One Night Only | Korean Movie Review

Movie: One Night Only
Revised romanization: Wonnait Onri
Hangul: 원나잇 온리
Director: Kim-Jho Gwang-Soo, Kim Tae-Yong
Writer:
Producer:
Cinematographer:
Release Date: July 3, 2014
Runtime: 70 min.
Language: Korean
Country: South Korea

Plot

Night Bug (dir. by Kim Tae-Yong)

Han-Jae meets gay men at a bar in Jongno District, Seoul. He first meets them through an internet site. Once they get drunk, Han-Jae steals their money. He is accompanied by Hoon and pretends he is his boyfriend. Hoon is popular, but Han-Jae ignores Hoon's feelings for him. One day, Hoon suddenly kisses Han-Jae. 

One Night (dir. by Kim-Jho Gwang-Soo)

Geun-Ho is almost hit by a car. At that time, Joon, who is visiting Jinju from Seoul, saves Geun-Ho. They happen to meet at a bar later that night. Geun-Ho and his friends goes to Seoul with Joon. 

 

Actors

Yoo Min-Kyu
Jung Won-Jo
Jo Bok-Rae
Jang Yoo-Sang


Review

I thought that this movie is a documentary that reflects a real story that really exist in Korea. The concept is plain and unique. It really shows an unconventional film that we don't actually see on mainstream movies.

The movie has two separate stories. The first one, entitled Night Bug showed the underground business of homosexuals, I think. This movie describes the gay nightlife of Korea. One of the characters is Han-jae. He is aggressive and ambitious; He will leave anything for money. Han-jae ignored Hoon's special feeling for him because of money, although he treats his friend very well. At the end of the day, regrets came out. The first part of the movie is a bit boring for me because its a bit dark and discreet, but it has a value.

The second part of the movie was entitled "One Night". I think this part is better than the first one. The scenes executed more interesting and lively. It reminds me a story of girls who wants to win a pretty guy first. The characters are well-selected for their roles. They seemed to have an easy-go-lucky attitudes. Its a good thing that Geun-ho is attractive and excited. Its a "One Night" literally. The shocking part is conventional. In real life, most aged gay people today has their own family. They're trying to hide it to them unless they get caught. The sad truth is, they are jailed in their own.

Both parts of the movie has a simple plot. I think the directors purely wants to show the audience what is the real life of being a homo. It is obvious that the production struggled in dark scenes, especially the first part of the movie.

This movie is a revelation which is better. This movie intentionally shows what is reality.

My ratings:

Direction: 9
Editing: 9
Uniqueness: 9
Emotonal impact: 6
Story: 8
Set design: 9

Sex: YES
Violence: A BIT
Romance: YES
Comedy: A BIT
Suspense: NO
Action: NO

OVERALL: 8.3

DS

Holiday (2006) | Korean Movie Review

Holiday

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• Movie: Holiday
• Revised Romanization: Holli-dei
• Hangul: 홀리데이
• Director: Yang Yun-Ho
• Writer: Yang Yun-Ho, Kim Hee-Jae
• Release Date: January 19, 2006
• Runtime : 120 min.
• Production Budget: US$ 4.5 M
• Country: South Korea
• Language: Korean

Synopsis:

Ji Kang-hun is imprisoned after taking part in a protest against the government for clearing out their neighborhood to make way for the 1988 Seoul Olympics. After being repeatedly beaten by prison officials, Ji Kang-hun, with the help of 12 inmates, escapes the prison and is able to elude the police for 9 days. Kang-hun’s main objective is to tell his story of prison abuses and the favoritism held by the Korean legal system for the wealthy to the media or government officials. When they are finally caught and surrounded by the police and media, it is now up to Ji Kang-hun to decide whether he will go out as a hero or criminal.

Cast

• Choi Min-Soo - Kim An-seok
• Hyun Dong - Lee Kwang-pal
• Jang Se-Jin - Kim Jang-kyung
• Jo An - Ko Hyo-joo
• Lee Bong-Kyu - Lee Deok-man
• Lee Eol - Hwang Dae-chul
• Lee Sung-Jae - Ji Kang-heon

Review:

This movie made me realize that Korea has bloody history, since it was based in a true story. The story is cliche, people versus government, but the revenge of Kang-hun (Lee Sung-jae) makes the movie more dramaric and brutal. This film shows the true picture of Korean 'democracy' on 90s, which was the period of image and identity making of South Korea. The government should 'clean up' the country to please foreign visitors at any cost. 

Kang-hun's character is strong-willed, determined and brave. His goal in the film is to escape the prison and to tell prison abuses to the media. The characters around Kang-hun, the inmates, gave a good mixture with him. They served as Kang-hun's ally in fulfilling his mission until brotherhood between each other created. They learned to accept freedom and know the real meaning of life since they become fugitives. But suddenly, they gave up by death, leaving Kang-hun alone as a crazy foe of the government. Atleast, he fulfilled his goal but it leads to his death. He is a great hero.

One good thing in this film is the specificity to represent the general thought of the movie. Kang-hun represents the Koreans that time while Kim Ahn-suk (Choi Min-soo) is the government. Ahn-suk is an abusive and ambitious government official that slaves anyone on his way. He don't accept defeat and will fight for his glory no matter what.

I really don't know why 'Holiday' is the title of the film but I guess, this was the day when the government abolished the 'Care and Custody Law' which sentenced longer terms for prisons than regular sentences that time, or the Seoul Olympics day. The foundation of the movie, 'Money buys justice, lack of money leads to guilt' served as the moral of the film. This belief is happening until today, especially in most Asian countries. Bureaucracy is the main reason why justice is not available to all. It creates borderline between the powerful and the weak. The good thing was this film told a real story about abusive powers of the Korean government to the world, resulting in the recession of the law for real.

The cinematography fits the film's genre. They established the classical 90's era by including the real TV broadcast of Seoul Olympics and the barbaric treatment to the prisons. I loved that the movie has an emotional parts that make me cry. I expect bloody scenes and dominance of Ahn-suk. If this movie is totally real, Kang-hun should be the hero of prison rights.

My favorite part in the movie was when the prisons escaped from the jail by creating unique tactics to run away and the scene when Ahn-suk was begging his life to Kang-hun. The worst fact of the movie is that the powerful uses weak people to bring themselves glorified while the poor and 'criminals' stayed helpless and fool enough to die, but they are heroes for me. Thumbs up!

This is highly recommended to those who want to know the meaning of bureaucracy and the reality of democracy.

My ratings:

Direction: 8
Editing: 9
Uniqueness: 9
Emotonal impact: 10
Story: 10
Set design: 9

OVERALL: 9.2 ★★★★ -DS

Taegukgi / The Brotherhood of War | Korean Film Review

Taegukgi / The Brotherhood of War

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"I can't realize that this movie has a director because I was fooled enough that this movie is real and caught-by-the-act. Amazing! " -DS

Profile

Movie: Taegukgi / The Brotherhood of War
Revised romanization: Taegukgi hwinalrimyeo
Hangul: 태극기 휘날리며
Director: Kang Je-Gyu
Writer: Kang Je-Gyu, Han Ji-Hoon,Kim Sang-Don
Producer: Choi Jin-Hwa, Lee SE-Ho, Lee Sung-Hoon, Jung Ji-Hoon, Hwang Gyun-Jung, Oh Jung-Hyun, Kim Kyoung-Mok
Cinematographer: Hong Gyeong-Pyo
Release Date: February 6, 2004
Runtime: 140 min.
Genre: War / Drama / Brothers /Period-1950
Distributor: Showbox/Mediaplex
Language: Korean
Country: South Korea

Plot

Jin-Tae (Jang Dong-Kun) and Jin-Seok (Won Bin) are brothers who are unwillingly drafted into the South Korean army following the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950. Meanwhile, Jin-Tae's fiance Young-Shin (Lee Eun-Ju) joins the communist party to get food for the rest of her family.

Jin-Tae, the stronger of the two brothers, vows to keep his weaker younger brother Jin-Seok safe from any danger. After a military official promises to send Jin-Seok home if Jin-Tae wins a medal of honor, Jin-Tae begins to fight without fear ... (http://asianwiki.com/Taegukgi)

Cast

Jang Dong-Gun	Won Bin	Lee Eun-Ju	Choi Min-Sik
Lee Jin-Tae	Lee Jin-Seok	Kim Young-Shin	North Korean commander

Review

The story is very unpredictable! But I initially assumed that Jin-tae (Jang Dong-Gun) will die because its he who Jin-seok (Won Bin) was searching for since post-war. What makes the story line unique is that their brotherhood was tested under a country war, while having their 'war' as brothers. Their trust in each other was also challenged. It seemed that Jin-seok was the first who believed that he can't trust his brother anymore because he thought that his brother don't care for him, since his brother started to gain promotions and medals. The film showed that Jin-tae is the one who loved his brother since then and he will do everything for him at any cost. I cannot blame why Jin-seok hated his brother. For they were in a war, and they were fighting for the country and victory, everything must change, even their relationship as brothers. It was shown when the movie repeatedly said that they feel 'cold' because of the weather or something. It also means that their relationship is getting cold. Their brotherhood was confused because of their priorities and goals: Jin-tae joins every attack for his brother to come back home while Jin-seok wants him to stop fighting and stay with him.

The movie has many intentional scenes that must be in. The ice lollipop symbolizes the love of Jin-tae to his brother, as well as the leather shoes, the chocolate and the pen he gave to Jin-seok. Jin-tae is selfless. A real character of a brother.

Since Jin-seok is younger than him, his role stayed as being the immature younger kid to emphasize the might and dominance of his brother. The movie repeatedly portrayed that Jin-seok is weak. Jin-tae said to their late father that his brother got sick and wished a good health for his brother. He also wants to be with Jin-seok in the war because he will teach him defending himself. So, his brother really took care of him.

The movie is tragic and bloody but it has the best set design ever. Thousands of war men, booming bombs and the sounds of guns did the trick. This movie really brought me to Korean war. I just realized that Korea was a wreck before and was glorified now by the democracy fought by the mighty Korean men. The good thing in Korean movies as always is the fusion of culture, history, and an specific genre in creating a world-class project.

The editing is clean. The cinematography is perfect than ever. When the shot is 'war', the camera must be shaky and thrilling. I can't realize that this movie has a director because I was fooled enough that this movie is real and caught-by-the-act. Amazing! I also thought that this movie was based on a true story, since Korean War is real.

I find myself shedding tears when Jin-tae can't recognize Jin-seok in the climax because he was fooled by his thoughts that his brother is dead, until he recognized it. The best part of the movie was when Jin-tae killed his fellow soldiers just to give way for his brother to come back home, then sacrificing his life. Such a real love.

I would like to recommend this to all who has siblings and whose finding the meaning of true selfless love and care.

This is highly recommended. This movie is better than some action movies.

My ratings:

Direction: 9

Storyline: 10

Emotional Impact: 9

Set Design: 10

Uniqueness: 10

Editing: 9

Overall: 9.5 ★★★★

-DS

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