Strange finger

The movie is almost 20 minutes long but it was over in an instant. The background for the story is the loud TV program with commercials and news about current issues in the Korean society. And then there is this chopped finger found at the parking place.

I have seen people cutting and chopping and losing fingers in many Korean movies. Most recently in the movie "Hopeless". I even remember the news about some Koreans chopping off their own finger in protest against Japan. But the main question here is: what can you do with a finger? Apparently, a lot but nothing worthy. Maybe this is an allegory on how we are interested in the lives of other people but at the end we can only live our own life.

So this short movie is very strange. I didn't understand it but i liked it.

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Live up to your Name

Wow. This is quality cinema. The story was in moments confusing for me so maybe i should watch it again, but it got me to think a lot. That is because the movie shows many layers of society and reality. You think that you understand what is going on but you are not aware of the play that is conditioning the main characters, and maybe even those who control him are unknowingly controlled and influenced by someone else.

The synopsis says that the main character Lee Man-jae sold his name to survive so this is not a spoiler. And throughout the move his name will have a central role of the story as he tries to get a hold of all the things that happened to him. What value does our name has? This movie shows that without your name you might be alive but you are actually dead.

In one moment the movie gives us a message that goes something like this: "Even if you haven't sinned, you have a sin because it is sin if you didn't do anything." I am not sure how this connects with the story of the movie so if someone can help I would appreciate it. Nevertheless, this is a strong and true statement that it is better to do something and fail (sin) than to not do anything.

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Fun but forgettable

Not gonna lie. I had fun watching this movie but ultimately this seems like one of those average Netflix movies. I guess what bothers me the most is that the movie resembles Hollywood action comedies a little too much and I wouldn't want Korean movies going that direction.

In terms of comedy and action, the film provides enough material. I didn't find some jokes funny at all, but others made me laugh out loud. Also, the production is at a high level so we have some very good action scenes. The plot is interesting, but forced. Many events happen without any logic, but so that the story can take the desired course. This is an ideal movie for those who want to refresh a boring evening, but it is not a movie that will be on any top lists.

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Gut-wrenching story

This movie is not entertainment but a depressing story about a town without hope. The title of the movie is truly fitting. There seems to be no hope for our main character and neither for other people. So this was all emotionally very hard to watch. Few scenes were hard to watch because of brutality but the entire movie is hard to watch emotionally because it is just sad to see peoples lives going downhill. In fact it is more than sad. There is sadness that purifies but when you don’t have hope it is even worse. In a sense this is what hell looks like.

Actually the real title of the movie is Hwaran – 화란. That is transliterated from the Chinese word for Netherlands. Our main character Yeon Gyu has a dream of going to the beautiful Netherlands. However, Hwaran can also be transliterated from another Chinese character with the meaning of disaster and chaos. Very interesting detail that says a lot about the story of this movie too. In short, don’t watch this movie if you want to have a good time, watch it at your own risk.

Btw. the version of the movie I saw was 1hr 58min and not 2 hr 13 min as stated on the info.

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Story of a Hero

This is a story about real life heroes. Too often in films, the main characters go on revenge mission or do violent, morally unacceptable things, but the main character in this film, pilot Tae-in, is an example of a real hero who is guided by moral virtues. We could almost say that he is a saint. Speaking from my Christian perspective, I would say that the attitudes and actions of the main character are an authentic example of Christian behavior in dramatic situations.

The film begins with a very interesting plot, in the middle, the story becomes a bit tiring because the events on the plane do not really change anything in the plot, but the finale of the film is excellently done, full of adrenaline and drama. Watching the planes fly was for me more exciting than the interaction of the passengers in the hijacked plane. I also liked one scene on the plane when the frame freezes and we have the opportunity to see a panorama of all the passengers in a dramatic moment. However, that scene stands out from the rest of the film, which dramatizes historical events and ultimately gives us a positive inspiration.

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Fist is still strong

The Crime City movie series has not run out of fuel. I would say that the previous sequel was slightly better, but the tone of this new film is the same as in the previous part, good and brutal action with a touch of comedy. Those who liked this series before will also like this sequel. Charismatic Ma Dong-seok has aged a bit, but he is still the main asset of the film. More precisely, it is his fist that smashes everything in front of him. It surprises me and makes me laugh every time when I see enemies fall from the force of his blows.

An important part of the film are the criminals, who also have strong personalities here, and it is interesting to see how they clash with each other. They also created the best action scene in the film, where instead of fists, they fight with knives and we practically see the entire fight choreography in one shot. As for the story, it's good enough to hold attention, but it doesn't have too many twists and turns.

P.S. for the Croatian translation. Our translator was very creative in translating Korean curse words, so he would invent a new curse word for each F word and thereby increase their influence on the plot, which bothered me a little because I'm not a fan of rude words.

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Change or not to change

This is a beautiful looking movie. Production, story, acting, music – everything looks nice, especially the photography. But is there any value or substance beneath the appearance? I would say that there is.

The topic of living as a single person is very sensitive today because a lot of people live as single people intentionally or by force, and it is impossible to give a comprehensive answer and a sufficiently objective comment on such a life. My comment is that it is not good for a man to be alone. In any way, we need other people, and we live this reality most deeply in a couple as a man and a woman. This film approaches the subject in a creative, comical and, of course, romantic way. It respects single people, but is aware that they are also people who love, i.e. who are looking for/need love. As a book lover, I really liked that they used reading, writing and publishing a book as a metaphor for the human relationships. I would say that the movie gives better advice on writing books than on living as single.

I can't say that I completely agree with the philosophy of the story, but I really enjoyed watching this entertaining and emotional film.

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What is real on the Internet

With the rise of AI, the Internet is becoming more and more an artificial space distant from reality, yet the Internet shapes our reality in a way we are not even aware of. This movie gives a lot to think about on this topic. The truth we live is not a real truth but a story created by media, trolls, big corporations, hidden powers, … you name it.

Okey, so about this movie. It starts like I would expect with the victim of the false narrative searching for justice and finding an ally in the media to help him. But then it all turns around and becomes a story of deceiving tactics where no one is spared, not even we as viewers. At the end I felt like the victim of internet fraud but thankfully without real-life consequence. I think I received a valuable lesson about truth online. This movie is a fiction but it has a real message. So what is the lesson: Truth is hard to find. Watch the movie for yourself and try to find it!

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Dancing and praying

The pilgrimage to Santiago is famous all over the world, and I have heard many touching stories from those pilgrimages, which entail a n exhausting walk of hundreds of kilometers without much luggage. Many go on this pilgrimage for religious reasons, but each person carries his own intentions, which, although they may not be directly aimed at God, are deeply connected with what a person believes.

It was very touching and beautiful to follow the pilgrimage of these two people, Jea Han and Da Hee, their journey and the support they gave each other. In the center is Jea Han, a fifty-year-old woman who is almost blind, but has a big desire to dance flamenco at the cathedral in Santiago. We see much more of her than her companion, we see her prayer, injuries on the way, personal thoughts and worries, as well as great strength of faith and will to overcome all obstacles. Her young companion is in the background, but for her too this is a path of deep life experience.

The film was shot excellently, with many beautiful landscapes, always close to our travelers and pilgrims, and the shots show both natural beauty and religious symbols. This film is an additional encouragement for me on my personal pilgrimage of life, and I believe it will be for every one who watches this beautiful movie.

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Who are you mister?

Fist of all, this movie was right for my taste. It doesn't have the suspenseful plots and twists or the multi-layered story like other great Korean thrillers, but that's not necessary. Sometimes it's best to be simple and straightforward, and this movie is like that. Clear, short, atmospheric, with great characters and an enigmatic protagonist who doesn't communicate much with words but with his attitude and actions. In another film, we would have learned more about the context of the story and about the motivations of the characters, but here it is not necessary. That is exactly what heightens the interest of the viewer, who can conclude for himself who and what kind of people the characters he is watching are.

Probably not all viewers will be able to immerse themselves in the film, but it kept me riveted and interested from beginning to end. The production and cinematography was great. From the characters, I liked the girl Inbi the most (young actress 류지안), she played her role very well, without much words.

And I'm very pleased with how it all ended, a bit absurd, but satisfying.

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When nothing works

If you want to enjoy this drama don't read anything about the story because the excitement comes from the unexpected events and twists. The actors are not bad but, somehow, I didn’t have enough time to care for them and the flow of the movie is static and not that suspenseful as the story suggests. The main interest of the viewer is what happens next and how will the story connect the protagonists.

The atmosphere is melancholic, depressing and heavy so it is not for everybody, but if you want a good mystery give it a try. But maybe it would be better to just read the book.

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were you there?

There are a lot of Korean movies and shows with a theme of Highschool bullying but this one manages to be original by focusing on students who are standing by and don’t do anything about it, or don’t do enough. So this drama is relevant to all of us. It can be depressing to watch this kind of dramas but it is still important to be reminded about our responsibility to stand up for ourselves and for others. It is a virtue to be meek, but as a song goes “Sometimes you gotta fight when you’re a man”.

There are two versions of English title for this drama: “We Were There” and “Anyone Anywhere”, the first meaning that the witness is also responsible and the second asking if there is anyone anywhere who is willing to help. I can see this drama being a part of educational programs.

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So harsh

Drama Special is a great format, sometimes too short, but sometimes just right. This episode is the later, short but impactful. The main lead is a competent good man but his fate seems to turn everything against him and he is falling deeper and deeper. This is the premise and it is best, not to know more but to just relax and watch it. In fact this is not a relaxing story because the story is so real and while watching i couldn't help but sympathize with people whose jobs are so stressful and complicated.

If you had time to read this review, please find an hour of your life to watch this drama. It has an important message and is very well made.

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A Birth of a Priest

For a long time I was searching for this movie, and finally I saw it and I must give it a 10/10 because I am so happy that it was made. This is not a typically entertainment movie but a historical biographical drama about the "adventures" of Andrew Kim Dae Geon, first Korean Priest.

The film is very long, but I watched it over four days with great excitement and interest, and that's why I wasn't bored at any point. I enjoyed every scene. The cinematography of the film is excellent. Every scene is detailed and beautiful as a photography. The actors are also very good. The flow of the plot is a bit fragmented as it covers a lot of topics and events, but that is understandable for this type of film. I think that those who are already familiar with the life of Andrew Kim will enjoy the film more because they will be able to recognize future saints in some of the characters along with the main character who is the trademark name of Korean saints.

Many elements from the film I already knew before, I have been to many places in Korea that are shown here, even on the small boat Rafael on Jeju Island. As a priest, I had a very emotional experience watching the challenges faced by the first Christians, accused of collaborating with foreign enemies and disrespecting the king, and especially the situation with priests who had to be ready for martyrdom and death.

That is the message of this movie. This is not about the birth of one man, but about the birth of a priest, the birth of a new Korea that will be open to the gospel, and a spiritual birth through baptism and martyr's blood, because what is death if not a new birth? Listen to the last words of the main character of this movie, priest Andrew Kim Dae geon: "I have held communication with foreigners only for my religion and my God. It is for Him that I die. My immortal life is now on the point of birth."

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pleasing fantasy

Dr. Cheon is a likeable guy and the movie rightfully carries his name in the title. He also has his sidekicks, a small group of distinct characters. Unfortunately they weren't used much in the story. They are here mostly for show, but I can imagine them having more responsibilities in a sequel if they decide to make it.

I like this type of movies so the plot holes didn't bother me too much. There is adventure and fantasy, and a little bit of spirituality, and also action. Would like to see more movies like this from Korea. The atmosphere is great, especially in the first part where the comedy and a small bits of horror work well. At the end it becomes more and more generic but still very enjoyable and exciting. The runtime is good, not every movie needs to be 2-ghour long. All in all, not a masterpiece but a great relaxing evening movie.

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