6. The Face Reader (2013) by Han Jae-rim
Skilled face reader Nae-gyeong (Song Kang-ho) lives with his brother-in-law Paeng-heon (Jo Jung-sek) and his son Jin-hyeong (Lee Jong-suk) in the rural parts of Korea, mostly isolated from any major settlement, apart from a few sparse visitors wanting to buy their brushes. Ashamed of his father's talent and his inability to make a living, Jin-hyeong one day leaves to apply to become a government official. Disappointed and saddened by the event, Nae-gyeong decides to take up an offer by Yeon-jong (Kim Hye-soo), a courtesan, to become one of her main attractions of her establishment. However, after a night of heavy drinking, the face reader finds out he has been tricked into working almost all day from now on for every costumer, making very little money.
One day, he managed to help in a murder investigation, resulting in a different kind of clientele now looking for his services. In the end, even King Munjong (Kim Tae-woo) becomes a customer, demanding the face reader to observe the members of his court for possible traitors, who might be looking to kill him or his heir to the throne. While Nae-gyeong enjoys the pay as much as the fact of his talent being appreciated, he soon finds himself in the middle of a power play among the king's advisor and Prince Suyang (Lee Jung-jae). Also, his dangerous talent which could expose the traitor among the king's men has come to the attention of many, endangering his life and his son too, who has managed to become an official at court after all.
“The Face Reader” is a great period drama about power and powerlessness. Han Jae-rim manages to direct a feature, which, despite some flaws, is wonderfully acted and photographed, capturing the microcosm of the rich and the powerful, as well as their schemes and plots. (Rouven Linnarz)
7. New World (2013) by Park Hoon-jung
Park Hoon-jung directs an agonizing crime thriller, which contains the usual violence, anti-heroes, impressive action sequences, and stylish gangsters in their suits, along with the much-loved plot twists. However, the film's main point of excellence is its characters, with the thin balance that dominates their relationships constantly shifting, in a game of death where nothing is improbable, as it is most eloquently stressed in the film's finale.
Another point of excellence is the acting, with each of the main protagonists performing their respective roles magnificently. In that fashion, Lee Jung-jae plays the perpetually anxious Ja-sung, who has to maintain his cool composure when he is in the company of Jung Chung, acted with brio and overall artfulness by Hwang Jung-min, in both his calm moments and his outbursts. Choi Min-sik is great as always, in the role of a cop that is not so much different from the people he is after. (Panos Kotzathanasis)
8. Assassination (2016) by Choi Dong-hoon
The film is set during the Japanese occupation of the country in the 1930s, and tells the tale of a team of resistance fighters. A sniper named Ahn Ok- yun, a gun smuggler and graduate of the Independence Military School named Sok-sapo, and explosives specialist Hwang Deok-sam are tasked with the assassination of the governor of Gyeongseong and Kang In-gook, a Korean mogul who is pro-Japanese. However, Yeom Seok-jin, who is supposedly a comrade, seems to have ties with the enemy, and employs two contract killers, Hawaii Pistol and Younggam to deal with the aforementioned. Things become even more complicated when Ahn Ok-yun‘s twin sister appears.
In terms of acting, “Assassination” features the crème de la crème of the contemporary S. Korean cinema. Jun Ji-hyun as Ahn Ok- yun is the definite protagonist, and for once, the film does not focus on her looks, but her actual character. Lee Jung-jae as Yeom Seok-jin and Lee Kyoung-young as Kang In-gook are quite good in the role of the villains, particularly the first, who has the biggest role. (Panos Kotzathanasis)
9. Svaha The Sixth Finger (2019) by Jang Jae-hyun
The story itself revolves around the murders that lead to the pseudo-Buddhist religious cult called The Deer Mount and its mysterious founder and leader Ye-seok (Jeong Dong-hwan). While they are being officially investigated by the police and its chief Hwang (Jung Jin-young), they also draw the attention of Pastor Park (Lee Jung-jae), a man specialized in investigating and exposing cults and pseudo-religious groups, who becomes our protagonist. With the help of the two of his employees, driver Joseph and deaconess-secretary Sim (Hwang Jung-min) and the valuable information provided by his Buddhist monk friend Hae-an (Jin Seon-kyu, glimpsed in “The Extreme Job”), he is on his way to solve the mystery that exceeds the borders of the material world.
The thing that elevates “Svaha” above the line of average is the carefully picked cast. The actors are making an effort to breathe the life into the characters that are either stock, broadly sketched or a bit underdeveloped. Pastor Park even has some franchise potential as a character, while Lee Jung-jae has the star power to carry it. (Marko Stojiljković)
10. Deliver Us from Evil (2020) by Hong Won-chan
After dropping out of the Agency, In-nam (Hwang Jung-min) has become a hitman for hire who only kills “bad” people and his recent kill is Japanese crime boss Koraeda, a bastard of all bastards. Since it's his last job, he's looking forward to his retirement in Panama. However, Koraeda has a brother, Ray the Butcher (Lee Jung-jae) and he's more than keen to carve up In-nam. Needless to say, a bloody showdown is ensured in Bangkok.
As the cold blooded killer Ray, Lee Jung-jae has the most scenery-stealing role; he's immaculately dressed, armed to the teeth and spotting neck tattoo. He has only one thing in mind, to avenge his sibling's death at all costs. Because he favors using knives, viewers are treated to lots of knife fights which are brutal and bloody. (David Chew)
