oseam ( 2003 film )
oseam 2003 film oseam is a 2003 south korean drama / religious animation directed by sung baek - yeop. it is based on a novel by korean author jeong c… | pinteres…
oseam is a 2003 south korean animated film directed by sung baek - yeop. it is such a mature, really moving film .
posted in 2000s, 2003, animated, anime, drama, film decades, foreign, movie reviews, south korean and tagged animated films, film review, movie reviews, oseam, rating .
) and starring sim hye - jin, the big star of the early 90s, was the closing film for the 2003 pusan film festival .
was first screened at the 2003 seoul independent film festival in december. in 2005 this independent film was released in a dvd box set called
was met with the audience approval, making it one of the biggest hits of 2003. (
the film won the best feature film award at the 2004 annecy international animation film festival .
we don' t have enough data to suggest any movies based on oseam. you can help by rating movies you' ve seen .
proved the staying power of the series at the box office by drawing more than two million viewers during the competitive summer season of 2003 .
). i hope to catch up with it soon, and i will put it into the candidate list for the best 2003 films .
[
oseam
] directed by seong baek - yeop. screenplay by choi min - yong, lee seo - kyung, and seong baek - yeop .
korean movie reviews for 2003: save the green planet, memories of murder, a tale of two sisters, oldboy, silmido, and more .
would also have made my list, but it won' t get its local release until 2003, so i' ll save it for next year .
one of the most pleasant surprises of 2003 was that local audiences showed strong support of distinctive, challenging filmmakers at the top of their form. bong joon - ho' s critically - acclaimed second film
these are some reviews of the features released in 2003 that have generated the most discussion and interest among film critics and / or the general public. they are listed in the order of their release .
oseam (trailer) korean anim ...
the youtube account associated with this video has been terminated due to multiple third - party notifications of copyright infringement .
- - an epic film that has some powerful performances but the key strength of this film is the story .
- - i have made it a point to see as many korean animations that were released in theaters as i could. oseam is definitely my favorite for its story and detailed but clean art style .
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oseam
( 2003), for ages 10 and older, a fairy tale about a 5 - year - old boy and his older blind sister who search for their mother and are taken in by buddhist monks, in korean with english subtitles, 11: 30 a. m. , national gallery of art, east building, 600 constitution ave. nw. free. 202 - 842 - 6252 .
, who has been described for close to a decade as the most powerful figure in the korean film industry. the shooting of the film involved trips to malta for shooting in a vast water tank, as well as a stopover in new zealand to provide for scenes with snow cover. at the 2003 pusan international film festival, a lavish dinner was held to serve as advance promotion .
is actually a 2003 film. furthermore, no newcomer in 2004 seemed to register with international awards or critics - - recognition as the aforementioned song and kim or park chan - ok did in previous years (i personally still haven' t had the chance to watch
- - the documentary director byun young - joo' s feature film debut was perhaps the most underrated korean film of 2002 .
he year 2003 opened on a somewhat pessimistic note, with talk of a crisis in film finance and rumors that korea' s two biggest film companies would merge (a development that was later called off). creatively too, the first few months of the year provided few titles to get excited about. however beginning in april, a string of very good films - - mixed in with the very bad - - ultimately turned 2003 into one of korean cinema' s best years yet, from both an artistic and a commercial perspective .
one film regularly featured in the best of 2002 lists but not in mine deserves a brief mention. although visually a beautiful film ,
madeleine is a south korean movie released in 2003. the story follows the lives of two girls living together and their separate love lives as they struggle to find and maintain their new... see full synopsis »
national optimism was still running high after the success co - hosting of the fifa world cup and that feeling had spilled over into cinema as well. 2003 was one of the best years for fans of korean cinema .
eighteenth - century epistolary novels don' t generally form the basis for record - breaking opening weekends at the box - office. this rule is no less true in korea than in other countries, but 2003 has been a year of surprises. after a resounding flop with his second film
oseam is a bad film, and i think most of what' s interesting to discuss about it lies in its flaws, so i' m going to spend most of this review ripping into it. at the same time, i want to acknowledge that the film is not awful, and does have its share of strong points. the dynamic between gami and gilsun is endearing, and whilst a lot of the film ends up being pointless in retrospect most of it is at least entertaining in the moment, so (unlike most bad films) the process of watching oseam is neither boring nor painful. it also has some impressive technical points, with a lot of the background art being gorgeous…
, a masterfully directed, superbly acted film which is at turns blackly humorous, thought - provoking, and horrifying. the film stars top actor
, both of whom chose this project for a comeback film after long hiatuses .
has created a simple, moving story as well as one of korean cinema' s most vivid mother - daughter relationships ever. im su - jung - - virtually everyone' s choice for the best new actress of 2003, after her award - winning performance in
is a film for you. it boasts stunning cinematography, excellent use of imagery and top - notch acting. between this film and his follow - up movie ,
is the kind of korean film that most clearly demonstrates what korean film is now, as opposed to what it was ten years, nay, five years ago .
oseam
was adapted from a novel, originally written by jung chae bong in 1984, and the book itself has been a steady seller ever since. this beautiful animation is a story about gilson, a boy who is on a journey with gami, his sister who became blind in her childhood, looking for his mother. a couple of buddhist priests find them in the mountains, and gilson and gami encounter a change in their lives... and the story goes on... .
oseam
will bring tears to your eyes... ...
, but the film doesn' t impress me much. i wonder if parts of what i' m missing from the film are the indigenous film references kim might be making. it appears he' s referencing jang sun - woo' s wonderful
the score in oseam is terrific and there were some just wonderful musical pieces here. the tone is too dramatic, but it does have some more lightweight and comedic moments as well. the dialogue is quite good and the film benefits from being quite unpredictable and pretty memorable in the long run. overall, this film may be too serious and emotional, but it is still an overlooked gem in the animation field that unfortunately never attracted the audience that it deserved for its evident art and craftsmanship .
. not having heard much about this film beyond it receiving a best film award at mannheim - heidelberg, i figured i' d check it out. and after multiple viewings and multiple rewrites of this review, i am comfortable with my strong dislike for the film .
), already well on his way to stardom; and angela kelly, perhaps the first foreign actor appearing in a korean film who can actually act. the film is directed by
. hell, i even stumbled upon a tiny korean film festival in chico, california .
, based on a popular story by jeong chae - bong, generated a disappointing box office figure in may 2003, despite the high anticipation in some circles. commercially speaking, it suffered from the bad fortune of having debuted only one week after the highly anticipated korean release of miyazaki hayao' s
and this may be the very film ms. shin recalls when she says she wants to go to yangsuri. but lack of access to that film prohibits verification of that possible reference .
to the dark imagery, depressing themes and seat - squirming violence offered up here (though a vocal minority praised the film highly). the film is more suited as a cult item, and audiences at fantasy film festivals around the world are certain to go crazy over it .
oseam is such a serious, mature animated film that isn’t for everyone. it is very emotional, at times even too much, and it is also very slow paced which might bore some people, but to me that slice - of - life approach was mostly great as it led to a lot of great character development and mature drama. and even though it is a bit emotionally manipulative at times, this moving film is still an overlooked gem that benefits from some superb storytelling and an exquisite and just wonderful animation .
- - this 2006 film by shin dong - il finally received a theatrical release in november. a comparatively low budget, emotionally wracking film that lurches left and right but never loses control .
oseam is such a serious, mature animated film that isn' t for everyone. it is very emotional, at times even too much, and it is also very slow paced which might bore some people, but to me that slice - of - life approach was mostly great as it led to a lot of great character development and mature drama. and even though it is a bit emotionally manipulative at times, this moving film is still an overlooked gem that benefits from some superb storytelling and an exquisite and just wonderful animation .
, despite superficial similarities. had this film been made in the late 1990s instead of 2003, its direction would have veered off toward serious social criticism, probably with a goodly chunk of heavy - handed melodramatics about kim bong - doo' s transformation from a scoundrel into a conscientious teacher. instead, the film portrays teacher kim, a flawed, hypocritical but ultimately sympathetic figure, with a refreshingly non - judgmental attitude, a good deal of compassion and a healthy dose of non - pushy wit and humor. (
* includes tickets sold in 2004. source: korean film council (kofic). seoul population: 10. 32 million nationwide population: 48. 4 million market share: korean 53. 5% , imports 46. 5% (nationwide) films released: korean 65, imported 175 total admissions: 119. 5 million (= $ 601 million) number of screens: 1, 132 (end of 2003) exchange rate (2003): 1194 won / us dollar average ticket price: 6, 002 won (= us $ 5. 03) exports to other countries: us $ 30, 979, 000 (japan: 45 %) average budget: 4. 2bn won including 1. 3bn p & a spend
in its celebration of thai film, in a wonderful article by chuck stephens, as the latest big thing. i give thai film about two years before it receives its lashes from the obligatory wet noodle. knowing how these industries work, that of film criticism and film magazines and media in general, i can step back a little and turn my boil down to a simmer. (i mean
oseam is sadly a feature that received a release only in it' s native south korean and france too, so is sadly a largely unknown feature to many in the west (and in particular the english speaking world) which is an incredible shame. whilst grave of the fireflies is often (and quite rightly) seen as one of the greatest animations ever made, oseam is an equally warmhearted and lucid meditation on loss and acceptance (although perhaps not quite as restrained) and features an ending of equally weighty impact. the tragic ga - mi spends a large percentage of the film in tears (this is a korean melodrama after all !) and its not impossible to imagine that a considerable portion of those who were lucky enough to have the opportunity to see this feature felt the same. spiritual, smart and slick - a real achievement not just in animation or film but in story - telling itself .
takes care of all the issues represented, further solidifying its status as an essential south korean film .
- - somehow every part of this film worked really well, and it was hugely entertaining too .
, to name an example). a family oriented movie that winds up being a good film .
it was a wonderful year for korean film... depending on where you' re coming from
was indeed one of the funniest korean movies from 2002. i felt guilty not including the film in this list, after having so much fun at the expense of the film' s characters. however, i am not sure i could really describe my experience as having
enjoyed
the film .
- - there are always elements in a lee chang - dong film that leave me vaguely dissatisfied .
, but it works perfectly as an antonym for how the film is experienced. for it is the visible
, save for a nurse who is brutally raped by some of the film' s more sympathetic characters .
, this is powerful film largely due to the acting of the leading lady, kim yoon - jin .
- - various extramarital affairs threaten to tear a family apart in a cleverly written film with excellent writing .
- - i have not watched this film since i initially saw it back in 2007. that is because the emotions depicted by jeon do - yeon are so powerful and raw that i felt drained just watching her. however, i highly recommend any fan of film, not just korean film, to see this movie .
also takes a role towards the end of the film that is sure to stay in the memory of viewers .
is the most beautiful korean film made in the last three years, if not ever. professor kim insists that
is one such film, sometimes thought to have become extinct in this age of mobile phones and video games .
- - the wonderful backgrounds visited by the characters remain with you long after you' ve seen the film .
after watching this film and finding myself being filled with such heartfelt emotions, i am assured to say that i truly adore this movie. oseam is merely a sentimental and touching story of a brother and sister' s love for one another and in demonstrating this aspect, shows how one' s affections can surpass many boundaries. the simplicity that is shown here as well as the spiritual themes that are conveyed makes for a beautiful and one of a kind piece about those that we care for the most .
another cj production, was surprisingly introspective and dark for such a big - budget film. the box office success of
has a fascinating character at its center (a married woman with a teenage son, trying to make her debut as a film director), and it gives you a funny and heartbreaking perspective on how the film industry really works .
- - i would be surprised if this film didn' t make most people' s lists of the best korean films of 2006. great acting and an interesting story raise this film higher than most other movies adapted from comic strips .
there' s an old adage amongst film reviewers that it' s harder to write a review on a film you love than one you hate. the underlying logic being you are more likely to bring a strong critique to a film you hate whereas you might cut a film you love some slack. for me, however, it' s exactly the opposite. when writing about a film i strongly dislike, i feel at risk of presenting an arrogant tone, something from which i would rather refrain since arrogance can catch me off guard, putting me at risk of missing more subtle interpretations .
, but, hey, that' s what the film makes me think about. along with that very special episode of
an omnibus film by six established directors about issues relating to discrimination. idea originally developed by the korea human rights commission .
for making such an interesting film on such a tiny budget, and for having one of the best endings of 2009 .
- - following after beat, friends surpassed its predecessor in popularity as a film which korean men could easily identify with .
, with a side - splittingly hilarious (and surprisingly moving) performance by cha seung - won, before descending into the bottom of the barrel, quality - wise. horror films were in low ebb (expected to bounce back in a big way in the latter half of 2003), but an byung - gi, staying within the confines of genre conventions, produced a memorable sophomore effort in
now, for its emotional investment. oseam is a very emotional film and that is unfortunately a two - edged sword here. yes, it is very moving at times and the ending is not only tragic, but also wonderful and so powerful. however, whereas it does leave a strong impression, it still has too much of emotion. there is so much crying here, so much outburst of emotion that the movie gets bogged down by it. it is a bit emotionally manipulative at times and the movie definitely crossed the line into overly maudlin territory .
- - gives you a pretty good idea of how the film was marketed. lured by a brash, clever trailer and perhaps a whiff of scandal, audiences bought tickets in droves, pushing the film to # 1 at the box - office .
has proven to be an audience divider, but it may well be my favorite park chan - wook film. it definitely felt like the first step in a new direction for park (is it demeaning of his previous work to say that this film felt more mature ?). with time i may well change my mind and consider it the best film of 2009. meanwhile
: it probably should be on the list, but at times zhang lu' s directorial decisions intrude awkwardly into the film .
this film also tries to put a spotlight on kwon sang - woo. he had previously acted as a high school boy in both
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has been overlooked partly out of the desire to include more filmmakers in my top 10, considering that he has another film at # 3 and virtually every year he is near the top of the list. but this is a great film too, unfairly omitted .
- - on a purely abstract level this animated film produces some gorgeous, unforgettable images. closer to a painting than a novel ,
is only a middling achievement, although i liked some creative touches that i wish were developed with proper budgets (such as the fox stairs literally coming alive with stone faces and grappling arms). it is far more satisfying as a psychodrama focusing on the complex adolescent feelings of love, jealousy and guilt among the ambitious but talented young women. in that sense, the movie covers the grounds similar to another summer hit of 2003 ,
- - just reading a blurb about the plot initially left me uninterested in this film. yet another gangster who wants to get out of a life of crime? but it is so much more than that and has been winning awards from film festivals around the world. an excellent and surprising movie that has been praised for the acting of the lead - who is also the director of the film .
- - of the 100 films on this list, i believe this may be the sole comedy. that should stand as testament to how good this film really is. i normally do not like pure comedies but i am willing to make an exception for this film .
- - i first saw this film at the jeonju international film festival and was surprised how good a documentary about the stuntmen involved in making korean films was. i watched it again when it had a general release and finally bought the dvd. do yourself a favor and watch this movie. you will be amazed at how hard it is to make a living in film and what some people resort to doing !
- - i am probably in the minority including this film in the top ten list, let alone ranked at number four! although it is not the most thought - provoking film of the year, it is extremely enjoyable - especially the acting of ryu seung - beom .
, and generated only tepid responses. yet, in my opinion this is a film that deserves respectful credit it has not been granted .
years ago. this film is brutal. the violence and the emotions chew you up and spit you out. definitely not for everyone .
establishes him as a director with formidable skill and potential. im' s reputation abroad was given a boost when the film was invited to the main competition section at the venice international film festival, where it screened to generally favorable reviews. yet foreign audiences are likely to view this film in a different way from how it is viewed in korea, where attacks on the institution of family ring with much stronger resonance .
the draw of this movie remains the simple story of a boy' s earnest wish and the bittersweet end that takes him there. while oseam doesn' t quite carry the spirit of tragedy you would see in grave of the fireflies, i' d be willing to bet the ending carries nearly the same emotional impact. it quite simply is a movie not to be missed, and that' s an opinion i stand by even now; nearly two years since my first time viewing it .
another impressive aspect of this film are its visuals. the production set a record for using the most locations in any korean film to date, in an effort to recreate the underdeveloped rural landscape of the mid - 80s. director of photography kim hyung - gu (who also shot
the film that results from such a dramatic setup is highly charged and unquestionably strong in parts, but also fraught with contradictions. often compared to
is not a film about history, but rather straight entertainment that mixes a highly melodramatic setup with gritty realism and bursts of action. taken as such, the film is a success; at turns exciting and moving to watch. deep within me, however, i still feel slightly uneasy with that analysis. if a film stakes a claim to portray a real event from history, what kind of responsibility does that entail? (
in particular was captivating. then there is the latest film by my favorite director bong joon - ho. i' ve come to conclude that
( 2002), was enthusiastically received, it was a pretty impressive year for all things korean and film in the u. s. .
starring kim tae - jin, kim min - kyo, kim yeh - ryung, oh young - su, jeon mu - song. cinematography by choi chan - gyu. produced by spectrum film korea. distributed by big blue film. rating: general. 99 min. april 11 .
- - this film was shot with obvious passion, both that of the director towards his subjects, and that of the two leads for each other. the film has a real point to make, and it was refreshing to see this elderly couple' s fearless and overflowing appetite for life. it was also nice to see a film of personal vision, shot independently on a minimal budget, make an impact on the local industry .
collection. in this film she deals with a wide range of topics including the obsession to learn english, changing gender roles and alternative life choices .
- - you would think that a film starring choi min - shik would be promoted more. but perhaps the decidedly art house nature of the film prevented that. if you require a lot of action in your films - or dialogue for that matter - you may want to avoid this film. however, if you like strong, character driven dramas set against a stark, beautiful background, then you will love this as much as i did .
. apart from its local success, it was the best - performing korean film ever to open in southeast asia, and dreamworks even bought up rights to produce a remake in the u. s. the film made instant stars of its leads jeon ji - hyun and cha tae - hyun, and
did not - too - bad business with more than 600 thousand tickets sold nationwide, but was almost universally panned by the critics. later, the film created a mini - controversy when it was invited to be screened at the critics week for the venice international film festival, accompanied by the official selection
- - speaking of dark films... when this film was being advertised, the papers were calling it' hard - boiled'. i know hard - boiled sometimes means tough but i wasn' t exactly sure what it meant when applied to this film. i went in expecting something like
was definitely the best, and it appears korean audiences agreed, since it was the most commercially successful of all the comedies released that year. in the end, as much as this film may have jack - ed big rain man antecedents, it' s still very much its own korean film. (
is a grim and disturbing viewing experience, but it is a striking story whose themes contain great resonance and universality. after the critical success of debut film
, this film is like a banner announcing the arrival of a major filmmaker. not that lee chang - dong had been ignored or undervalued before, but
oseam’s character development is strong. yes, the supporting characters aren’t as memorable as the two protagonists, but that is a good thing as the emphasis is almost entirely on these two. gami is such a sweet girl and i really liked her as she is naturally likable and even though she’s helpless at times, she was still such a strong female character and such a strong role model. as for gilson, he might have been a bit annoying at times with his hyperactivity, but that is also a good thing as he is such a realistically depicted kid, but the one who is also caring and just so lovable in the end. the two have a great relationship and that is the heart of the film. and i have to say that their dog is just so cute and so wonderful that i wish that he was more utilized in the film .
( which makes an excellent companion piece to this film, and indeed which far surpasses it) is a victory in itself. the passion of director hong and lead actor kim joong - ki come across clearly to the viewer. it is also nice that the film makes an effort to understand its chief
villain ,
a correction officer played by an seok - hwan. the candid relations between him and our lead is one of the film' s pleasant surprises .
. the film impressed a lot of people, and so when news surfaced that he was shooting his feature debut, it created a fair amount of expectation .
rather than fall into the easy copycat calls concerning a film that has obvious reference points in previously successful american fare, there is enough korean specificity within this film to challenge any complete rip - off riffs. the college - age koreans with whom i shared the theater filled the air with successive, uproarious guffaws when watching
set on a remote lake with a floating temple, this film tells the story of five stages in the life of a man who becomes a buddhist monk .
, which the korean film council classifies as an american film because it was fully financed by netflix. while it' s probably more accurate to call it a us - south korea co - production (kofic' s designation is purely for the purpose of determining its eligibility for government support funds), i admit that
represents hope that even when we have sunk to the lowest level, we can pick ourselves up and return with a quality effort. too bad that movie theaters didn' t give this film a chance to build up any positive word of mouth. although far from perfect, it' s a nice little film .
kim has provided a very tight script that works off the humor that naturally arises when different worlds collide while also providing just enough back story to allow subplots to flow nicely into each other. almost everything has a purpose here, such as why sang - woo takes photographs of adulterers, and every little quirk of the characters is utilized for greater effect later on, such as bong - ku' s tactics of extortion through squatting. compared to the other korean comedies from 2003 that i' ve seen so far ,
( 1999), considered by many a top - drawer horror film as well as an artistic triumph. even though it received a fair amount of critical drubbing ,
, which achieved the difficult task of remaking a film from another culture in a way that replicates the original' s strengths and adds some strengths of its own .
. no matter how strenuously defenders try to redeem it from its cannes failure, this film feels like an underachievement. hong' s magic shines here only intermittently .
. it is a quiet film, devoid of comedy and somewhat heavy on the drama, but it is definitely worth one' s time to check it out .
- - i don' t think this film needs any introduction. it is probably the first movie that springs to mind when most people think of korean cinema .
- - another film based on real events. such a movie could never have been made just ten years earlier. some very good performances by some top actors .
- - a breath of fresh air in the horror genre. it was unique at the time of its release and remains the representative film when discussing korean horror .
( 1956). it' s not merely a case of western or modern values clashing with more traditional korean moral systems. by structuring the film around a hero / artist whose motives and morals are constantly called into question, the film seems to reflect well this complicated moral landscape. i' ll admit that the film is too long and has other problems, but it comments in interesting ways on the culture in which it was made - - more so than most other films this year .
starring kim gap - soo, yeom jung - ah, im soo - jung, moon geun - young. cinematography by lee mo - gae. produced by masulpiri pictures and b. o. m. film productions. distributed by big blue film. rating: 12 +. 120 min. june 13. (pictured left )
is the most expensive animation film ever made in korea, and has been the focus of intense pre - release media hype as well as debates among animation fans. director
, a good friend of mine was shocked to hear i hadn' t seen either yet (and still haven' t) .
that surprises me since you' re so into asian film ,
was his response to this news. i jammed my friend' s' logic' by clarifying that the asian film references that fill
is getting very a warm reception overseas, at least in those territories where screenings have been allowed (i hope the weinstein company never buys another korean film). in korea the reception has been much more divided, at least among critics. this may be because the film lacks the distinctive local color (linguistic and cultural) of bong' s previous works, but for me this is an extremely ambitious, highly original, and beautifully realized science fiction thriller that deserves an important place in korean film history .
there are two reasons why this film is so troubling, one being the misogyny supported within the text. for those of you who could care less about feminist critiques, you can skip the last two paragraphs since you won' t be hearing me anyway, but i' ll begin with the other trouble: the film fails its genre .
{ i love this film so much. it was one of the first hitchcock movies i watched back in 2012 and i agree with you, it... } –
wasn' t successful, and deservedly so. it' s not a great movie, lacking the energy and right - film - right - time zeitgeist exploitation of the dialectical
, which i watched on dvd the day before. i' m not necessarily being critical when i say this, but no other korean film fits the description so well .
starring oh young - su, kim jong - ho, seo jae - kyung, kim young - min, kim ki - duk, and ha yeo - jin. cinematography by baek dong - hyun. produced by lj film and pandora film [ germany ]. distributed by korea pictures. rating: 15 +. 106 min. september 19 .
a sci - fi film set in 2080 about a member of the military police who struggles to extend the life of his cyborg girlfriend, who is scheduled to be decommissioned .
starring shim hye - jin, kim jin - geun, moon woo - bin, park woong, jeong na - yun, lee young - hee, min hye - ryeong. cinematography by oh hyun - jae. produced by dada film and arundaun film company. distributed by show east. rating: 15 +. 104 min. october 17 .
yet, i propose an argument in opposition to these claims of a korean cinema slump. i argue that 2002 was the best damn year yet for korean film ...
when you look at this list of u. s. korean film happenings, add to it that our man park joong - hoon was well featured in jonathan demme' s
enjoyment and overall: i very much enjoyed this film. i can' t really properly express the amount of joy it brought to my day. it made me appreciate life a bit more than usual, made me take more tn. i' ll say it again, it' s a very buddhist film. and i enjoyed and appreciated that .
, a very political film that impressed me most not for its politics, but for its universal, humanistic elements. probably the most talked - about premiere at this year' s busan international film festival, it presents in unnerving detail the torture of democracy activist kim geun - tae over a period of 22 days in autumn 1985. the idea of sitting through a 106 - minute film which consists primarily of torture sequences is certainly daunting. but somehow, through effective characterization and well - structured drama, the director makes the story as engaging and moving as it is disturbing. in the end, the strongest element of the film is its compassion for kim geun - tae and others who underwent similar ordeals .
by hwang cheol - min - - this is a film that deserves higher praise on both stylistic and thematic fronts. a tour de force in confined filmmaking, hwang' s film bravely reveals its political scope only bit by bit, while, in the meantime, staging a universal drama of power and ethics in human interaction. a real must see .
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, a former architect whose deft manipulation of the spatial and optic dimensions of the film results in its unique and memorable look and atmosphere, overlaid with a layer of modernist austerity .
as it is so mature, but constantly beautiful and heartfelt. i liked its mature storytelling quite a bit and the film is definitely not for kids despite its somewhat deceiving first act .
by the time it was released on december 24, a huge marketing campaign had stirred up interest in the film to a fever pitch. audiences responded beyond anyone' s expectations, and
- - whatever you think of this movie, you cannot deny that it is controversial. rarely have i discussed a film for so long after viewing. the motivations of the characters, believable or not, were the subject of passionate conversations with my friends. there are also a lot of nice touches and images that take more than one viewing to register. the cinematography is dark but the glaring neon often gives a surreal feeling to the film. one will either love it or hate it, but it is one film that is hard to ignore .
- - an intriguing film that causes controversy where shown as a high school teacher falls in love with one of his male students whom he believes is the reincarnation of his dead girlfriend .
achieved a unity of tone underneath its craziness that served as an anchor. such films have been hard to find this year, however. i' m guessing that in the uncertain climate for film investment since 2002, film companies are betting on obvious, broad humor as a sure formula to box - office success. i' m not sure it' s working. (
, starring hyun bin and lim soo - jung. i' m willing to posit that the reason this film has stuck so firmly in my memory is because of some particular aspect of my own personal neuroses. but in the end, all criticism is personal, and there' s something in the relationship portrayed here that i' ve never found in any other film .
' s film is presented in a remarkably straightforward style; some might call it old - fashioned. like many prison - set movies, the presentation of the drama inside such a confined space leads to the sense that you are watching a play. certainly this story could work just as well as a stage production. my initial reaction when watching the film was disappointment that the director did not make more effort to develop it from an aesthetic standpoint. on the other hand, repeated viewings have persuaded me that the film works as it is, without stylistic flourishes .
certainly under korea' s past governments, this film could never had been made. the fact that we are watching works like this and kim dong - won' s similarly - themed documentary
( and numerous others which aren' t on this list). i think it' s inevitable that when you spend so much time working on the dialogue translation, your relationship to the film changes. there' s a kind of intimacy that develops, even when you don' t like the film! but i tried hard to stay impartial when drawing up this list .
here follows my own top ten of korean films for 2004. two quick side notes: first, the best korean film i saw in 2004 is actually yu hyun - mok' s 1965
i am certain of one thing though: i am mighty glad that my life is not unfolding in a hong sang - soo film. at least, i hope it isn' t .
- - this is one thriller. . or is it a horror film. . that makes you think. the ending leaves a lot of questions unanswered, but it is quite good .
as of july 22, 2003, i have watched forty - two korean films released in 2002, only counting ones transferred to dvds in a correct aspect ratio, or presented in 35mm prints at various film festivals and other venues. considering that i watch anywhere between 250 to 300 movies a year (about two - fifth of which in regular theaters or revival houses, the rest mostly in dvds: the number of vhs tapes i rent has significantly declined since 2000... these days, i only occasionally seek out vhs copies of the extremely rare movies not yet released in dvd), this was a rather sizable chunk of the total number of movies i watched last year. overall, 2002 was an excellent year: there were enough wonderful films to make selection of the ten best a difficult task .
twice during its release, and was captivated by it. it' s a rich film that devotes deep, serious attention to how it presents its characters and the situations they face. the story itself is moving, but i also found lee' s devotion to the
ethics
of his film to be moving. i think few directors put so much thought into their works .
with a wild female character. following the internet novel, the first two - thirds of the film focuses on the conflicts between the leading characters. while lots of distinct moments catch the audience' s laughs, the film is condensed to fit in the different stages in the development of their relationship. still, kim has done more than can be expected of a first - time director .
with its cast and subject matter i think this film had the potential to be really good, but it ended up being only okay. the best - known and most successful korean comedies such as
is an extended version of the digital omnibus film commissioned by jeonju, and is shot in a single take .) this year i have become a card - carrying song il - gon fan .
if this marks the year korean film has long last entered the conversation in the u. s. , here are the top ten korean films that i found most worth listening to this year .
is the type of film i most treasure. it is a beautiful, powerful film, my favorite film i' ve seen so far this year. the images of gah - in swimming, do - hee' s trip to the zoo, and do - hee' s closing climax still resonate with me long after. (and considering the transition between emotions that is required of lee in this latter scene, lee' s perfect execution in one long edit - less take is very impressive .) however, i' m well aware if slow - paced, reflective, artsy films aren' t your thing you will absolutely hate this film. many have compared it to tsai ming - liang' s work, particularly do - hee' s story and how it relates to
has solidified his place in the westernized canon of asian films due to an incident at new york' s asian film festival where an audience member left a screening gagging like the main character in the film and falling to the lobby floor. known for his creative maiming and killing off of his characters, kim has been embraced by the same cult aficionados who anxiously await the next miike takashi flick .
character: i fell in love with the characters which were, as the rest of the film, very subtle and simple. yet, they were very easy to sympathize with and become attached to .
{ this sounds great. the only griffiths film that i have seen is broken blossoms. i have watched very few silent movies -'' sunrise'' is my favorite... } –
is a piece of real footage inserted at the end, of kim sun - myung in the 1990s. the actors need not feel ashamed at being upstaged at the film' s conclusion by a television clip. everyone involved with the production would surely agree that moreso than the film itself, the real story behind the screenplay is one of modern korean history' s most tragic and urgent narratives. (
it is a situation that most young koreans can easily relate to, and it seems the perfect basis for a hit film. the movie is also blessed with good casting: lee na - young (
is an overlooked film that manages to be both very sad and enjoyable to watch at the same time. it successfully captures a sense of what it feels like to be on the inside of an everyday tragedy, such as you might find in a neighboring home. at the same time, the film' s warmth and humor help the viewer to appreciate the joy and poignancy of the present. (
, cheon ho - jin. cinematography by kim seong - bok. produced by koo & film. distributed by showbox. rating: 15 +. 123 min. january 23. (pictured right )
was in some ways the most exciting film of the year for me, because it' s a first time director and it caught me by surprise. one of my favorite bloody gory movies ever .
still, i can incorporate the film into my own world well enough, regardless if i' ll be feeling the film many months after my initial viewing. in this way, i play within this play of the various ways the medium of film and the technologies that make those mediums possible are used in society. each medium and technology has its own use values and problems. when pressed to rank the various uses, i think there are better uses than others. kim explores how, as much as we might love film, literature, sport, or other pursuits, sometimes those pursuits are utilized at the expense of relationships with our fellow humans. he also demonstrates how fate won' t carry through completely with whatever was fated. eventually action is required by the fated parties. perhaps i will recall
oseam ( hangul : 오세암 ) is a 2003 south korean drama/religious animation directed by sung baek-yeop . it is based on a novel by korean author jeong chae-bong , who has described it as being a fairy tale for adults . the title means " five-year-old temple . " 
oseam (hangul: 오세암) is a 2003 south korean drama/religious animation directed by sung baek-yeop. it is based on a novel by korean author jeong chae-bong, who has described it as being a fairy tale for adults. the title means " five-year-old temple. "
oseam (hangul: 오세암) is a 2003 south korean drama/religious animation directed by sung baek-yeop. it is based on a novel by korean author jeong chae-bong, who has described it as being a fairy tale for adults. the title means " five-year-old temple. "