YumCha!
»
Editor Picks - Korean Video
Browse
- ycec Editor's Picks By Category
- esid Editor's Picks - By Editor
- yca Feature Articles
- ycpc Professional Reviews
- Awards & Festivals
- ppid Music Pop Chart
- yceb Entertainment News
- About YumCha!
-
Public Enemy Returns (DVD) (Limited Edition) (Korea Version)
Sol Kyung Gu (Actor)
| Jung Jae Young (Actor)
| Kang Woo Suk (Director)
| Moon Sung Keun (Actor)
Detective Kang Chul Jung is back, and he's a lot more likable this time. After drifting to an alternate story with Another Public Enemy - which was essentially an average crime thriller with an above-average lead - director Kang Woo Suk wisely returns to the more compelling premise and protagonist of the original Public Enemy for third installment Public Enemy Returns. Wiser yet, he brought on Jang Jing as screenwriter and Jang Jin regular Jung Jae Young as the baddie, turning Public Enemy Returns into the hands-down strongest entry of the franchise. Franchise man Sol Kyung Gu reprises as aggressive, law-breaking, washed-up cop Kang Chul Jung, who's softened up considerably since the first... [read more]
-
-
Don't Believe In Her (DVD) (Hong Kong Version)
Kang Dong Won (Actor)
| Kim Ha Neul (Actor)
| Bae Hyung Joon
Kim Ha Neul is too funny to missKim Ha Neul turns into a comic femme fatale in Too Beautiful To Lie (a.k.a. Don't Believe In Her). In Bae Hyeong Joon's 2004 comedy she strikes sparks with Kang Dong Won, the pair showing a delightful comic chemistry. Kim plays Joo Yeong Joo, a young delinquent who tries to take advantage of others using whatever means she can, particularly their sympathy. A moving but contrived story plus some fake tears help Yeong Joo land her latest coup, as she moves the prison jury to tears and earns herself an early parole. As luck would have it, Yeong Joo runs into Choi Hee Cheol (Kang Don Won), the son of a village mayor who is about to get married and from then on the film becomes a classic... [read more]
November 13, 2008 Picked By A-Xiang Joe See all this editor's picks
-
-
I Really, Really Like You Vol. 1 of 2 (DVD) (End) (English Subtitled) (MBC TV Drama) (US Version)
Ryu Jin
| Yoo Jin (Eugene)
| Lee Min Ki
When it comes to TV dramas over 20 episodes long, I tend to either skip over them knowing that I can't invest the time, or I start and never finish. I'm more likely to hold out for period dramas, but I lose interest quickly with long romantic dramas as length too often means descent into padding, cliche, and overblown melodrama. Which is why I Really, Really Like You really, really stands out as a romantic comedy. Clocking in at 34 episodes, I Really, Really Like You is a tad long for a non-sitcom romance, but I whizzed through the whole drama in record time, and was rather sad to see it come to an end. I Really, Really Like You didn't receive as much as love as it should have when it aired... [read more]
-
-
The Happy Life (DVD) (DTS) (First Press Limited Edition) (Special Edition) (Korea Version)
Jung Jin Young
| Jang Geun Suk
| Lee Joon Ik
| Kim Yoon Seok
Road trips, adultery, and rock bands are the most common cinematic remedies for male mid-life crisis, and director Lee Jun Ik and writer Choi Suk Hwan go for the latter in the eminently enjoyable The Happy Life. Much like Lee and Choi's 2006 hit Radio Star, their latest film is an intimate, entertaining, music-laced, and wonderfully acted tale of male camaraderie and aging dreams. Don't miss the chance to see pre-Chaser Kim Yoon Seok with eyeliner, spiked hair, and a Batman tattoo rocking out on bass. Jung Jin Young, who portrayed the king in Lee's King and The Clown, leads the cast as Gi Young, an amiable unemployed layabout living off his wife's salary. The death of his college bandmate... [read more]
-
-
Forever the Moment (DVD) (First Press Limited Edition) (Korea Version)
Moon So Ri (Actor)
| Cho Eun Ji (Actor)
| Kim Jung Eun (Actor)
| Lim Soon Rye (Director)
When it comes to typical sports dramas, the plot usually begins with a team of underdogs who end up reaching the finals after conquering insurmountable obstacles. Forever the Moment is no different from its predecessors, but the film does a fine job of overcoming its awfully predictable story by offering enough genuine emotional uplift and good, tasteful humor. Inspired by the true story of the 2004 Olympics Korea Women's National Handball Team, the story begins with a team of exuberant players celebrating their victory at the women's handball league's championship game in front of empty stands. Clearly handball is not one of Korea's most popular sports. And not a moment too soon, the cold... [read more]
-
-
Money's War (DVD) (End) (English Subtitled) (SBS TV Drama) (US Version)
Park Shin Yang
| Kim Jung Hwa
| Park Jin Hee
| Shin Goo
I love Korean dramas but I must admit I do get tired of the same old formula now and then. So when SBS kicked off its early summer lineup with Money's War (a.k.a. Money's Warfare) in 2007, I was pleasantly surprised by what I now consider to be by far one of the most unique Korean dramas I have seen in years. In its groundbreaking blend of comedy, tragedy, and social satire, Money's War tells a heartening tale of ordinary citizens who suffer from major debt hangovers. They often fall prey to unscrupulous moneylenders who charge extortionate interest rates, which in turn traps them in a vicious cycle of debt. And it doesn't get any better as these bloodsucking sharks will use every possible... [read more]
-
-
With A Girl Of Black Soil (DVD) (Korea Version)
Jeon Soo Il
There are few cinematic settings that assure depression as much as "coal mining town". Add children to the lot, and you're just about guaranteed a gloom ride. Indie drama With a Girl of Black Soil, however, is not so much gloomy but devastating, using minimalist storytelling to maximum effect. Director Jeon Soo Il, who previously impressed with Time Between Dog and Wolf, has certainly crafted a minor masterpiece completely deserving of the accolades it received on the festival circuit. With a Girl of Black Soil revolves around spunky young Young Rim, an energetic girl with an easy smile and maturity beyond her years, brilliantly portrayed by child actress Yoo Yeon Mi. Though only nine years... [read more]
-
-
Radio Dayz (DVD) (Director's Cut) (Limited Edition) (Korea Version)
Kim Sa Rang
| Ryoo Seung Bum
| Lee Jong Hyuk
| Hwang Bo Ra
Chungmuro has popped out so many half-baked efforts lately I'm beginning to dread watching Korean films, which is why I'm very glad to have found some consolation in director Ha Ki Ho's debut feature Radio Dayz. Coming on the coattails of one too many movie about cheating partners and dying parents/kids, Radio Dayz quietly affects and amuses with a lighthearted story in serious times. Set in the 1930s during the Japanese colonial period, the film follows a ragtag team of characters working at Korea's first radio station as they throw together the country's first radio drama while dealing with pressure from above, internal squabbling, writing blocks, revolutionary activities, and general... [read more]
-
-
My Father (DVD) (Director's Cut) (Limited Edition) (Korea Version)
Kim Young Cheol
| Daniel Henney
Clearly, there is more to Daniel Henney than meets the eye, but that wasn't always the case. This drop dead gorgeous model-turned-actor became the symbol of metro chic after the massive popularity of My Lovely Sam-Soon, the 2005 Korean drama that marked Henney's first acting gig. With his instant stardom came a flurry of typecast roles that naturally focused on his obvious assets, but My Father alters his career trajectory. My Father does for Daniel Henney what Friend did for Jang Dong Gun and King and The Clown for Lee Jun Ki. Henney stars as James Parker, a Korean-born American adoptee who volunteers for the U.S. Forces in Korea to look for his biological parents. His journey is soon met... [read more]
-
-
The Customer Is Always Right (DVD) (DTS) (Korea Version)
Myung Kye Nam
| Sung Hyun Ah
| Lee Seon Gyun
| Sung Ji Ru
I've always found barbershops to be rather foreboding, and I'm glad director Oh Ki Hyun has confirmed my fears with his remarkable 2006 debut The Customer is Always Right. A delightful tangle of black humor, off-kilter suspense, and quirky character studies presented in a stunning visual package, The Customer is Always Right is the rare film that offers the substance to match its ultra-stylized visuals. Lee Myung Se, please take note. Character actor Sung Ji Ru makes his leading man debut as Ahn Chang Jin, a surgically precise barber obsessed with his own professionalism. His barbershop is a post-modern sight for the eyes - monochrome decor, sparkling clean, and uncomfortably sterile - and... [read more]
-
-
Our Town (DVD) (Special Edition) (Korea Version)
Jung Gil Young (Director)
| Ryu Deok Hwan (Actor)
| Oh Man Seok (Actor)
| Lee Seon Gyun (Actor)
Is Chungmuro's new niche serial killers? Paradise Murdered was one of 2007's few success stories, collecting over two million admissions and a considerable number of awards. In comparison, Jung Gil Young's Our Town, released near the end of the year, was greeted with significantly less commercial fanfare, but it's no less of a film. In fact, of the two I actually like Our Town more. Paradise Murdered works primarily as a suspense thriller, detailing the increasingly desperate and eerie hunt for a killer amongst an isolated group of people, as well as the psychological derailing of the collective. Despite starting with the traditional crime investigation setup, Our Town is largely not a... [read more]
-
-
Return (DVD) (Limited Edition) (Korea Version)
Kim Myung Min
| Yoo Jun Sang
| Kim Yoo Mi
| Kim Tae Woo
If you are due for major surgery anytime soon, it is strongly advisable not to watch Return. Though there are those who dont mind watching Final Destination before flying or recycling Titanic during a carnival cruise, don't blame me for not having warned you. Return opens up with the bone chilling tale of a screaming boy who, despite having been put under general anesthesia, stays fully conscious during his operation. Unable to communicate to the doctors as he is paralyzed from the muscle relaxant, the boy experiences unimaginable pain and explicit recollection of surgical details that subsequently lead to post-traumatic nightmares and killings. This frightening paranormal condition known... [read more]
-
-
Damo: The Undercover Lady Detective (MBC TV Series) (US Version - Limited Edition)
Ha Ji Won
| Lee Seo Jin
| Kim Min Joon
| Lee Moon Shik
Fusion period dramas are ratings gold in South Korea, but for the most part, it's a genre I've avoided. The combination of long, serious, and complicated really doesn't appeal to me after a long day's work. Though I am periodically tempted to see what the fuss is all about, the thought of investing myself in an 80-episode monster is just too tiring. Damo, however, comes in a nice digestible size - 14 episodes. If only all period dramas could be this length and this good. Damo packs a very meaty, wrenching, and constantly evolving story into its short length. Ha Ji Won stars as the titular Damo, Jang Chae Ok, an able, no-nonsense female detective who can swing her sword with the best of men.... [read more]
-
-
Tazza: The High Rollers (AKA: War of Flowers) (Special Edition) (Korea Version)
Kim Hye Su
| Cho Seung Woo
| Baek Yoon Shik
| Choi Dong Hun
Very few movies can live up to their hype, but Tazza: The High Rollers does its job in delivering the goods. Based on Heo Young Man's popular comic book of the same name, Tazza (which means "master of tricks") is a gripping, dynamic, high-stakes tale set in the organized gambling world of hwatoo, a traditional Korean card game. It depicts the fast lifestyle of underground gamblers and their propensity for ruthless violence and decadence. Goni (Cho Seung Woo) loses his life savings to an infamous card sharp in a rigged game of hwatoo. Enraged, he roams around the country searching for the very man who cheated him. Along the way, he runs into Pyung Kung Jang (Baek Yoon Shik), a legendary... [read more]
-
-
Thank You (DVD) (End) (English Subtitled) (MBC TV Drama) (US Version)
Kong Hyo Jin
| Jang Hyuk
| Kang Boo Ja
| Shin Sung Rok
Who hasn't had a painful experience in their life? It seems with every hardship comes the challenge of testing your mental limit. Often times, remedy is found in the simple things in life - and in TV dramas! Introducing Thank You, an exceptionally well-crafted tale about human endurance and hope that aims to lift up one's broken spirit. The story begins with Ki Seo (Jang Hyuk), a distraught, self-loathing doctor who wanders into a tiny rural community where tough, spirited single mother Young Shin (Kong Hyo Jin) lives with her HIV-positive young daughter Bom (Seo Shin Ae) and Alzheimer's-stricken grandfather Mr. Lee (Shin Goo). Young Shin does everything to ensure that Bom is allowed to live... [read more]
-
-
Super Rookie (DVD) (End) (English Subtitled) (MBC TV Drama) (US Version)
Eric Mun Jung Hyuk (Shinhwa)
| Oh Ji Ho
| Lee So Yeon
| Han Ga In
Finally! Here comes a Korean drama that gives voice to the little people, the underperforming mediocre everyman - and strangely enough, that everyman is represented by heartthrob pop star Eric Mun. Even more strange, he fits the role. Though Eric does have an occasionally goofy image, the handsome, US-raised rapper of mega pop group Shinhwa is pretty much at the opposite end of the Joe Schmoe spectrum, but he gives a completely hilarious, ego-eschewing performance in Super Rookie. Maybe he needed something light after the rather intense Phoenix. Eric stars as Kang Ho, a sloppy, thick-headed, and unemployed P.E. grad with a seriously bad mop of hair. Thanks to a serendipitous computer error,... [read more]
-
-
Secret Sunshine (DVD) (Limited Edition) (Korea Version)
Jeon Do Yeon
| Song Kang Ho
| Lee Chang Dong
At first glance, Secret Sunshine seemed like a movie too heavy to swallow. The brilliant Song Kang Ho, no-nonsense director Lee Chang Dong, actress Jeon Do Yeon who clinched the Best Actress award at Cannes for her role as a mother of a murdered son, and theology. From the start, Secret Sunshine was going to be an emotionally drenching movie requiring hours of recovery time. The story begins with a widow and her son. Shin Ae (Jeon Do Yeon) and her only son, Joon move into a small provincial city called Miryang, which literally translates to "secret sunshine". It is here in her deceased husband's hometown that she and her son start a new life. She meets Jong Chan (Song Kang Ho), a charming... [read more]
-
-
Bye June (DVD) (Korea Version)
Yoo Ji Tae
| Kim Ha Neul
Choi Ho's 1998 debut feature is an edgy post-film school experimental exercise in self-conscious filmmaking. There's sex, there's drugs, there's death, there's violence, and there's oh-so-much anger and angst. Most importantly, there's Yoo Ji Tae and Kim Ha Neul in before-they-were-stars mode. Two years before Ditto, Yoo Ji Tae and Kim Ha Neul starred together in Bye June as aimless youth who can't get over the passing of their high school pal June. Their relationship is complicated, as Kim's chirpy, confused Chae Young continues to live in suddenly departed boyfriend June's shadow, while Yoo's sullen Do Ki hopes to move on but can't let go of Chae Young. After June's death, they lose their... [read more]
-
-
Alone in Love (SBS TV Series)(US Version)
Gam Woo Sung
| Son Ye Jin
| Gong Hyung Jin
| Oh Yoon Ah
"...then they lived happily ever after. The end." Ah, if only life could imitate art in that sense, then there would be no tears, no heartaches, umm...no Oprah. Maybe that is why love is so complicated - so people can indulge in their guilty pleasure of watching someone else's love life in shambles. Some say love is momentary, like a flashing light with only the memories and unbroken promises prolonging the experience. Others ask why people bother defining love - it's overrated! Fortunately, Alone In Love offers heaps of realistic insights into not only love but marriage and divorce, minus the usual pop-in's by chaebol, scandalous affairs, or melodramatic deaths. With a cast like Son Ye Jin... [read more]
-
-
Someday (DVD) (End) (English Subtitled) (OCN TV Drama) (US Version)
Bae Du Na
| Kim Min Joon
| Oh Yoon Ah
| Lee Jin Wook
On paper, Someday is a drama dream come true. The 16-episode cable series is produced by Yellow Film, which also made the excellent Alone in Love. Production values are top-notch, with all filming completed prior to airing rather than shot on the fly concurrent to broadcast like most Korean dramas. It's the first K-drama to combine animation and live-action and stars acclaimed actress Bae Du Na. As an added bonus, it even co-stars Kim Min Joon, one of my favorite Korean actors. What really sent my anticipation through the roof though were the trailer and teasers, which were nothing short of stunning. The beautiful visuals, the production design, the whimsical mood, the quirky dialogue, the... [read more]
-
United States - English
Bookmark & Share