Seoul Vibe (2022)

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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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Perhaps Love (2021)

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Movie: Perhaps Love (장르만 로맨스)
Release Date: November 17, 2021
Runtime: 113 min.
Genre: Romantic-Comedy
Distributor: Next Entertainment World
Language: Korean
Country: South Korea

Main Cast:
Ryu Seung Ryong – Hyun
Oh Nara – Mi Ae
Kim Hee Won – Soon Mo
Lee Yoo Young – Jung Won
Sung Yoo Bin – Sung Kyung
Mu Jin Sung – Yoo Jin

Review:
I’m not sure if I can describe this as a romcom or comedy because there’s not a lot of love here, but they are all in some kind of relationships.

The male lead is in a writing slump and meets a gay writer who is in love with him. The ML’s second wife is abroad and he deals with his first wife regularly because their son is a trouble maker. The first wife is secretly dating the male lead’s editor while the son strikes a friendship/falls in love with the neighbor lady who is married but husband is away.

It’s too complicated and chaotic when the stories all come together. I didn’t find the movie funny, except for the scene where the son finds his parents in bed together.

The other noteworthy thing is when the homophobic male lead ends up understanding and supporting the gay writer.

Rating: 8/10

The King (2017)

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Movie: The King (더 킹)
Release Date: January 18, 2017
Runtime: 134 min.
Genre: Crime / Drama
Distributor: Next Entertainment World

Main Cast:
Jo In Sung – Park Tae Soo
Jung Woo Sung – Han Kang Sik
Bae Sung Woo – Yang Dong Chul
Ryu Jun Yeol – Choi Doo Il
Kim Eui Sung – Kim Eung Soo
Kim A Joong – Lim Sang Hee
Kim So Jin – Ahn Hee Yeon

Review:
This movie is mostly from the side of our lead, Park Taesu, who narrates his childhood until becoming a criminal prosecutor, and getting into Han Kang Sik’s world. The story is predictable but I loved how entertaining the story was. A lot of the shots are also very slick and vibrant that kept me interested to find out what will happen to Taesu. This is a long movie but I didnt feel bored at all. Or maybe Jo Insung is just so darn good looking.

Felt sad about his friendship with Choi Du il. Why Ryu Junyeol always takes the role of a tragic character and does it so well? I also liked how they were able to weave real life events into the story. Jung Woo Sung is so handsome and looks so untouchable in this movie. And Jo In Sung nailed his character, even when he was acting as a high schooler, looking so timid in front of Kangsik or when he finally stood up against Kangsik. I’d like to believe that he won the elections 😏.

Rating: 8.5/10

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