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The 10 Korean Films You Should Be Watching in 2017

January 1, 2017
Panos Kotzathanasis

2017 is shaping up to be a special year for Korean Cinema. Featuring films from directors Ryoo Seung-Wan (Veteran), Won Shin-yeon (The Suspect) and  films from Choi Min-Sik (Oldboy, I Saw The Devil), Song Kang-ho (Age of Shadows) , Lee Byung-hun and Ha Jung-Woo.

Be sure to check out our list of top Korean thrillers released in 2017

Here are 10 films we think you should be keeping an eye out for

 (literal title)

Director: Ryoo Seung-wan (Veteran, 2015)

Distributor: CJ Entertainment

Cast: , So Ji-sub, Song Joong-ki

Plot:

During the Japanese colonial era, roughly 400 Korean people, who were forced onto Battleship Island to mine for coal, attempt to escape.

Lee Kang-ok (played by Hwang Jung-min) is a bandmaster at Kyungsung Hotel. He decides to go to Japan to protect his daughter, but he is drafted into Battleship Island by force, being deceived by talk to send him to Japan. On Battleship Island, he does anything to protect his daughter.

Choi Chil-sung () is the top fighter in Kyungsung (old name of “Seoul”). He makes troubles on Battleship Island, but he has a warm heart.

Park Moo-young () belongs to the Korean Independence group. He sneaks onto Battleship Island to rescue a member of the independence group.

(literal title)

Director: Park In-je

Cast: , , Shim Eun-kyung

Plot:

Follows the political life of a Seoul mayor (played by Choi Min-sik). The mayor has already served two terms and runs for a third time.

Silence (working & literal title)

Director: Jung Ji-woo

Distributor: CJ Entertainment

Cast: Choi Min-sik, Park Shin-hye

Genre:

Plot:

The fiancee of a financial magnate is murdered and the daughter of the financial magnate becomes the prime suspect.

 (literal title)

Director: Won Shin-yeon (The Suspect, 2013)

Distributor: Showbox/Mediaplex

Cast: , Ryoo Seung-ryong, Jung Woo

Genre: thriller

Plot:

Warrant Officer Kang Jong-duk (played by Song Kang-ho) is an investigator at the Ministry of National Defense. He has 15 days before he is discharged from the military. He begins to investigate a mysterious case and goes up against conspiracy.

 (working & literal title)

Director: Jang Hoon

Distributor: Showbox/Mediaplex

Cast: Song Kang-ho, Thomas Kretschmann,

Plot:

A taxi driver (played by Song Kang-ho) helps a German reporter cover the Gwangju Uprising.

Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk (Miss Granny, 2014)

Distributor: CJ Entertainment

Cast: , ,

Plot:

In 1636, the Qing dynasty attacks Joseon. King Injo (played by Park Hae-il) and his retainers, including Choi Myung-kil (Lee Byung-hun) & Kim Sang-hun (Kim Yun-seok), hide in the mountain fortress city of Namhansanseong. They are isolated from the outside. Meanwhile, Choi Myung-kil insists that they enter into negotiations with the Qing dynasty, but Kim Sang-hun proposes that they keep fighting.

(literal title)

Director: Kim Yong-hwa (Take Off, 2009)

Cast: , , , Ma Dong-seok

Genre: Fantasy drama

Plot:

Following a person’s a death, an angel of death escorts the deceased to the afterworld. There, the deceased person has 7 trials over a period of 49 days. At that time, the angel of death, who are not supposed to get involved in human affairs, unavoidably take part in human affairs.

Gang Rim (played by Ha Jung-woo) is the leader of the angel of deaths. He has an affection for humans. Ja Hong receives (Cha Tae-hyun) his trial in the afterlife.

(literal title)

Director: Choo Chang-min (Masquerade, 2012)

Distributor: CJ Entertainment

Cast: , Jang Dong-gun

Genre: Thriller

Plot:

Seo-won has gone through a lot as the son of a murderer. He learned that his father was executed. Seven years ago, his drunken father Hyun-soo (played by Ryoo Seung-ryong), working as the leader for a management team at a dam, drives out to Seryeong Village where the dam is located. He hits a girl and throws the girl into the lake. Since then, Hyun-soo goes crazy due to guilt. Young-je () is the dead girl’s father and takes revenge upon Seo-won.

(working title)

Director: Park Hoon-jung (The Tiger, 2015 and New World, 2013)

Distributor: Warner Bros.

Cast: Jang Dong-gun, Kim Myung-min, Lee Jong-suk

Genre: Thriller

Plot:

The son (played by Lee Jong-suk) of a high-ranking North Korean official is suspected of committing serial murders around the world. To stop the killer, South Korea, North Korea and Interpol chase after him.

Director: Lee Sa-rang

Distributor: CJ Entertainment

Cast: Kim Soo-hyun, Lee Sung-min

Genre: Action thriller

Plot:

Jang Tae-young (Kim Soo-hyun) is a popular trouble shooter in the criminal world. He is cold and ambitious. He dreams of building a casino hotel one day. A reporter then goes to Jang Tae-young.

Check Out These 6 Awesome Korean Thrillers

Additional sources: AsianWiki, NAVER, Cine21

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Panos Kotzathanasis

Panagiotis (Panos) Kotzathanasis is a film critic and reviewer, specialized in Asian Cinema. He is the owner and administrator of Asian Movie Pulse, one of the biggest portals dealing with Asian cinema. He is a frequent writer in Hancinema, Taste of Cinema, and his texts can be found in a number of other publications including SIRP in Estonia, Film.sk in Slovakia, Asian Dialogue in the UK, Cinefil in Japan and Filmbuff in India.

Since 2019, he cooperates with Thessaloniki Cinematheque in Greece, curating various tributes to Asian cinema. He has participated, with video recordings and text, on a number of Asian movie releases, for Spectrum, Dekanalog and Error 4444. He has taken part as an expert on the Erasmus+ program, “Asian Cinema Education”, on the Asian Cinema Education International Journalism and Film Criticism Course.

Apart from a member of FIPRESCI and the Greek Cinema Critics Association, he is also a member of NETPAC, the Hellenic Film Academy and the Online Film Critics Association.

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