Blog Archives

A Korean Odyssey

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Posted on September 11, 2022 by Alison

Do we need another version of Journey to the West? We’ve already had the Japanese TV series Monkey! (exclamation mark damn well included), the massively cool anime series Saiyuki, The Monkey King, and numerous other versions of the 16th century Chinese story about Great Sage Equal Of Heaven, otherwise known as the Monkey King.

And my answer is yes, gentle reader, we absolutely do. We need this particular version because we need the mesmerising Son O-gong that only … (read more)

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You’re All Surrounded

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Posted on July 31, 2022 by Alison

Co-posted at Still Just Alison

TV drama – 20 episodes

It looked like just another cop drama, but this little gem ticked all the boxes on my Cracking Good Series bingo card.

For starters, the cast: Lee Seung-gi as Kim Ji-yong/Eun Dae-gu, whose mother was murdered in front of his eyes when he was 15, carries his role with a restrained intensity that starts at “To hell with the lot of you” and never flags. He often seems on the … (read more)

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Believer (2018)

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Posted on September 10, 2018 by John Snadden

I have said previously that film remakes are often problematic. When I first heard that Johnnie To’s crime drama Drug War (2012) was to be remade as a South Korean production, I’ll admit it wasn’t joyous news (at least it stopped Hollywood from turning it into a Bourne movie). But a good trailer and a strong cast gave me some hope. The latter wasn’t misplaced and Believer is actually an excellent crime movie. Director Lee Hae-yeong has done a great … (read more)

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Blood Rain (2005)

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Posted on March 3, 2007 by Deni

Blood Rain was introduced at the Brisbane International Film Festival as a cross-genre film, and it turned out to be an accurate assessment. A little bit period film, a little bit classic detective thriller, a little bit slasher film, a little bit rock and roll. Okay, not so much with the rock and roll (unless you count the numerous and nasty ways people die), but this mix bag of genres is far from confused, taking features from each and making … (read more)

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