Seoul Vibe (2022)

Profile:
Movie: Seoul Vibe (서울대작전)
Release Date: August 26, 2022
Runtime: 138 min.
Distributor: Netflix
Language: Korean
Country: South Korea

Plot:
A group of friends are engaged by a prosecutor to take down a powerful team trying to launder money during the 1988 Olympics.

Main Cast
Yoo Ah In – Park Dong Wook
Go Kyung Pyo – Woo Sam
Lee Kyu Hyung – Bok Nam
Park Ju Hyun – Park Yoon Hee
Ong Seung Woo – Joon Gi
Moon So Ri – Kang In Sook
Kim Sung Kyun – Director Lee
Oh Jung Se – Prosecutor Ahn

Review:
This is a fun, light action comedy flick when you have nothing to do on Friday night. I like the cast, felt like everyone was having a blast shooting though sometimes Yoo Ah In is being so serious with his acting (lighten up!). And whew! I’m glad No one died!

1988 Olympics didn’t really have much to do with the story but I loved how they styled their car ala Olympics style in the end. And the oldish music (I was listening to 80s rap just this morning!)

The Prosecutor Ahn scene was the main thing that struck me most in the movie. And surprise that the lead prosecutor isn’t a baddie (the actor normally plays the bad guy)!

This movie also felt like they tried so hard to make them look cool but the 80s vibe looks forced (did the writer grow up in the 80s or did the writer just googled the 80s?)

This movie is also too long and some parts were boring. It only gets interesting in the last part. The ending was also too unbelievable (are they trying to be F&F or Mission Impossible?)

I was expecting General Baldie to be some famous actor considering how they tried to conceal his face in the first half, so I was very disappointed when I saw who it was.

I don’t think we need a sequel.

Rating: 8/10

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The Handmaiden (2016)

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Movie: The Handmaid /Lady (아가씨)
World Premiere: May, 2016 (Cannes Film Festival)
Release Date: June 1, 2016
Runtime: 144 min.
Genre: Thriller / Period-1930 / Erotic / Award Winning
Distributor: CJ Entertainment

Main Cast:
Cho Jin Woong – Uncle Kouzuki
Ha Jung Woo – Count Fujiwara
Kim Min Hee – Lady Hideko
Kim Tae Ri – Sook Hee

Review:
Mesmerizing! I finally watched this critically acclaimed movie and I loved it!

It’s 2 hours and 25 mins long but I didn’t even realized the time. Everything looked so beautiful. The story is about a fake count hiring a handmaiden to help him marry the lady and steal all her money. But turns out who is really scamming who?

There are three parts, told from different perspectives but of the same narrative, so it was interesting to realize what each character was thinking of. I honestly was so surprised after part I! I totally didn’t expect it! But i feel like I’ve seen another movie similar to this or maybe a book but I can’t remember which one. (I have never read Fingersmith). There are a lot of sexy and some torture scenes so don’t watch with your parents or if you can’t stomach these kinds of scenes.

This is Kim Taeri’s first ever role and she was phenomenal. Actually all the 4 leads were so good. And there were also some funny moments. Count’s reactions are mostly funny (Ha Jung Woo is always unintentionally funny). Even when Lady Hideko tried to hang herself and Sookhee was holding her made me chuckle.

I didnt like what happened to the count, i thought he deserved the money as much as the ladies deserved their freedom. Or maybe i’m just biased because it’s Ha Jung Woo 🤗

Rating: 9.5/10

Juror 8 (2019)

Profile:
Movie: Juror 8 (배심원들)
Release Date: May 15, 2019
Runtime: 114 min.
Distributor: CGV Arthouse
Country: South Korea

Cast
Moon Sori – Kim Jun Kyeom
Park Hyung Sik – Kwon Nam Woo
Baek Soo Jang – Yoon Geu Rim
Jo Soo Hyang – Oh Soo Jung
Jo Han Chul – Choi Young Jae
Cha Mi Kyung – Yang Choon Ok
Yoon Kyung Ho – Jo Jin Sik
Seo Jung Yeon – Byun Sang Mi
Kim Hong Fa – Jang Ki Baek
Seo Hyun Woo – Kang Doo Sik

Review
This movie is based on the first jury trial in South Korea.

The main character is juror no. 8 played by Park Hyung Sik. At first he looked dumb because every time someone asked him for his opinion, he always didnt know what to answer. And yet he turned out to be the smartest one in the room. He was the only one who actually listened to the testimonies and analyzed the evidences. There were a few jurors who made up their minds even without understanding the evidences. They just want to get out of their jury duty. But thanks to juror 8, they all decided to investigate the case. The main judge also ended up considering the jury’s inputs.

The movie had an odd pace though. Sometimes it was serious, sometimes it was light then as usual with most Korean movies, the third act becomes cheesy anf emotional.

Rating: 8/10