Korean Peninsula Challenge - Official; November 2019

[Lonewolf2003]

Gangnam Style

1. Ta-weo / The Tower (2012) South Korea
2. A Tale of Two Sisters (2003) South Korea
3. Memories of Murder (2003) South Korea
4. The Insect Woman (1972) South Korea
5. The Terror, Live (2013) South Korea
6. The Housemaid (1960) South Korea
7. Fire Woman. (1971) South Korea
8. Sweet Dream (1936) Pre-50s Korea
9. J.S.A.: Joint Security Area (2000) South Korea
10. Ten Zan - Ultimate Mission (1988) North Korea

11. The Yellow Sea (2010) South Korea



The basic plot is decent here and there are many stellar chase and knife fight scenes as the protagonist finds both the police and opposing criminal factions after him. Clocking it at around two and half hours, the film feels bloated though and lacks focus. All the cutting away to side characters evaporates tension, while an intriguing estranged wife subplot is undernourished. Great private detective investigations and action sequences though.

Totally agree with your review.

[Traveller]

32. Declaration of Fools (1983) - 8/10
33. An Early Rain (1966) - 7/10

[72aicm]

18. Kangwon-do ui him / The Power of Kangwon Province (1998)
19. Jayu manse / Hurrah! For Freedom (1946)

Spoiler

1. Gipgo puleun bam / The Deep Blue Night (1985)
2. Bam gua nat / Night and Day (2008)
3. Mandala (1981)
4. Hyuil / A Day Off (1968)
5. Gaetmaeul / Seashore Village (1965)
6. Baramnan gajok / A Good Lawyer's Wife (2003)
7. Mimong / Sweet Dream (1936)
8. Ggotip / A Petal (1996)
9. Seopyeonje / Sopyonje (1993)
10. Byeoldeului gohyang / The Stars Heavenly Home (1974)
11. Ggobangdongne saramdeul / People of the Slum (1982)
12. Gilsoddeum / Gilsodom (1986)
13. Bakha satang / Peppermint Candy (1999)
14. Saenghwalui balgyeon / On the Occasion of Remembering the Turning Gate (2002)
15. Sibaji / The Surrogate Woman (1987)
16. Gwilo / The Way Home (1967)
17. Angae / Mist (1967)
18. Kangwon-do ui him / The Power of Kangwon Province (1998)
19. Jayu manse / Hurrah! For Freedom (1946)

[Lonewolf2003]

8. Bakjwi [Thirst] (2009, Chan-wook Park): 8.2 - Park gives a very original spin on the vampire genre with this visual astounding movie. The movie loses momentum after 2/3rds

Spoiler

(after the murder of the husband)

, but ends strong again.

Spoiler

1. Hwanghae [The Yellow Sea] (2010, Hong-jin Na): 7.2
2. Aknyeo [The Villainess] (2017, Byung-gil Jung): 7.2
3. Revenger (2019, Seung-Won Lee): 7.5 -
4. Inrang [Illang: The Wolf Brigade] (2018, Ji-woon Kim): 5.2
5. Nae yeojachingureul sogae habnida [Windstruck] (2004, Jae-young Kwak) (rewatch): 8.5 > 7.8
6. Sinsegye [New World] (2013, Hoon-jung Park): 6.5
7. Babo seoneon (1983, Jang-ho Lee): 6.2 - Kudos for telling it the story almost completely without dialogues. Too bad the story itself isn't particular funny or interesting.

[jdidaco]

5. Keulleeo-eui kamera/La caméra de Claire (Claire's Camera, Hong Sang-soo, 2017) 7.5/10
6. Geu-hu (The Day After, Hong Sang-soo, 2017) 8/10

Spoiler

1. Majimak babsang (The Last Dining Table, Roh Gyeong-tae, 2006) 8/10
2. Heosuabideuleui ddang (Land of Scarecrows, Roh Gyeong-tae, 2008) 7/10
3. Tropical Manila (Lee Sang-woo, 2008) 7/10
4. I Am Trash (Lee Sang-woo, 2014) 8.5/10

[ororama]

7. Bakha satang/ Peppermint Candy (1999) * 130 min. (South Korea)

Spoiler

1. Gisaengchung/ Parasite (2019) * 132 min. (South Korea)
2. Piano: Episode #1.9 (2001) 63 min. (South Korea)
3. Piano: Episode #1.10 (2001) 64 min. (South Korea)
4. Swiri (1999) * 125 min. (South Korea)
5. Piano: Episode #1.11 (2001) 65 min. (South Korea)
6. Piano: Episode #1.12 (2001) 64 min. (South Korea)

*First time viewing

[sol]

Gangnam Style

1. Ta-weo / The Tower (2012) South Korea
2. A Tale of Two Sisters (2003) South Korea
3. Memories of Murder (2003) South Korea
4. The Insect Woman (1972) South Korea
5. The Terror, Live (2013) South Korea
6. The Housemaid (1960) South Korea
7. Fire Woman. (1971) South Korea
8. Sweet Dream (1936) Pre-50s Korea
9. J.S.A.: Joint Security Area (2000) South Korea
10. Ten Zan - Ultimate Mission (1988) North Korea
11. The Yellow Sea (2010) South Korea

12. I Saw the Devil (2010) South Korea



While bits and pieces here strain credibility, this is a pretty riveting and borderline insane movie that frequently verges on black comedy territory. The dialogue tends to spell things out a little, but the film also looks at some of the dangers of revenge, questioning whether 'getting even' is ever really beneficial beyond catharsis. The final few minutes are pretty potent too, though the project perhaps edges a bit close to celebrating vigilantism.

[Traveller]

34. Farewell to the Duman River (1962) - 5/10
35. Seashore Village (1965) - 6/10
36. Flames in the Valley (1967) - 7/10

[sol]

Week 2 Update

These stats are accurate as of post #128. Click here for Week 1 stats.

After two weeks, we have had 22 participants in the Korean Peninsula Challenge and we have collectively watched 159 films, excluding miniseries. Trav has overtaken Jeroeno as leader of the Challenge and is already on 36 watches - enough to secure a mini "Obsessed Much?" award from maxwell. Jeroeno is currently on 28 watches and 72a is on 19 in third place, with nobody else have seen more than 15 films.

In the Bonus Challenges, Knaldskalle is still winning pre-1950s Korea with 3 films, while Traveller is still winning North Korea with one single film. Sol is, however, tied for first place in the North Korean Challenge now.

Films watched have ranged from 1934 to 2019. The most recent year with no watches in 2007.

Much of pre-1960s Korean cinema is considered to be lost. The least recent post-1960 year with no watches is 1973.

Most watched genres: Drama (101); Action (28); Thriller (22); and Romance (17).

Least watched genres: Musical (1); Western (1); Family (1); Music (1) and whole bunch with only 2 watches.

Films watched more than once (listed chronologically):

3 - Mimong (1936)
3 - Chungyo (1972)
3 - Mil-jeong (2016)

2 - Dumanganga jal itgeola (1962)
2 - Gaetmaeul (1965)
2 - Angae (1967)
2 - Byeoldeului gohyang (1974)
2 - Jokbo (1979)
2 - Mandala (1981)
2 - Babo seoneon (1983)
2 - Pulgasari (1985)
2 - Sibaji (1987)
2 - Eunhaengnamoo chimdae (1996)
2 - Yeogo goedam (1998)
2 - Bakha satang (1999)
2 - Seom (2000)
2- Gongdong gyeongbi guyeok JSA (2000)
2 - Saenghwalui balgyeon (2002)
2 - Dalkomhan insaeng (2005)
2 - Wang-ui namja (2005)
2 - Ang-ma-reul bo-at-da (2010)
2 - Hwanghae (2010)
2 - Snowpiercer (2013)
2 - Busanhaeng (2016)
2 - Aknyeo (2017)
2 - La caméra de Claire (2017)

[sebby]

03 On the Occasion of Remembering the Turning Gate (2002)
04 A Hard Day (2014)
05 The Power of Kangwon Province (1998)

Spoiler

01 The Day a Pig Fell Into the Well (1996)
02 A Bittersweet Life (2005)
03 On the Occasion of Remembering the Turning Gate (2002)
04 A Hard Day (2014)
05 The Power of Kangwon Province (1998)

[jeroeno]

29. U Ri Sunhi (2013)

[blocho]

while Traveller is still winning North Korea with one single film.

I also saw a North Korean movie.

[Knaldskalle]

14. Our Twisted Hero (Park Chong-won, 1992). A coming-of-age story that's a little more complex than you might expect from its "rural school with a bully" setting. Still ruminating on this one.

Spoiler

1. Crossroads of Youth (aka. Turning Point of Youngsters) (Jong-hwa Ahn, 1934) BONUS CHALLENGE #1
2. Pursuit of Death (Kwon-taek Im, 1980)
3. Homeless Angels (aka. Angels of the Street) (In-kyu Cho'e, 1941) BONUS CHALLENGE #1
4. Burying Old Alive (Ki-young Kim, 1963)
5. Fisherman's Fire (Shimazu & Ahn, 1938) BONUS CHALLENGE #1
6. The DMZ (Sang-ho Park, 1965)
7. Black Hair (Lee Man-Hee, 1964)
8. Mandala (Kwon-taek Im, 1981)
9. The Ball shot by a Midget (Won-se Lee, 1981)
10. Public Enemy (Woo-suk Kang, 2002)
11. Spinning the Tales of Cruelty Towards Women (Doo-yong Lee, 1984).
12. The Surrogate Woman (Kown-taek Im, 1987)
13. Lovers in Woomuk-Baemi (aka. A Short Love Affair) (Sun-woo Jang, 1990).
14. Our Twisted Hero (Park Chong-won, 1992).

[sol]

while Traveller is still winning North Korea with one single film.

I also saw a North Korean movie.

Yeah, it seems like I missed adding that to the leaderboard even though I vividly recall your comments about it being the first North Korean film that you had seen. Sorry about that. Will amend the OP shortly.

[flavo5000]

3. Jiokhwa (1958)

Spoiler

1. Heukryong wanggwa biho dongja (1982)
2. Dalkomhan insaeng (2005)
3. Jiokhwa (1958)

[Traveller]

As always, the stats are much appreciated, sol. I wonder if there ever was a non genre challenge where Drama didn't take the number one spot.

37. Kinship (1963) - 6/10
38. Fire Woman (1971) - 7/10

[72aicm]

Participants

Rank	Korean Tourist	Total # of Watches
3	72allinncallme	19

Thanks for the stats sol!

[72aicm]

20. Obaltan / The Stray Bullet (1961)
21. Woomuk-Baemi ui sarang / Lovers in Woomuk-Baemi (1990)
22. Mabu / The Coachman (1961)
23. Sampoganeun kil / Road to Sampo (1975)

Spoiler

1. Gipgo puleun bam / The Deep Blue Night (1985)
2. Bam gua nat / Night and Day (2008)
3. Mandala (1981)
4. Hyuil / A Day Off (1968)
5. Gaetmaeul / Seashore Village (1965)
6. Baramnan gajok / A Good Lawyer's Wife (2003)
7. Mimong / Sweet Dream (1936)
8. Ggotip / A Petal (1996)
9. Seopyeonje / Sopyonje (1993)
10. Byeoldeului gohyang / The Stars Heavenly Home (1974)
11. Ggobangdongne saramdeul / People of the Slum (1982)
12. Gilsoddeum / Gilsodom (1986)
13. Bakha satang / Peppermint Candy (1999)
14. Saenghwalui balgyeon / On the Occasion of Remembering the Turning Gate (2002)
15. Sibaji / The Surrogate Woman (1987)
16. Gwilo / The Way Home (1967)
17. Angae / Mist (1967)
18. Kangwon-do ui him / The Power of Kangwon Province (1998)
19. Jayu manse / Hurrah! For Freedom (1946)
20. Obaltan / The Stray Bullet (1961)
21. Woomuk-Baemi ui sarang / Lovers in Woomuk-Baemi (1990)
22. Mabu / The Coachman (1961)
23. Sampoganeun kil / Road to Sampo (1975)

[mjf314]

Spoiler

1. Page Turner (2016) episode 1
2. Page Turner (2016) episode 2
3. Page Turner (2016) episode 3
4. Missing Noir M (2015) episode 1
My Mister (2018) first 35 minutes (not counting it as an entry)

5. White Christmas (2011) episode 1

Yet another drama that I don't really like enough to finish. I think I'll give one more drama a try before I give up.

[Traveller]

39. Whale Hunting (1984) - 5/10
40. Rainy Season (1979) - 7/10

[sol]

As always, the stats are much appreciated, sol. I wonder if there ever was a non genre challenge where Drama didn't take the number one spot.

Possibly China/HK/TW and Action... or Banned Films/Video Nasty and Horror. It's a good question.

Participants

Rank	Korean Tourist	Total # of Watches
3	72allinncallme	19

Thanks for the stats sol!

Fine, I'll change the name because I guess I'm just making things harder for maxwell if I don't... and I guess I have gotten a little more used to it now.

[sol]

Gangnam Style

1. Ta-weo / The Tower (2012) South Korea
2. A Tale of Two Sisters (2003) South Korea
3. Memories of Murder (2003) South Korea
4. The Insect Woman (1972) South Korea
5. The Terror, Live (2013) South Korea
6. The Housemaid (1960) South Korea
7. Fire Woman. (1971) South Korea
8. Sweet Dream (1936) Pre-50s Korea
9. J.S.A.: Joint Security Area (2000) South Korea
10. Ten Zan - Ultimate Mission (1988) North Korea
11. The Yellow Sea (2010) South Korea
12. I Saw the Devil (2010) South Korea

13. The Red Shoes (2005) South Korea



There are several effective bits and pieces here (the opening sequence that ends in feet cut off; a woman thrown against a glass window) and the lighting and colour scheme is pretty neat with the strong pink hue of the shoes standing out. It is the subtler moments that work best though, such as the way the shoes morph to fit the size of whoever wears them, and these small bits get lost amid some of the gore extremes and a plot convolutions.

14. Psychokinesis. (2018) South Korea



It is refreshing to come across a lower key superhero movie focused on small problems in this age of epic scale Marvel and DC Univere movies. Uniqueness only gets a film so far though, and this one is undone by trying to be too many things. The estranged father/daughter stuff is touching, yet most of it is spelled out in dialogue and heavy-handed flashbacks, which subtracts from the comedy and OTT action movie potential of the premise.

[albajos]

That happens every time I sneeze

[AB537]

5. Inrang - Illang: The Wolf Brigade (Kim Jee-woon, 2018) 5/10

[ororama]

8. Ju No-myeong Bakery/ Love Bakery (2000) * 106 min. (South Korea)

Spoiler

1. Gisaengchung/ Parasite (2019) * 132 min. (South Korea)
2. Piano: Episode #1.9 (2001) 63 min. (South Korea)
3. Piano: Episode #1.10 (2001) 64 min. (South Korea)
4. Swiri (1999) * 125 min. (South Korea)
5. Piano: Episode #1.11 (2001) 65 min. (South Korea)
6. Piano: Episode #1.12 (2001) 64 min. (South Korea)
7. Bakha satang/ Peppermint Candy (1999) * 130 min. (South Korea)

*First time viewing

[Lonewolf2003]

9. Akmareul boatda [ I Saw the Devil] (2010, Ji-woon Kim) (rewatch): 9.0 > 8.5

Spoiler

1. Hwanghae [The Yellow Sea] (2010, Hong-jin Na): 7.2
2. Aknyeo [The Villainess] (2017, Byung-gil Jung): 7.2
3. Revenger (2019, Seung-Won Lee): 7.5 -
4. Inrang [Illang: The Wolf Brigade] (2018, Ji-woon Kim): 5.2
5. Nae yeojachingureul sogae habnida [Windstruck] (2004, Jae-young Kwak) (rewatch): 8.5 > 7.8
6. Sinsegye [New World] (2013, Hoon-jung Park): 6.5
7. Babo seoneon (1983, Jang-ho Lee): 6.2 -
8. Bakjwi [Thirst] (2009, Chan-wook Park): 8.2

[Traveller]

41. Hotel by the River (2018) - 7/10

[vortexsurfer]

3. Cho-neung-ryeok-ja/Haunters (Min-suk Kim, 2010)

Spoiler

1. Ag-o/Crocodile (Ki-duk Kim, 1996)
2. Bi-mong/Dream (Ki-duk Kim, 2008)
3. Cho-neung-ryeok-ja/Haunters (Min-suk Kim, 2010)

[jdidaco]

7. Ji-ri-myeol-lyeol (Incoherence, Bong Joon Ho, 1994) 7/10 (31 min), Influenza (Bong Joon Ho, 2004) 8/10 (30 min) (Total: 61 min)
8. Gisaengchung (Parasite, Bong Joon Ho, 2019) 7.5/10

"- It's a chimpanzee, right?
- No, it's a self-portrait!"

Spoiler

1. Majimak babsang (The Last Dining Table, Roh Gyeong-tae, 2006) 8/10
2. Heosuabideuleui ddang (Land of Scarecrows, Roh Gyeong-tae, 2008) 7/10
3. Tropical Manila (Lee Sang-woo, 2008) 7/10
4. I Am Trash (Lee Sang-woo, 2014) 8.5/10
5. Keulleeo-eui kamera/La caméra de Claire (Claire's Camera, Hong Sang-soo, 2017) 7.5/10
6. Geu-hu (The Day After, Hong Sang-soo, 2017) 8/10

[72aicm]

24. Hwanyeo / Fire Woman (1971)
25. Sarangbang sonnimgwa eomeoni / My Mother and Her Guest (1961)
26. Jayu buin / Madame Freedom (1956)

Spoiler

1. Gipgo puleun bam / The Deep Blue Night (1985)
2. Bam gua nat / Night and Day (2008)
3. Mandala (1981)
4. Hyuil / A Day Off (1968)
5. Gaetmaeul / Seashore Village (1965)
6. Baramnan gajok / A Good Lawyer's Wife (2003)
7. Mimong / Sweet Dream (1936)
8. Ggotip / A Petal (1996)
9. Seopyeonje / Sopyonje (1993)
10. Byeoldeului gohyang / The Stars Heavenly Home (1974)
11. Ggobangdongne saramdeul / People of the Slum (1982)
12. Gilsoddeum / Gilsodom (1986)
13. Bakha satang / Peppermint Candy (1999)
14. Saenghwalui balgyeon / On the Occasion of Remembering the Turning Gate (2002)
15. Sibaji / The Surrogate Woman (1987)
16. Gwilo / The Way Home (1967)
17. Angae / Mist (1967)
18. Kangwon-do ui him / The Power of Kangwon Province (1998)
19. Jayu manse / Hurrah! For Freedom (1946)
20. Obaltan / The Stray Bullet (1961)
21. Woomuk-Baemi ui sarang / Lovers in Woomuk-Baemi (1990)
22. Mabu / The Coachman (1961)
23. Sampoganeun kil / Road to Sampo (1975)
24. Hwanyeo / Fire Woman (1971)
25. Sarangbang sonnimgwa eomeoni / My Mother and Her Guest (1961)
26. Jayu buin / Madame Freedom (1956)

[mjf314]

Spoiler

1. Page Turner (2016) episode 1
2. Page Turner (2016) episode 2
3. Page Turner (2016) episode 3
4. Missing Noir M (2015) episode 1
My Mister (2018) first 35 minutes (not counting it as an entry)
5. White Christmas (2011) episode 1

6. Little Forest (2018)

Fans of the Japanese Little Forest will probably like this film. Like the Japanese film, it's set in a rural area, and they grow and cook various foods.

[mjf314]

Spoiler

1. Page Turner (2016) episode 1
2. Page Turner (2016) episode 2
3. Page Turner (2016) episode 3
4. Missing Noir M (2015) episode 1
My Mister (2018) first 35 minutes (not counting it as an entry)
5. White Christmas (2011) episode 1
6. Little Forest (2018)

7. Healer (2014) episode 1

I haven't decided yet if I'll finish it, but I like it enough to watch the next episode.

[cinephage]

03. Daijiga umule pajinnal / The Day a Pig Fell Into the Well, by Hong Sang-Soo (1996) 5,5/10

Not too fond of Hong Sang-Soo's style, and this bears his mark, for sure... Still a relevant approach to the postmodern dismay in South Korea, I guess...

Pictures of the morning calm (02)

01. Byeoldeului gohyang / The Stars Heavenly Home, by Lee Jang-Ho (1974) 7,5/10
02. Seom, by Kim Ki-Duk (2000) 7,5/10

[ororama]

9. Piano: Episode #1.13 (2002) * 64 min. (South Korea)
10. Piano: Episode #1.14 (2002) * 65 min. (South Korea)

Spoiler

1. Gisaengchung/ Parasite (2019) * 132 min. (South Korea)
2. Piano: Episode #1.9 (2001) 63 min. (South Korea)
3. Piano: Episode #1.10 (2001) 64 min. (South Korea)
4. Swiri (1999) * 125 min. (South Korea)
5. Piano: Episode #1.11 (2001) 65 min. (South Korea)
6. Piano: Episode #1.12 (2001) 64 min. (South Korea)
7. Bakha satang/ Peppermint Candy (1999) * 130 min. (South Korea)
8. Ju No-myeong Bakery/ Love Bakery (2000) * 106 min. (South Korea)

*First time viewing

[sol]

Gangnam Style

1. Ta-weo / The Tower (2012) South Korea
2. A Tale of Two Sisters (2003) South Korea
3. Memories of Murder (2003) South Korea
4. The Insect Woman (1972) South Korea
5. The Terror, Live (2013) South Korea
6. The Housemaid (1960) South Korea
7. Fire Woman. (1971) South Korea
8. Sweet Dream (1936) Pre-50s Korea
9. J.S.A.: Joint Security Area (2000) South Korea
10. Ten Zan - Ultimate Mission (1988) North Korea
11. The Yellow Sea (2010) South Korea
12. I Saw the Devil (2010) South Korea
13. The Red Shoes (2005) South Korea
14. Psychokinesis. (2018) South Korea

15. The Villainess (2017) South Korea



Opening with a breathtaking point-of-view video game-ish action sequence in which the title character singlehandedly takes down numerous unknown men in a large industrial building, this Korean action thriller gets off to a highly kinetic start, yet never quite lives up to its initial promise. The film gets very bogged down with melodramatic plot details when it attempts to explain things - and even then, it is never entirely clear what is going on.

[Lonewolf2003]

Another movie we agree on.

[Traveller]

42. Petty Middle Manager (1961) - 5/10
43. The Evil Stairs (1964) - 8/10

[allisoncm]

1. Angae / Mist 6/10 (1967) Both Korean lists / strong female lead

[mjf314]

Spoiler

1. Page Turner (2016) episode 1
2. Page Turner (2016) episode 2
3. Page Turner (2016) episode 3
4. Missing Noir M (2015) episode 1
My Mister (2018) first 35 minutes (not counting it as an entry)
5. White Christmas (2011) episode 1
6. Little Forest (2018)
7. Healer (2014) episode 1

8. Healer (2014) episode 2

[maxwelldeux]

Been there. Done that.

1. J.S.A.: Joint Security Area (2000, SK)

2. Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002, SK)
This was dark... a young man is looking for a kidney for his dying sister, who is in need of a transplant. He's recently laid off, so to get the money, he kidnaps his boss' friend's daughter. And thus begins a cycle of violence and revenge. Interesting, but very dark and hard to swallow, though the violence and gore were done well. Not exactly happy, but a really nice film overall. Fun fact: according to IMDB trivia, this features the first sex scene on film to include sign language.