok owns every scene as Ba-woo, with unmatched strength and presence. Seohyun as Sharon is magnetic, elegant, and absolutely unforgettable 🌙✨. Lee David as Kim Gun adds a smart and witty energy that balances the intensity, while Kyung Soo-jin as Jung-won brings an emotional core that feels grounded and real. And of course, Jung Ji-so is hauntingly brilliant as Eun-seo — delicate yet chilling, leaving a lasting impression 💕.

The visuals and atmosphere are equally powerful — eerie, tense, and beautifully shot 🌌. The action scenes are thrilling, the suspense keeps you on edge, and the soundtrack 🎶 ties everything together perfectly. Even as someone who normally avoids horror, I found myself completely immersed and unable to look away.

At its heart, Holy Night: Demon Hunters is not just about battling darkness, but about courage, trust, and human connection ✨. Despite being outside my comfort zone, it ended up being one of the most memorable films I’ve watched — proof that sometimes, the scariest journeys are also the most rewarding 💖.

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Bone dry comedy short drenched in tiny green waterfalls

This was a goofy diversion I enjoyed for its absurdity and lack of clear cut “we will tell you absolute truths of the characters”—I liked it as much as most Japanese commenters seemed to be really confused by the style of storytelling and the point of it which I didn’t struggle with but can understand why young viewers may (not that it at all caters to young viewers, quite the contrary). It suits weird sarcasm-leaning dorky humor lovers like me, but most on this site probably won’t love it.

The NyQuil colored stream is so silly… their poor shirts! Great acting skills… with the sarcastic, absurdist tone to the humor and subject matter, it is aiming to win awards for both the driest and most drenched 21 minute short film.

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Still worth drama

Just finished The Mystic Nine: Qing Shan Hai Tang and omg it’s way too short 😭 only 1h14m. I watched The Mystic Nine a long time ago and since I saw there might be a season 2, I came back to rewatch and also check out this spin-off. Even though the actors aren’t the same, the story still gave me all the feels. Honestly, this drama is still the best even if you only watched the original and not the whole series, coming back to it again feels so worth it. And can we talk about the bromance between Zhang Qishan and Er Yuehong?? I’m not even into BL, but their chemistry was so good, I loved it 🥹. Wish it was longer, but it brought back so many good memories.

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Need the smooth ending.

The story was good, with an ending that could have been better. I didn't see any plot twists in this movie, after all the mess was made by the rich. Well, when I watched this movie, I still hope that the twist or any thrilling part came from the residents.
But the suspenseful part were so great, that part of the movie when the No Woo-seong was in the police station and chaos happened not only to him but also to the (idk how to say, bitcoin things?) thing that he was playing with his friend. Wiped out, nothing left. Only poverty was all he has.

In conclusion, the movie was good to watch. It was thrilling, as from the trailer. Since I'm not a typical of audience who'll rewatch the movie, I gave the low point for the "rewatch value". All casts were good actor and their acting is beyond doubt, legit!

With all due respect, 8.5/10 for Wall to Wall🎩

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A cute movie but it was just okay.

Kind of movie that can heal the audience!

The old youth story about a stereotype that a girl who has curly hair is not pretty and doesn't deserve a percent of love. Well, even after all the girl caught someone's heart by her kindness.

The plot was good enough, but it wasn't what I imagined and shown from the trailer. I thought Park Se-ri would keep fighting to win her crush's heart, but everything stopped halfway through the story. The same goes for the love story between Park Se-ri and Han Yun-seok. The ending of the story seems like ended so hastily, and oddly enough, there was no awkwardness between Park Se-ri and Han Yun-seok after they were apart for not in a short time. They didn't clarify what happened to each other, especially Han Yun-seok who didn't come back to Busan after he visited her mom in Seoul.

But overall, the movie heals me & was cute to watch!♡
The casts acted very well✧

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"I see me in them"

What happens when a high school girl tries desperately to fit in with the cool girls and everything goes awry? Second Life gives Seon Hee a second chance, but will she learn to accept herself and take responsibility for her actions?

Seon Hee’s parents are either arguing or so involved in their own lives that she is merely a second thought. Shy, and lacking confidence she looks on with envy when Jeong Mi’s friends celebrate her birthday at school. Seon Hee goes to great lengths to find a way into their group. Her constant lying to fit in is obvious to the girls who decide to reject her. When Seon Hee takes revenge, tragedy strikes. She runs away and starts a second life in a rural village orphanage. Life seems to be taking a turn for the better, if only her past could stay hidden.

The beautiful scenery, cinematography, and score were all well done. The acting, however, was very hit and miss. I thought the story’s concept was interesting yet it ultimately left me unfulfilled. High school is a tough place for shy students, especially ones desperate for attention and acceptance. One lie can lead to another, until those lies are inevitably revealed. Even worse are the lies we tell ourselves. Actions born out of revenge can also have unexpected consequences. Seon Hee found that there are people who will accept you for yourself. But growing up and learning to take responsibility for your actions isn’t easy and doesn’t happen overnight…or maybe ever.

11 September 2025

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Great cast, horrible story

Watched it at TIFF 50 last night!

Interesting concept, but horrible execution. Cinematography was pretty, opening scene was promising.

Aside from that, everything else, mainly story was lacklustre. It moved scene to scene with no clear character motivation. A character was introduced half way through the movie and somehow played a major role in the characters motivations when there was not set up. Characters were 2 dimensional and cartoonish in their writing. Lot of aura farming without much aura. Character writing overall didn’t make sense and you couldn’t really understand why each character was doing what they were doing.

Music was okay, did its job but at times was too in your face. The sad moments felt forced because immediately there would be sad piano playing, didn’t have room to breath.

Overall, I wish the writing was better, the two actress’ in the leads were promising, but I wish it was a better movie.

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Not an action movie, more about people just trying to survive

Project Y is ambiguous even from its title; it's hard to tell what kind of movie it will be. What's the "project"? What's "Y"?

I went into the screening at the Toronto International Film Festival without watching any promotional material, so I didn't have any preconceptions about the movie before it began.

I did, however, have some expectations based on previous roles played by Jeon Jong Seo (Ballerina) and Han So Hee (My Name). That being said, Project Y is definitely not a true high-voltage action movie in the traditional sense. You might be disappointed if that's what you were expecting. I won't speak too much on the plot of the actual movie itself, since it hasn't been officially released outside of TIFF.

The music and cinematography was top-notch. Ultimately, the story flowed well and I was immersed in the seedy underworld that was built for our ladies to escape from. Some plot elements meant to add more color to Mi-Seon's and Do-Gyeong's lives did feel a bit rushed. Furthermore, by the end of the movie, I did leave wondering to myself, if that was a satisfactory resolution to the struggle that I was watching for the last 2 hours. You'll have to decide that for yourself when you watch the movie.

Ultimately, it was nice to see these two lovely ladies starring in a film together. It wasn't totally what I was expecting, but it was a decent film, nonetheless.

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