2024 was a very good year for Korean dramas, both series and movies. A lot of movies are still on my watch list because they are not yet available to the US audience. It be like that sometimes. LOL. Have you watched any of these films?
(1)
Harbin
A
dramatization of the real-life story of Korean independence activist
Ahn Jung-geun, who assassinated Itō Hirobumi, the first Prime
Minister of Japan, in 1909.
Main
Characters:
♦
(2)
Hidden Face
The
fiancée of an orchestra conductor disappears but left behind a
video message. His fiancée was a cellist in the orchestra and she
is replaced by another woman. As he searches for her, he becomes
involved with the new cellist. Rather than solving the mystery of
his fiancée's disappearance, he finds himself caught up in a
complicated web of secrets, desires, and deception with the other
woman. But what about his fiancée?
Main
Characters:
Seong-Jin
(played by Song Seung-Heon)
Soo-Yeon
(played by Cho Yeo-Jeong)
Mi-Joo
(played by Park Ji-Hyun)
TRAILER: @bjust_81.
“?Hidden Face Trailer Song Seung Heon on Theater November 20th ?.”
YouTube, Video, 23 Oct. 2024,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU5Fa8Nh-yc.
♦
(3)
I, the Executioner
A
serial killer is on the loose and a veteran detective in the Violent
Crimes Unit is assisted by a rookie detective who has just joined the
team. The serial killer fancies himself a vigilante who
is simply ensuring
that justice
is served. The media has nick-named him “Haechi” (a mythical
creature who
maintains law and order). This movie is a sequel to “Veteran”
(2015).
Main
Characters:
♦
(4)
Handsome Guys
(a remake of 2010 Canadian film "Tucker and Dale vs Evil")
Don't
you just love it when the life you have always dreamed of finally
becomes reality? Two guys, carpenters by vocation, who always wanted
to live a quiet and simple life in the country moved to their new
home. But as soon as they get to town they are mistaken for being
kidnappers. It's bad enough when your good intentions are mistaken
for evil. It's even worse when you awaken an evil spirit ~ a goat
demon ~ that was trapped in the basement of your dream house. Oh!
It's just a demonic spirit capable of destroying the world.
Thousands of years ago there was one carpenter who was known for
casting out demons. A couple of carpenters living in the countryside
ought to be able to handle a goat demon ~ easy, peasy.
Main
Characters:
♦
(5)
Land of Happiness
The
backdrop for this film is South Korea's political turmoil in 1979.
In
real history,
during that year President Park Chung-hee was assassinated. On
December 12, 1979, Major General Chun Doo-hwan led a military coup,
declared martial law and took control of the country (“12.12:
The Day”).
“This
period was characterized by political repression, human rights
abuses, and the suppression of pro-democracy movements.”
(REF: South
Korea marks 45 years since 1979 coup and military dictatorship | CNA)
According
to the real historical record, Kim Jae-gyu, the director of the
Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA), shot the president and he
as convicted and executed. In
this film,
a secretary is implicated in the President's assassination and a
lawyer, who must defend the accused, is not sure if there can be a
fair trial amidst predetermined military justice.
Main
Characters:
TRAILER: Kdrama
Princess. “LAND OF HAPPINESS Movie Trailer 1-2(2024) New Korean
Movie Jo Jung Suk, Lee Sun Kyun & Yoo Jae Myung.” YouTube,
Video, 21 July 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOq8jL2D4Yw.
♦
(6)
Pilot
A
pilot who
is
an ace pilot that the Red Baron would
be proud of, somehow
managed to lose
his
job.
He wasn't
just
fired. He was
blacklisted and couldn't get a job with
any airline. But there's
no reason
to let his
flying skills
go to waste.
He takes
his
sister's
identity, applies
for a pilot job using
her name, and gets
hired. Who's
gonna know?
Flying high again! Genius!
Main
Characters:
♦
(7)
The
Plot
A
contract killer gets
paid to commit murders,
cleverly disguising
the deaths
as
accidental. He's
a highly skilled professional
and never leaves
any evidence behind. This
particular “job” involves
an influential figure in politics
that everybody is
watching.
It will
be dangerous
and difficult, but not impossible.
He has
teammates
who
work
with
him and is
confident he can get the job done. No fuss.
No mess. Besides … nothing has ever gone wrong before with his
murder-for-hire contracts. Why
should this one be any different? Uh oh. You know what they say?
Never say NEVER.
Main
Characters:
Young-Il
(played by Gang Dong-Won)
Jackie
(played by Lee Mi-Sook)
Wol-Cheon
(played by Lee Hyun-Wook)
Jeom-Man
(played by Tang Joon-Sang)
♦
(8)
Escape
A
North Korean soldier
tries
to defect and make it across
the DMZ border. But an officer in North Korea's
State Security Department tries
to stop
him. To paraphrase
the script:
NK
Officer: “Get
real, soldier!
You know
escape
is
not allowed.”
NK
Soldier: “Yeah.
That's
why
I didn't ask
permission.”
Main
Characters:
Im
Kyu-Nam (played by Lee Je-Hoon)
Ri
Hyun-Sang (played
by Koo Kyo-Hwan)
Sun
Woo-Min
(played by Song Kang)
♦
(9)
Walker
A
teenager is
faced with
a difficult decision.
He endures
school
bullying by day and domestic
violence at home. His
father is
violent and his
mother leaves
because
she
can't take it anymore. He wants
to stay
with
his
father but he has
to choose
which
parent to live with.
It should
be an easy
choice. Why
isn't
it?
Main
Characters:
Jeong
Hoon (played by Ahn Ji-Ho)
Jeong
Moo Jin
(played by Ahn Nae-Sang)
Lee
So Yeon (played
by Yun Yoo-Sun)
TRAILER: EonTalk.
“Walker (2024) 검은
소년 Movie
Trailer 2.” YouTube, Video, 29 Jan. 2024,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhN3zGW_IZQ.
♦
(10)
You
Will Die in 6 Hours
A
young woman
walking
down
the street
is
approached by a strange
young man who
tells
her that she
will
die in 6 hours.
He knows
this
because
he can see
the future. On the plus
side:
At least
he doesn't
know
it because
he plans
to kill her! (O.o)
Main
Characters:
Joon-Woo
(played by Jaehyun)
Jeong-Yoon
(played
by Park Ju-Hyun)
Detective
Ki-Hoon (played by Kwak
Si-Yang)
♦
