In my hunt for good cinema, I ventured outside the decline of Hollywood into the land of Kim Chi and really nice flat screens. I’m just selective by nature, so I believe a bit research and homework goes a long way in saving you from a 2-hour long waste of time. Sure, everyone’s idea of what’s “good” is subjective and might warrant skepticism, but usually when a title has high votes and rating on IMDB, you’re off on the right foot at the very least.
Anyway, I’ve personally watched these movies below, and in my opinion, find them all to be very solid. What’s interesting is that ALL the following movies share a common motif: Vengeance. Their plots usually revolve a rather cliche hero, who typically has previous special forces training or something bad ass like that. Said hero then gets betrayed by a powerful organization of baddies, and effectively goes on a one-man-army rampage. Don’t worry though, each movie is different in their own ways, and full of intensity and brutality.
Simply said, Korea has a very strong grasp of the Vengeance theme.
Let’s start the list off with the most well-known title…
OldBoy (2003)
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002) wasn’t my favorite of the group, but worthy enough for inclusion
A Bittersweet Life (2005)
The Chaser (2008)
I Saw the Devil (2010) this one is probably the goriest
The Man From Nowhere (2010)
Departing from the vengeance theme, here’s a small batch of honorable mentions: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring, Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War, A Tale of Two Sisters