“My films are the stories of people who place the blame for their actions on others because they refuse to take on the blame themselves.”
-Park Chan-Wook
Park Chan-Wook is a South Korean film director, screenwriter, and producer. His debut movie JSA or Joint Security Area (2000) was the most watched film in South Korea at that time. This allowed him to have creative freedom in his next films, The Vengeance Trilogies. Oldboy, (2003) went on to win the Grand Prix award at the Cannes Film Festival. Park Chan-Wook is considered one of the most prominent filmmakers in South Korea as well in world cinema in the 21st Century.
In 2013, Park Chan-Wook directed his first English-language film, Stoker (2013).
His most recent honors is the winner of the Palme d’Or at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival for Best Director for the film Decision to Leave (2022).
Here are six films to get your started on his films to see a true master at work.
Which Park Chan-Wook movie is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below!
1. THE HANDMAIDEN
What’s It About: In Japanese-occupied Korea, lives a con man by the name of Count Fujiwara. He has plans to seduce Japanese heiress Lady Hideko. He wants to steal her inheritance and send her to an asylum. Count Fujiwara hires a pickpocket named Sook-Hee to work as Hideko’s maid and to help convince her to marry him. Hideko lives with her Korean uncle Kouzuki. He helped the Japanese take over in exchange for a gold mine. The Count has his plan in motion until Sook-Hee and Lady Hideko discover some unexpected emotions. Who will come out on top?
Starring: Kim Tae-Ri, Kim Min-Hee, Ha Jung-Woo
Where To Watch: Vudu
Watch The Trailer Here:
2. DECISION TO LEAVE
What’s It About: After finding a body in the mountains, Detective Hae-Jun meets the man’s mysterious wife, Seo Rae. He starts to pinpoint her as the prime suspect in her husband’s murder. Hae-Jun also discovers something else about the widow, his feelings for her. Will his moral duty or emotions win out in the end?
Starring: Tang Wei, Park Hae-Il, Lee Jung-Hyun
Where To Watch: Currently in theaters
Watch The Trailer Here:
3. CRUSH AND BLUSH
What’s It About: Twenty-nine year old Yank Mi-Sook is one of the most unpopular teachers at her school. She has a bad habit of going red in the face. For the past ten years, she has been harboring a crush for her former teacher, Seo Jong-Cheol. She finds out that Seo Jong-Cheol is attracted to the new teacher, Mi-Sook plans to put a stop to the budding romance. She forms an unlikely alliance with Seo Jong-Cheol’s daughter and the two plot ways to seperate the lovebirds.
Starring: Gong Hyo-Jin, Bang Eun-Jin, Park Chan-Wook
Where To Watch: Currently Unavailable for Streaming
Watch The Trailer Here:
4. SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE
What’s It About: Ryu works in a factory despite being deaf-mute. He had to quit art school in order to earn money to pay for his sick sister’s kidney transplant. The doctor informs him that finding a donor for his sister is slim to none and Ryu decides to turn to the black market. After making a deal, the dealers disappear after taking Ryu’s kidney and severance money. Ryu’s girlfriend, Yeong-Mi suggests to him he should kidnap industrialists, Park Dong-Jin’s four-year-old daughter for ransom money. He has recently laid off all of the workers from the factory, including Ryu. Ryu agrees to the plan while making one of his own, to find the dealers that stole his money. Will Ryu’s plan work to save his sister?
Starring: Song Kang-Ho, Bae Doona, Shin Ha-Kyun
Where To Watch: Tubi, Vudu, Amazon Prime Video
Watch The Trailer Here:
5. JOINT SECURITY AREA
What’s It About: Set in the demiliartized zone, Panmunjom, a border guard is killed by a rifle bullet. The suspect is an expert South Korean marksman Lee Soo-Hyeok. He was found wounded in the middle of no-man’s land. Both North and South Korea regard the incident as an act of deliberate provocation. Both sides appeal to the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (NNSC) to investigate the affair. Swiss Army Major Sophie Jean is conducting the investigation. Soon she is beging to receive differing accounts from the two sides. One side claims self-defense, while the other claims an attack. Major Sophie realizes there’s more to the story and is dtermined to get to the truth.
Starring: Lee Byung-Hun, Song Kang-Ho, Lee Young-Ae
Where To Watch: Tubi, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV
Watch The Trailer Here:
6. I’M A CYBORG, BUT THAT’S OKAY
What’s It About: Young-Goon is a young woman working in a factory. She has a secret. She believes she is a cyborg. While at work on day, Young-Goon decides to recharger herself by slashing her wrists and implanting electrical wires in them. The authorities takes her to New World, a mental institution with bizarre characters. While inside of the institution, Young-Goon meets Il-Soon, a male patient hospitialized for anti-social behavior. Young-Goon and Il-Soon start to form a strong bond as their personalities complement each other perfectly. Young-Goon starts to get ill while at New World and Il-Soon must find a way to save her.
Starring: Im Soo-Jung, Cheon Seong-Hun, Kim Byeong-Ok
Where To Watch: Available on DVD on Amazon Prime
Watch The Trailer Here:
