Discoveries from South Korea World Cinema

The film reconstructs the life of Noriko by selecting scenes from Oz Yasujiro’s films featuring actor Hara Setsuko.

Based on the reincarnation theory of Buddhism, Heo Sun rescued a little white snake. Afterwards, a thousand-year-old white snake comes out to watch the May Festival when he discovers Heo Sun living in poverty. In order to thank him, the white snake takes the form of the maiden, Baek-ryang, and marries him, making a wealthy life for them. One day, the spiritual Buddhist priest Mo-san tells Heo Sun that Baek-ryang is a ghost. He tells him how to get rid of the woman but when he finds out that Baek-ryang is pregnant, he decides to wait a year. On the baby's 100th day celebration, Baek-ryang is buried in the gourd that Mo-san has made and she is unable to do any more magic.

At the age of 93, my dear grandma tried to commit suicide. I am so afraid that she might go away, but I am spending time with her so as to make our farewell more beautiful and warmer.

Having run a video rental shop alone, the woman ought to fold up her shop before long. When she finds the video tape related to ex-boyfriend, she decides to contact him on the pretext of getting back a video tape in arrears. Waiting him, she packs her stuff in her shop.

On Mondays, when the theater is closed, actors climb a mountain. They have been climbing the same mountain every Monday for 15 years, carrying their pains, dreams, and goals in their hearts as they climb Seoul's mountains together.

It is a dramatization about Major Kim Man-il's service during the Korean War. The Korean forces dispatch two military units to defend the Baeti Heights led by Kim. Although it is hard to do so, Kim and his senior, Kim Mu-cheol (Choe Bong), and other soldiers do their best. Kim even risks his life to save his juniors, but many die as the enemy forces approach. Meanwhile, Lee Kang-no (Yun Il-bong), a communications officer, reads a letter from his wife - missing her and his daughter. Encouraged by it, Lee risks his life to make successful communication between his military unit and the headquarters. His unit wins. Commander Kim Man-su gathers a small number of his subordinates because many had died, and encourages them to do their best toward the enemy off.

Kim Yeon Do (Lee Eun Jae), a studious high school girl, accidentally sparks a relationship with Ji Hyun Ho (Kang Yul), a popular but unserious boy, after posting another boy's picture to deter a persistent suitor. Their budding romance is challenged when Choi Seung Hyun (Lee Jung Joon), a baseball ace, arrives and shows interest in Yeon Do, causing Ji Hyun Ho to become jealous. As their relationship faces this new tension, their classmates also begin to explore romantic connections. Based on a 2016 mobile game, this is a 2021 South Korean movie directed by Lee Yoo Yeon that explores the complexities of young love and high school relationships.

Park Il-rae dreams of a better life for his family, but is cheated out of his entire family savings. In deep despair, Il-rae decides to commit suicide together.

The star jewel that has maintained the balance of good and evil in the human world, ‘Joubiju’! The missing star jewels are turning black, putting Sunshineville in danger! Can the magical harmony created by the hearts of the star goddesses and Joubiju save Sunshineville?

Seo-woo revisits the convenience store she worked for until recently. The store manager who owes her unpaid wages is nowhere to be found. There comes Wal, a new part time worker who speaks in poor Korean and awkwardly greets Seo-woo.

THE BOYZ's new song "Maverick" is a hip-hop genre-based song that shows confidence in existing itself, and famous composers such as Cho Yoon-kyung, Kyler Niko, Ronnie Icon, and Ludwig Lindell, who have worked together through previous albums, participated.

Yoo-Hee and Joo-Yeon fell in love in high school, but their school’s persecution of gays tore them apart. When meet again years later, sparks fly.

Released from prison following the bombing of Hiroshima, Kang Dae-sun tries to return to Korea but, because of the chaos at the end of the war, fails to secure passage. He and his former cellmate Ok Man-sul become gangsters but spend a good deal of their time fighting communist sympathizers. When the Korean War breaks out, Dae-sun gives up the idea of ever returning home and concentrates on rising in rank to become the most powerful gangster in Japan.

On a hot day in a blind alley, a police officer and a laborer, both who have fallen behind from their units, are confronting each other. What they are wearing represents their status and makes them an enemy to each other. Their situation becomes sad but comical as their tiresome day goes by.

In the fifth teaser for NCT 127's new album FACT CHECK, an elusive new character paces through an aquarium, cleaning the glass and staring gloomly at the fishes.

Avata Star Sue is a series of internet games from IBravo that inspired an animated series released in South Korea in 2005-2010.

A poor and lonely English professor, Juri(37), decides to become a porn actor using a mask to hide behind, after she watches an unusual porn, featuring an old and fat woman. And she visits Myungsook, a porn producer, despite their separation of 10 years. After various tests and rigorous diets Juri finally stars in a porn film with an attractive young porn star, Byul(20), who saves money for studies abroad to become a professor. He sports a flawless body except a deep scar across his chest. However on the set, she keeps pushing Byul away, and nobody knows that she is a virgin.

444 years ago, a master defeats the demon king after a duel, and burys the demon king in a well. However, as time goes by, when the Demon King is resurrected, Shim Bi-Hong Yeong-Young confronts him.

As Sun-kyeong's father fails his second marriage and rushes to migrate, Sun-kyeong writes a letter to her stepmother. While writing a letter, Sun-kyeong reminisce about her times at her brother's place in Seoul.

A woman saves a man in turtoil, ready to jump off a building. Now, as a widower with a baby girl, Sang Hyeon welcomes Soo Min's comfort. Although they were once friends, she has becomes his best friend's wife. However, Soo Min's sympathy turns into love and then ito an obsession as deep as a crevasse.

Society is plunged into chaos by the appearance of mysterious jellyfish that swarm onto beaches glowing beautifully at night. A single touch from their tentacles transforms humans and animals alike into jellyfish. Curiously, many people yearn for the sightless, soundless existence of these drifting sea creatures. Soo, who hides away at home, desires only to escape life. When driven to his limit, he flees toward ‘Manbok Inn,’ rumored to offer a new beginning. There, after six years of isolation, Soo faces people once again and stands at a crossroads. Will he live as a human or a jellyfish?

Seonduk Arts High school sets a “moral distance rule”, forbidding physical contact between boys and girls. The school recommends Byeonchan and Seohyun, who have been meeting for 700 days, to transfer to another school because of this rule.

A short film about a man in Paris and a woman in Seoul getting closer by phone.

"Joseon Scandal - The Seven Valid Causes for Divorce" the second story! Kyeong-hwan and Yang-soon are poor but happily married. They don't have much, but Kyeong-hwan who had some real estate going on, makes it big. Just when they think life is going to get easier, Yang-soon falls ill and Kyeong-hwan brings home a concubine named Eun-chae who gets pregnant. Kyeong-hwan only has eyes for Eun-chae which cases Yang-soon to get angry and hurt Eun-chae...

A desperate, lonely man and a homeless woman with a baby cross paths in this offbeat slice of life piece.

After a close call with her sleazy new boyfriend, Jae-in discovers a prominent soap company is offering a service to clean up more than just your average mess. Discreet, corporate-minded, and methodical, the outfit in question does a good job, allowing Jae-in to go back to her life as an aspiring actress. She’s haunted by lingering paranoia, however, and soon she remembers a loose end that needs attending to…

Eun-jung, who is poor enough to buy a sanitary pad, leaves school without her father's knowledge and sneaks into her house. And they spend the day in their own way, familiarly.

Two traditional stories. In the first, a girl marries the bravest man in the village so she can send him into a monster's lair to collect an mystic herb which can save her father's life. In the second story, even death cannot prevent a devoted wife from helping in her husband's success.

A poor aspiring filmmaker juggles between intermittent assistant director-work and distributing flyers on the street. He marries a Thai woman who moves in with him without a decent wedding. She struggles to adjust to life in Korea, learning Korean while searching for work. Unfortunately things are not so easy, and her husband’s dream of becoming a filmmaker just seems like a mirage. The man breaks his wife’s heart when he brings her recycled clothes from a female filmmaker friend or accepts a TV network friend’s request to shoot him for a program introducing the daily life of an assistant director who has no hope of breaking into the business. His wife is ashamed that their life is considered miserable and that their poor state will be broadcast on national TV, nevertheless the man takes no account of her feelings. She cannot take it anymore and declares she is returning to Thailand.

There is a man who you want to protect. There is a brave firefighter Goo-sang, wife Soon-yeong, who loves Goo-sang so much, their daughter Seul-gi, and Seok-woo, who Goo-sang trusts like a blood brother. Goo-sang and Seok-woo have their own secrets. Goo-sang has incurable disease and Seok-woo loves Goo-sang’s wife. Goo-sang, who noticed Seok-woo’s love toward Soon-yeong, tells Seok-woo that if he dies during the surgery, please take care of Goo-sang’s family. After Goo-sang’s shocking confession, unexpectedly huge fire broke out on the birthday of Seul-gi. Goo-sang and Seok-woo run toward the fire to extinguish it...

Dragon Lee stars as Baek-chon, a small time gangster who quickly rises to power following a shake up in his organization. The gang boss was shot and, before succumbing to his wounds, proclaims Baek-chon to be his successor. Per his chief's final instructions, Baek-chon makes each member of the gang sign a document in blood declaring the rules of conduct of the gang. First and foremost is that no one will deal in drugs. Naturally, all of this doesn't sit well with Hyun-tae, another gangster who resents Baek-chon's rise to power and seeks to exploit the lucrative nature of narcotics. Hyun-tae plots to kill Baek-chon, a plan that ultimately fails but sees Baek-chon sent to jail for manslaughter after defending himself. While in jail, Baek-chon befriends one of Hyun-tae's underlings. When both men are eventually released from jail, Baek-chon seeks to avoid conflict but when Hyun-tae murders his friend, Baek-chon seeks his revenge.

On April 16th, 2014, the Sewol Ferry sank in South Korea, taking with it the lives of 304 of its 476 passengers. South Korea's worst maritime disaster traumatized a nation while simultaneously sinking the country's emotional spirit. The film asks why the rescue of Korea's children and people was neglected on the fateful day the Sewol sank.

One day, a huge unidentified monster appeared all over the city, causing confusion in Korea. Jjang-dol, who lost his job due to the monster attack, wants to escape by selling ‘Stress Zero’ with his friends Dr. Ko and Ta-jo, but finds out that the drink is the only secret to stop the monster! Will Jjang-dol and his friends, who suddenly became heroes, catch the monster and save the world?

It seems that an actress has been offered a casting for an exposed work. With the casting offer, she talks to the director, friend and ex-boyfriend on the phone.

Si-woo is a nine years old boy living with his dad after losing his mom. Whenever Si-woo and his dad miss her, they pray, talk it out, or write poems. They stay there for each other in the arms of beautiful nature. Si-woo always remembers what his mom promised him before passing. Step by step, they move forward, trying to keep the promise.

Go Ara, a deaf dancer, navigates a world where hearing aids offer only a partial connection to sound. The nuances of speech remain beyond her grasp, and the music that fuels her dancing feels frustratingly distant. Despite these obstacles, Go Ara embarks on a profound journey: motherhood. Haunted by childhood taunts in music class, she hasn't sung in twenty years. Yet, the birth of her child awakens a long-dormant desire. For the first time in two decades, Go Ara sings a lullaby. This simple act reignites her love for music, prompting her to explore new artistic territories and craft a soundscape that is uniquely her own.

Sign language interpreter Do-young is unable to focus on the regular COVID-19 briefing because he is worried about his wife who is about to give birth. Doyoung is anxious because her due date has passed, but the live emergency briefing continues regardless. During the live broadcast, Do-young learns from a colleague that his wife has given birth safely. And in his own way, he conveys his sincerity to his beloved wife and newborn child.

63-year-old Jong-chil has been re-employed as a senior water purifier engineer after retiring from public service, and is working as a trainee. While under pressure for sales profits, his co-worker Hyun-suk informs Jong-chil of his business secret-selling a new water purifier under the pretext of repair to a customer, and making a profit by selling the customer’s used water purifier. But Jong-chil doesn't want to do the job.

Mi-suk has quit working in film work. She loses the external hard drive containing the original filming of her friend. In the middle of a mysterious hole she found while scouring the house, Mi-suk meets the things she has lost.

Adaptation of "The Handmaiden" by Mnet, starring Natty and Julie from the group KISS OF LIFE.

​Eun-kyung is a building cleaner with a college-age son. After leaving her son behind to borrow money, she stumbles upon a discount poster for the musical Silver. a discount poster for the musical Silver, and decides to save up and go to the show. Ever since she was a child She dreamed of being a musical actress singing on stage. After a strange encounter on the way home with Assistant Director Moon and Chief Yoon. Eun-kyung has a great time watching the musical, which tells the story of relationships. After the show, the sun sets At the National Theater, Eun-kyung meets the lead actress.

A documentary covering the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul.

Kairat, a teacher of mathematics, accidentally meets Aslar, along with whom he studied in university. Askar invites him to his home, where Kairat becomes acquainted with Togzhan, the wife of Askar. And he falls in love with her. Though this love was mutual, they couldn't step over the obstacles already made by their lives. Their emotions delayed. The script is based on the novel by Chekhov's About Love, Gooseberry.

In the woman’s room, memories constantly accumulate and disappear like dust. The man spends his time in this room creating futile little games with woman’s memories.

In fall 2007 the Women's Film Festival Seoul issued a call that did not promise, like the pirate queen Madame X, "gold, love, and adventure," but something as tempting as the opportunity to film a 15-minute short in Korea, which, assembled as one of six parts of an omnibus production, would open the 10th festival in 2008. I signaled my acceptance and voilà: SEOUL WOMEN HAPPINESS.

Two children vow revenge for the death of their parents. Eighteen years later, they meet again to carry out their promise, but one of them has been blinded by their enemy.