Top 10 Korean Films of 2011

All in all 2011 was a bit of a disappointing year for Korean cinema, at least as far as commercial cinema was concerned.  On the other hand, independent films continued to build on their success of the last few years.  However, I'm not overly worried about the state of the industry because at the end of the day it doesn't produce a huge amount of films and is more susceptible to the ebbs and flows of projects than a larger filmmaking centre like Hollywood.  In any case, 2012 looks to be a much stronger year for Korean film.

For a while I was getting very worried about what my top 10 for the year would like, a month ago I'd only seen four of the films listed here.  Thankfully a number of more recent releases became available and things suddenly started to look a lot better.  That being said, I've seen about 45 films from last year but there's a lot that I haven't had a chance to see yet so this list will likely look quite different six month down the line, and if I feel so inclined perhaps I'll change it!

Below are my top 10 Korean films for 2011, followed by honourable mentions and my bottom 5.  The only criteria I go by to consider a film from 2011 is if it was released in Korea during that calendar year.

Films I haven't had a chance to see yet:  Animal Town, Arirang, Dance Town, End of Animal, Invasion of Alien Bikini, King of Pigs, Late Autumn, Leafie, Mozart Town, Pain, Penny Pinchers, Punch, Silenced, Spellbound, The Journals of Musan.

TOP 10

10. Romantic Heaven

Jang Jin's tenth feature encompasses three stories that unfurl as chapters before all coming together in a concluding, and fantastical, final segment.  Not as warmly received as his other films and certainly among his least successful (it sold less than 100,000 tickets), Romantic Heaven is nonetheless another strong entry from one of Korea's most talented writer-directors.  It is frequently clever, funny, and touching, in ways that only one of his films could be.  The main issue with the film is that some parts of the narrative are contrived as elements of the plot need to be forced together.  Worth seeking out, but not to everyone's taste.

MKC Review

9. Mother Is a Whore

One of the most singular cinematic experiences of 2011 (though the film was actually made in 2009), Mother Is a Whore is effortless in its ability to shock you.  Lee Sang-woo's fourth film immediately tests the limits of its audience by bombarding it with a barrage of exceptionally taboo subjects.  However, if you survive the opening salvo without walking out chances are you will find yourself immersed in a fascinating and complex work which applies pressures to the fissures in seemingly stable familial and societal settings.  As extreme as Lee's film can be, he manages to very subtle in his examination.  He may not pull any punches but he refrains from steering us towards certain judgements.

8. Moby Dick

I love conspiracy thrillers and it was only a matter of time before the generically promiscuous Korean film industry got around to taking a proper stab at one.  Moby Dick does not have the benefit of a big name director as it is the first outing for the unknown Park In-je.  What it does have is a great lead in the protean Hwang Jeong-min and strong supporting cast featuring Kim Min-hee and Jin Goo but especially Kim Sang-ho, who steals the show as the most affable investigative reporter in the history of cinema.  The film is also gorgeously lensed in a shadowy rendering of Seoul.  As much as I enjoyed Moby Dick I do think that Korean filmmakers could make an even better conspiracy thriller with a more involving story and I fully expect them too at some point in the coming years.

MKC Review

7. War of the Arrows

2011's highest-grossing Korean film was also its best large-scale project.  A period epic that has more in common with Mel Gibson's Apocalypto (2006) than typical Asian historical action films, War of the Arrows is a lean chase film that knows exactly where it's going.  Unlike last summer's other blockbusters, it keeps it ambitions in check and follows a simple story, breathlessly, to its conclusion.  Park Hae-il is excellent in the lead role and was recognized at the country's major industry awards.  Ryoo Seung-ryong also puts in a great performance as the menacing and relentless villain.  War of the Arrows is proof that Korea can make solid summer blockbusters, as long as they keep their eye on the prize.

6. Late Blossom

At first glance, Late Blossom doesn't seem like much. A story of four elderly people as they deal with romance in the late stages of life. The promotional materials really don't help as they make it look insufferably saccharine. Korean audiences shunned the film at first but strong word of mouth soon rewarded it with an audience. Late Blossom is a sweet and wonderful film that boasts stellar performances and beautiful cinematography. Unlike most films, it succeeds in employing melodrama to its advantage and makes you wonder why more films aren't made this way. One of 2011's most pleasant surprises.

MKC Review

5. Re-encounter

One of the most talked about independent films of the year, Re-encounter is a complex film which explores modern connotations of the family unit and even goes so far as to question the definition of the word.  Min yong-geun's second film demonstrate the director's commanding but very subtle grasp of the utility of film technique and narrative construction.  It is at times harrowing but also eminently watchable, a difficult balance to achieve.  What's more, Re-encounter features one of the year's best lead performance from Yoo Da-in who will likely become a big name in the industry in the coming years.  A wonderful film from Korea's thriving independent filmmaking scene.

4. Bleak Night

Bleak Night garnered a lot of attention early last year because it was on the Korean Academy of Film Arts' feature length student projects.  It's impressive enough that it was playing in major festivals but the fact that it stands as one of last year's finest accomplishments make it stand out all the more.  For more sophisticated and mature than you would ever expect from such young filmmakers, Bleak Night is a portend of great things to come from its director Yoon Sung-hyun and its young stars, especially breakout newcomer Lee Je-hoon who picked up a few accolades for his role.

MKC Review

3. Night Fishing

I normally wouldn't put a short film on this kind of a list but brothers Park Chan-wook and Chan-kyong's Night Fishing is such an exceptional and original piece of work that it demands the attention.  Beside Park Chan-wook's involvement, the short was ballyhooed for the fact that it was made using an iPhone 4.  In truth though the gimmick is nearly irrelevant and you quickly forget about it as you get sucked into the bizarre and shamanistic world of the film.  The brothers pack a lot into 33 minutes but Night Fishing never seems overloaded.  It boasts a fully-realized narrative and is at times absurd, amusing, grotesque, and touching, and it is unlike anything I've seen before.

2. Sunny

The feel-good hit of the year, Sunny is nothing short of a marvel.  A nostalgic, irreverent head-trip which catapults us back to an idealized past.  The film is engaging, hilarious, heart-warming and was one of the most purely enjoyable films of last year.  It is also expectionally well-made, in particular it features some of the best editing of the last few years.  Sunny was a huge hit in Korea and it's really no surprise.  Given proper exposure this is the kind of film that find success just about anywhere, the joy it produces is so universal.  I am quite sure that this is a film which I will revisit many times over the coming years.

MKC Review

1. The Day He Arrives

Hong Sang-soo has made many great films and people tend to completely disagree as to which are his best.  Personally, this might be my favorite of his films, though I admit there are still a handful I haven't seen.  The Day He Arrives is a relaxed and confident work that showcases everything that makes Hong such an essential filmaker.  It's a beautiful film and probably his funniest.  The exchanges that make up the film can seem mundane at times but they manage to dig deep and afford us many paths of interpretation.  Hong at his best, miss this at your peril.

MKC Review

Honourable Mentions

Outside of the top 10 there were still a number of strong films and a few surprising ones, once again displaying the versatility of the Korean film industry:

Blind

Couples

Detective K

Dooman River

Heartbeat
Hindsight

Poongsan

Suicide Forecast

The Apprehenders

The Client

Bottom 5

I'm sure that there are a number of other ones, but here are five atrocious Korean films from last year that you would do best to avoid:

1. Champ
2. Sector 7

3. The Last Blossom

4. Ghastly

5. The Cat


The Rest

If you're curious to know what other films I've seen from 2011 so far, here you go:

Battlefield Heroes
Children...
Come Rain, Come Shine
Countdown
Fighting Spirit
GLove
Head
I Am Father
In Love and the War
Little Black Dress
Mama
Marrying the Mafia IV
Meet the In-Laws
Quick
Short! Short! Short!
Shotgun Love
Sin of a Family
The Front Line
The Showdown
White: The Melody of the Curse

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