films seen
10
average score
2.75*
nationality
South Korea - 60 years old
status
Alive and kicking
more info

One of the pivotal figures in the global expansion of South-Korean cinema. His genre mixing isn't always to my liking, but it's clear that Park's work has style and flair to spare. If you're planning to break away from Hollywood, Park's oeuvre is a great place to start.

Movies


I'm a Cyborg, but That's OK

Ssa-i-bo-geu-ji-man-gwen-chan-a
2006 / 105m - South Korea
Comedy, Action
I'm a Cyborg, but That's OK poster

Quirky characters, smart ideas and plenty of creativity make for a fun, surprising and fast-paced comedy with enough charm and heart to keep everything glued together.

Stoker

2013 / 98m - USA
Mystery, Thriller
Stoker poster

Stoker was a very pleasant discovery. I didn't expect too much from it, but from the very first moments the film pulled me in and never let go after that.


Decision to Leave

Haeojil Gyeolsim
2022 / 139m - South Korea
Romance, Thriller
3.5*/5.0*
Decision to Leave poster

Park resurfaces with a new film. Not quite as flashy or edgy as some of his earlier ones, instead, you get a more stylish police procedural that slowly makes way for thriller and romance elements. I quite liked this side of Park, but like many South Korean films, it's just a tad too long.

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Hae-joon is a capable detective. When Seo-rae's husband dies during a climbing incident, he looks into her case and finds some very peculiar details. During the investigation, Hae-joon and Seo-rae grow fond of each other, but they never hook up. Fate reunites them again one year later.

The cinematography is on point and the score is rather lovely. The plot is interesting enough too, it's just that the plot reboot halfway through takes away from the momentum and adds unnecessarily to the runtime. The film does recover rather quickly, I just wish it could've been a bit tighter. Still, good film and one of Park's better efforts.

The Handmaiden

Ah-ga-ssi
2016 / 145m - South Korea
Romance, Thriller
3.5*/5.0*
The Handmaiden poster

Three... Extremes

Saam Gaang Yi
2004 / 125m - Hong Kong
Horror - Anthology
3.5*/5.0*
Three... Extremes poster

Sequel to the famous horror anthology that repeats the setup of the original and brings together three respected directors from three different Asian countries. Takashi Miike represents Japan, Fruit Chan is there for Hong Kong and Chan-wook Park is the South-Korean delegate. It's also my order of preference.

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Miike's short is by far the most eye-popping. Though Miike has a reputation for being weird and extreme, Box is quite the opposite. It's a very subdued, stylish and classy short that demonstrates once again there's really nothing Miike can't do. If he had expanded this to a full-length feature, it would no doubt be one of his very best films.

Chan's Dumplings is a nasty little short that looks gorgeous (thanks to the help of Christopher Doyle), but works better in its feature-length form. Finally, there's Park's entry, the only big disappointment of this anthology. Not that I expected a lot, but it comes off really bland and uninspired compared to the other two. Still, if you're looking for a neat and varied horror project, you can't really go wrong with this one.


Another micro-shorts anthology. They were relatively popular for a while, but they rarely lived up to their potential. With just a single minute to make an impression, directors were given a tricky challenge. One that proved a bit too daunting for most involved, as too many of the entries failed to make an impact.

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This isn't so much a real film as it was an experience though. There doesn't remain a proper copy of this anthology since it was only screened once, then burned right after. I usually stray from watching low-quality recordings, but with nothing else available, it was either that or not watching it ever.

There are some interesting names here, but few of them stand out. The goals of the project are lofty, but it's all very conceptual and the films themselves never really match or strengthen the project's ideals. It's a good thing that the score is pretty interesting, which at least kept me going. Not all that interesting.

Thirst

Bakjwi
2009 / 135m - South Korea
Romance, Horror
2.0*/5.0*
Thirst poster

Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance

Boksuneun Naui Geot
2002 / 129m - South Korea
Action, Thriller
2.0*/5.0*
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance poster

Sympathy for Lady Vengeance

Chinjeolhan Geumjassi
2005 / 115m - South Korea
Thriller, Crime
1.5*/5.0*
Sympathy for Lady Vengeance poster

Oldboy

Oldeuboi
2003 / 120m - South Korea
Mystery, Thriller
1.5*/5.0*
Oldboy poster