A personal journal of film and documentary reviews, and reviews of anything else that intrigues me.
Reviews of Korean-language films I find significant or interesting.
Australian and New Zealand Films, Chinese and Chinese-language Films
“The Secret Armada” (Foreign Correspondent, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 14 July 2020) Despite the spine-tingling thrill of the episode title, this piece on apparent North Korean fishing…
Korean Films, North American Films
Carlton Meyer, “The Mythical North Korean Threat” (Tales of the American Empire, 26 June 2020) Amazingly in this admittedly short (eight-minute) video there’s no mention of…
Seung Yeob Lee, “Thicker Than Water” (2015) Modern South Korean families, in particular the relationship of mothers with their sons and the extremes the mothers will…
Jude Chun, “The Time Agent” (2016) In its own unassuming way, “The Time Agent” is a deconstruction of a once common style of narrative in genres…
Kim Heeyae, “Shadow Thief” (2018) Done entirely in black and white and shades of grey with no dialogue, this animated short is a brilliant critique of…
Bong Joonho, “Parasite / Gisaengchung” (2019) A stinging attack on capitalism in South Korean society and its effects on people’s thinking and actions, “Parasite” pits two…
Park Jeong-woo and Park Hee-joo, “The Untold Story – ‘Korean Empire’ ” (Arirang TV, 2013) A symbol of the Korean people’s desire for freedom and independence…
Neil Ferguson, “Michael Palin in North Korea (Episode 2)” (2018) In this second and final episode, Michael Palin ventures outside Pyongyang to spend a few days…
Neil Ferguson, “Michael Palin in North Korea (Episode 1)” (2018) At least two years in the making, this 2-part travel documentary follows comedian / world traveller…
Korean Films, North American Films
Andre Vltchek, “The Faces of North Korea” (2018) Visually poetic, even soulful to watch, this documentary is a travelogue of the sights and experiences, along with…