The very first South Korean film to be released in the Russian box office more than 15 years ago was the dramatic thriller Shiri directed by Kang Jae Gyu. After that, almost all the works of Kim Ki Dok and Pak Chan Uk were shown in the domestic cinema (the detective thriller “Oldboy” became even popular, because the main antagonist had the voice of Gosha Kutsenko), South Korean films Lee Chan Don, Pong Joon Ho, Lee Myung Se and Hong San Su But for the most part, this film industry remained mysterious and unknown for the viewer-compatriot. After 2013, the Russian audience was not able to evaluate all the achievements of this cinematography.
Beyond Media Radars
But South Korean films have not disappeared and certainly have not become worse; they are constantly taking part in various international film festivals, but they are more accessible for viewing only on the Internet, only occasionally they get into Russian cinemas. Paradoxically, they are characterized by stubborn inattention from Russian critics, film critics and journalists. Sometimes South Korean films with Russian voice acting suddenly fall on the radars of the domestic press (if the creator receives an award from an international festival). In this case, they write about the picture, but basically retelling the established set of myths and cliches borrowed from Western sources. This perception and attitude is completely unfair, because South Korea is one of the few states in which in the 21st century cinema develops, rather than degrades.
Experiment stimulation
The whole structure of Korean cinema stimulates experiments. The success of the paintings is completely unpredictable, no one needs special effects, the participation of movie stars cannot guarantee the box office. Cases where the production formulas for success have worked or “high concepts” are exceptions, not rules. Therefore, producers are simply forced to work with authors who have an individual style, even if a regular genre film is shot. A striking example of a successful union of creators is the fantastic melodrama "The Werewolf Boy" directed by Cho Sung-hee.
Emotional
Cho Soon Hee's film is truly gorgeous. The moral subtext is understandable without words. Professional directorial work, a verified plot, high-quality shooting and editing are not all the laudatory characteristics of the film “The Werewolf Boy”. The cast is impressive in its organicity, all the actors are selected wonderfully, and all coped with the task as one. The protagonist is played by Song Joon Ki - a young talented actor who has not only a good appearance, but also dramatic potential. His partner, Park Bo Young, who played the main female role, a sweet girl, a beginner, but a promising actress, is not deprived of talent. The plot is not full of innovation, but impressive. The whole film is full of emotions, however, like the rest of South Korean films about love. The ending of the story is tragic, but it is natural that it saddens and conquers overnight.
Tears and blood
A somewhat different emotion is evoked by the crime drama action movie "Man from Nowhere" adapted to the audience "outside of Asia." Director Lee Jung Bom gave the world an up-to-date drama, saturated with a fair amount of action. In world cinema there is a fair amount of films with a similar plot, in which there is a lone hero and a crowd of bad guys. Lee Jeong Bom’s achievement should be considered to be that he introduced something new, an author’s interpretation, which made it a resounding success not only at home, but also at the worldwide box office. “A Man from Nowhere” is an extremely cruel, but amazingly beautiful film. The abundance of corpses and blood does not cause a feeling of disgust due to either the "dancing" style of fighting, or the bewitching movements of the camera. In the film there is no overly pathos praise of the main character, there is not a grain of vulgarity and hypocrisy. Everything in it is competent, subtle and concise - in an oriental way. Out of the casting stands out the lead actor Von Bin (formerly a model), who is not currently filming for an unknown reason. Kim Se Ron perfectly revealed the image of a girl who is not needed by anyone, even her mother. Kim Hee-won and Kim Sung-o embodied on the screen the brothers, causing irritation. Tanayong Wongtrakul played the role of a sentimental killer.
Role of the author
The role of the director in Korean cinema is paradoxical - autism does not exist in it in a modern, degrading and degenerating form, but in its original form. The author, fighting for his own vision with the studio and producers, manages to make South Korean films for the viewer. An example is Pon Joon Ho's Memoirs of a Kill, which was unquestionably credited by critics and movie publishers in the top 10 best films of the past decade. Most of the works of Pak Chan Uka are rental hits. The main South Korean blockbuster of 2012, follower of David Mamet, Choi Don Hoon, "Thieves" is also a purely authorial film in the genre of classic privateer.
Deserve attention and study
South Korean films are not a third world movie, but a whole film industry. This is a cinema, which at present among the countries of the "third world" is not. There are, in addition to recognized by the West, other authors, and “Memoirs of the murder” and “Oldboy” all interesting is not limited. South Korean cinema deserves study and attention, as it is constantly and continuously changing, looking for its own way, style, reworking all the acceptable and well-known movie genres in the world.