Host and Guest (방문자 / Bang-moon-ja -2005)

Starring:
Kim Jae-rok
Kang Ji-hwan
Lee Dong-gyoo
Kim Tae-yun

Seoul, winter.

Ho-jun, a recently divorced, part-time film-studies lecturer, moves to a small and shabby one-room flat. Having left his only son Gun with his ex-wife, Ho-jun lives a cheerless and destitute life. His negative and cynical attitude and his miserable situation drive him into a desperate depression.
Source http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/



This was a beautifully scripted, directed, and acted movie. A very, very, very, very slow movie at the beginning. Don't let that fool you one bit. There is a reason for it.

Ho-jun is depressed. We watch at the beginning how his life is a monotonous, boring existence, until..........

Gye-sang shows up to save Ho-jun a death from solitude in the bathroom.

The story goes on as the two become friends that probably would have never happened if not for that fateful day.

I'll admit, at first, I wasn't sure if this was a joke plagued by President Bush. Trust me, you'll find out why. I didn't know if this was anti-Americanism, anti-war, anti-terrorism. I wasn't sure. This has definite political undertones surrounding the ending of the movie. What saved this movie was Gye-sang's speech. Can't tell you what it was about because then I've blasted the whole movie for others to see. I cried. Boy, did I cry. Then to top it off....the end. OMG! This movie will have you wondering what in the hell Korea has up it's ass for it's male citizens who are forced to servitude in today's military.

Eric Mun popped into my head. He leaves next month. Oh God, I'll be crying like a freak on a leash. I understand the threat of the North breathes down the South's neck. Why in the hell is the American military over there if the average Korean male is forced to serve his country for 2 years...or longer if they so choose?

This movie goes in this direction of what the average Korean male has to ponder in his life and decide to serve his country or time in jail. Geez-a-lou!

This movie was just brilliant. I can't describe how brilliant this movie is. There are no words but to just say that to watch it will quench your desire of wonderment.

Kang Ji Hwan

Wild Card (와일드 카드 -2003)

Starring:
Dong-kun Yang - Bang Je-su
Jin-yeong Jeong - Oh Yeong-dal
Chae-young Han - Kang, Na-na
Ju-bong Gi
Jun-yeong Hwang
Ha-bok Yu
Tosha Doiron - Shauna
Jae-kyeong Seo - Kim Min-ki
Myeong-kuk Kim
Il-hwa Choi
Dang-hyeong Lee
Dong-gyu Lee

Detectives Oh Yeong-dal (the veteran) and Bang Je-su (the rookie) are partners who don't see eye to eye. But when a string of brutal serial killings occur, they have to put their differences aside to catch the most ruthless killers they'll ever meet!

This movie was really good. I was suprised that it has some comedic factors to it too. The synopsis and movie poster don't give that impression whatsoever.

A great action film but terribly sad. Sad, per se, that it was about brutal killings of innocent victims over money. It wasn't about vendettas or redemption or even revenge. Just some kids who thought it would be easier to kill the victims than harass them over the money.

The first victim, which was even sadder, was a mother who just happened to withdraw some money out of the ATM and was on her way home. She left two small children behind because the 4 young men wanted her money. From that point on, they progress to killing others for money. No remorse from them either. That was the saddest part.

I loved the feel of the movie. It wasn't boring and the comedic comraderie from the two friends/policemen seems genuine then add in the idiotic funniness of a crime boss and you'll be smiling just when you need it when the drama gets too intense. Smart stuff...totally satisfying movie.

Discovered a new cutie....he plays the leader of the 4 young men on the killing spree.

Lee Dong Kyu

Some (썸-2004)

Starring:
Su Ko ... Kang Seong-ju
Ji-hyo Song ... Seo Yu-jin
Dong-kyu Lee ... Min Jae-il
Shin-il Kang ... Chief Oh
Seong-jin Kang ... Officer Lee
Kyeong-hun Jo ... Officer Chu
Myeong-jun Jeong ... Chief Kim
Cheol-Ho Park ... Kwon Cheol-woo
Min Kwon ... Jong Chan
Mun-hong Jo ... Black King
Jae-in Kim
Yu-jeong Lee

Close to $10 million of illegal drugs, intended to be presented as evidence in court, is stolen from the police as they are transporting it to the station. The police name as a suspect the man in charge of transporting the evidence, Section Chief Oh (KANG Shin-il) of the violent crimes division, and an investigation begins. However, a younger colleague KANG Sung-joo (GOH Soo) who believes that Section Chief Oh is innocent pursues another suspect in hopes of finding the criminal. In a car chase with the suspect, who is driving under the influence of drugs, there is a car crash and the suspect is killed. By tracing phone numbers on the dead man's mobile phone, Sung-joo continues to pursue the investigation, however the next suspect he follows is also killed, and the incident becomes shrouded in mystery.

At the same time, while investigating Sung-joo gets to know a friend of one of the suspects, traffic reporter SEO Yu-jin (SONG Ji-hyo).Although they are meeting for the first time, both of them get the odd sense that the other person is not unfamiliar, that they have seen each other before. What's more, Yu-jin in a flash of deja-vu sees Sung-joo get killed.

A city in which black rain falls from a blue sky. Some... 24 hours in which this man and woman, who have given each other the keys to their lives, rush towards a predestined death.

This was a wonderful thrill ride. Nonstop action. The best part of the whole thing is the revelation between the two of the main characters that they both are experiencing deja-vu. Yu-jin more so than Det. Kang.

The plot thickens as a computer hacker replaces the original photo of that of a cropped photo of the detective who then is wanted in connection of the stolen drugs.

As the two race to solve the mystery of "who done it," we witness the changes of what deja-vu brought on to these two young people and how if given the chance that we can possibly change fate. *There I go again....FATE....another movie about how chances and life can be changed if we are allowed to take another path."

This was definitely worth watching. It wasn't the best movie of all time, but it was not a waste of my two hours. I definitely enjoyed it. Or is that the early morning caffeine talking? LOL!

Go Soo