It’s still not too late to make the commitment to learn Korean! One way you can do this is by watching Korean movies. If you’re not yet comfortable with your listening skills, you can still enjoy watching Korean movies by making sure there are subtitles. That way, if you come across any words or phrases you don’t know, you can just peek and look at the subtitles for verification. Here are some movies of 2010 that have topped box office records.
The Man from Nowhere (아저씨) stars popular actor Won Bin (원빈) and was the highest grossing film of 2010. Won Bin plays a character who reluctantly gets involved with a gang to save a neighborhood girl. He was a former Korean agent for the government, but quit when he witnessed the death of someone close to him. Now he has to risk his life on the line again, but will he succeed this time?
Secret Reunion (의형제) stars Kang Dong Won (강동원) and Song Kang Ho (송강호). Kang Dong Won plays a former North Korean spy and Song Kang Ho plays a former agent from the South Korean Intelligence Agency. Both men get fired from their respective governments for making a mistake on the job. The two unexpectedly find each other and decide to work with each other. Will they get along?
Moss (이끼) is a movie about a man who goes to investigate the mysterious death of his father. When he arrives, he finds that there are things that don’t add up. On top of that, the villagers act strangely, and the one person who might possibly know the circumstances behind his father’s death may be the person responsible for his father’s death.
The tension and strife between North and South Korea is a popular theme for many Korean movies. Take the movie Shiri (시리). Shiri (시리) is a movie about North Korean spies infiltrating South Korea. You’ll have to see what happens, but it’s a action/thriller movie. It contains a lot of technical/science jargon and is perfect for advanced Korean students. Then there’s the movie JSA which stands for Joint Security Area (공동경비구역). JSA (공동경비구역) is a mystery thriller dealing with the South/North Korean border. Lastly, my favorite is Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War (태국기 휘날리며). It’s based on a true story of two brothers torn apart by war, and finally tragically reuniting when they face each other in battle.
The next two movies are philosophical or what I call “thinking” movies. The messages in these movies are not always black and white and a lot is left to the viewer’s interpretation. For example the movie, Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring (봄여름가을겨울그리고봄) by the director Kim Kiduk (김기덕) is about a man who wrestles with his past through the various seasons. There is a lot of metaphor in this movie, so if you’re looking for a light, funny, comedy, you’ll probably want to steer away from this one. The movie Old Boy (올드보이) by director Bak Chanuk (박찬욱) is also one of those deep thinking movies. If you feel uncomfortable with gore, blood and pure, raw emotion, this may not be the movie for you.
Interestingly enough, Hollywood has recreated some Korean classics. The movie My Sassy Girl starring Elisha Cuthbert, is based on the Korean version of My Sassy Girl (엽기적인 그녀). Trust me, the Korean version is better. The Korean version has the right amount of humor and heartfelt emotions. It’s a great love story. The movie The Lake House starring Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves is based on the Korean movie II Mare (時越愛). It’s another love story as well.