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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Hellbound (2021)

Profile:
Drama: Hellbound (지옥)
Network: Netflix
Episodes: 6
Release Date: November 19, 2021

Plot: A person receives a decree and dies. Is this the work of God or something else?

Main Cast:
Kim Hyun Joo – Min Hye Jin
Yoo Ah In – Jung Jin Soo
Park Jung Min – Bae Young Jae
Won Jin Ah – Song So Hyun
Yang Ik Jun – Jin Kyung Hun
Ryu Kyung Soo – Deacon Yuji
Lee Dong Hee – Kim Jong Chil
Kim Shin Rok – Park Jung Ja
Lee Re – Jin Hee Jung

Review
Great acting from the cast. It makes me think what will I do if I receive a decree? Do I spend my last remaining hours hiding in fear or do I spend it saying goodbye to people I love? I know everyone eventually dies, it’s just that here, the way you die is too scary and merciless. The decree also doesn’t say the reason why you’re going to hell. And how come Jinsu got the decree 20 years ago but others only had a few days to live? The ex-Arrowhead also received a decree 3 (or 5?) years before too.

The story is very relevant to us because the kind of religious fanaticism is happening right now and everywhere in the world. Not just religion, even in politics and social media we have this scary cancel culture. Some people are so righteous thinking their way is the right way and bullies everyone else who does not conform to their truth. And if their truth is wrong, instead of correcting them, they hide the truth and call the others as fake news or historical revisionism or whatever names that will invalidate a person’s opinion. As they always say, no one owns the truth. There are different sides of truth, depending on whose side you want to believe in. I wish everyone would be more compassionate towards each other and less self serving. The world is full of hypocrites and double standards, I wish we are more understanding and loving towards each other.

Since there are only 6 episodes, there are too many unanswered questions thus it’s hard to feel satisfied with the ending. Hoping for a season 2 to explain not only the last scene but also the overall phenomenon.

Rating: 8/10