Discoveries from South Korea World Cinema

Jun-hee has a secret crush on Dong-kyun. One day, while Dong-kyun is sleeping in the school nurse’s office, Jun-hee kisses him, and Soon-young catches him in action. Promising Jun-hee never to tell a soul about what she saw, Soon-young orders Jun-hee around for her errands. During the summer break, Jun-hee gives Soon-young a ride home from her part-time job after he gets done at the learning center. As Jun-hee and Soon-young spend more time together, Soon-young asks Jun-hee things about Dong-kyun. Soon-young learns Dong-kyun’s birthday is coming up and asks Jun-hee not to hang out with Dong-kyun, but Jun-hee ignores her. On Dong-kyun’s birthday, Soon-young catches Jun-hee and Dong-kyun hanging out together.

At the hospice, the average remaining time for patients is 21 days. These patients prepare for their deaths. Park Soo-Myeong is 40 something year old man who is also a husband and father. Kim Jung-Ja is a mother of two sons. Park Jin-Woo was a math teacher. Shin Chang-Yeol lived a lonely life.

Young-gu feels that he usually feels inflamed by the excessive protection of his parents and wants to live alone. One day, he goes on a trip with his parents. Young-gu, who accidentally lost his parents on a trip, finds his wallet and money in his father's luggage, wanders around by himself, living an uncontrolled life of his parents, but realizes that his parents' nagging was for him, and he goes to his parents' side.

The late Kim Dong-il, a Jeju April 3 refugee in Japan, left behind over 2,000 crocheted items and pieces of clothing that preserved her memories, identity, and history. As the film traces the redistribution of her belongings, it illuminates the still-unhealed lives of various Zainichi Koreans who lived through the same era, sharing and connecting their intertwined memories.

Nuzabar from Kazakhstan, burdened with guilt over his young son's death, flees to Korea in an attempt to escape his past. However, he eventually contemplates ending his life. In a twist of fate, he saves a young boy in danger, prompting him to confront his past emotions and seek forgiveness.

We covered the reclusive monk Beopjeong for three years, from our first meeting on April 30, 2001 until 2003! Monk Beopjeong of ‘no possessions’. KBS reporters met him, who had long avoided TV appearances and contact with the media. One day, about 6 months later, after lingering around the camera without even turning it on, the monk said his first words. ‘Let’s support the cows’. The meeting that took place after that and the monk's words were captured on screen. The clear and fragrant words of a monk heard among the bamboo forest along with the beautiful four seasons of Bulilam Hermitage! An anti-war message delivered by a monk at Ground Zero in the United States. 'Hate only blinds the eyes.' The footage of him accompanying Monk Beopjeong for three years will be revealed on a KBS Sunday special.

The secretive rules of nature spread out to be extraordinary beauty. Water is a lifeform that remembers and reflects everything. Following the nature of this water and the mysterious record of the ecosystem leads to the wonderful four seaons of the Bongha Village and the late Roh Moo-hyun's ambitious visions. What is the future he dreamt of back in his home, carrying out biological agricultural technology?

Min-hyeong, a musician working in Mullae-dong, is preparing to move out after failing to renew his lease. One day, he meets Jee-an, a welder, and as they grow closer, he begins to write the final track of his album.

It is the day after President Park's death. Four children are left at home alone while their parents visit relatives in the country. A small dose of responsibility turns into an abuse of power as the older sisters start bossing their younger brothers around. The boys attempt to entertain themselves, and keep from starving, until their parents return.

Thirty-six years ago, Lee Soohyun met Kim In-sun at a Korean Christian Women’s Association retreat in Germany and gifted her flowers. Despite threats from her then-husband and the disapproval of Korean society, In-sun found love and chose to be with Soohyun. Now, the two of them—who came to work as nurses in a foreign country where they knew nothing of the language—are still there and already in their 70s. For 30 years, they have lived together in Berlin and shared in all the joys and sorrows of life. Soohyun and In-sun have stood in solidarity with other foreigners like themselves while also looking after one another. They are two people who overcame boundaries. This is their love story.

The story of the protagonist and the people around him who try to earn money by doing various things to save his ailing lover.

So-jeong meets her father for the first time in 10 years at his funeral.

A well-meaning teacher starts working at a school where she clashes with a student whose tough guy exterior masks a secret pain.

Three brothers of Jang-Su, Man-Su, and Jong-Su, and Bo-Ki, Su-Ni, and Jang-Su's wife Sam-Ok live together. A group of bandits kidnap Sam-Ok and demands that Jang-Su bring the skin of the white fox. Three brothers succeed in killing the white fox, but the evil spirit of the white fox begins to haunt them. The dead white fox gets incarnated as Sam-Ok, who is killed by three brothers, and Jin-Jin, an incarnated female white fox, marries Man-Su. Jin-Jin kills Bo-Ki who knew she is a fox, and kills also Man-Su and Jong-Su. Su-Ni succeeds in killing the evil fox which tried to kill her, also.

In 2023, over 80,000 people went missing in Japan, with 30,000 dying alone. Ten percent remained unidentified, known as “muenbotoke” (buddhas without connections). Satsuki works part-time at an NGO near Ueno Park, indifferent to her job and the faces of those seeking help, until she stumbles upon the diary of a deceased homeless man. Toshi, a fellow drifter in the park, tells her that her encounter with the man’s ghost is no accident. Guided by the diary, they embark on a journey into the past to uncover the man’s identity, which is deeply intertwined with Ueno’s post-war history. Along the way, they meet those whose lives the ghost touched, each revealing a story of a man who willingly cut ties with his family. Satsuki’s dreams and memories lead her astray, uncovering a bitter truth. Her search for answers about the vanished finds resolution in Toshi, who waits for the third reincarnation of his late wife.

It is another rainy day in Pyongyang and the long boulevards of utilitarian buildings have taken on a misty shade of grey. School children do daily exercises before saluting a portrait of Kim Jong-un and adults don lapel pins depicting their leader before a day’s work at the farm or factory. Tracing a form of cultural uniformity that is unfamiliar to many in the West, this is a portrait of life behind the world’s last iron curtain.

Ji-eun, a part-timer at a convenience store, will be able to receive her much-awaited severance pay tomorrow.

"we went to seoul for lunch the year before our son was born. it was very hot, but with some breeze." — Hong Sangsoo

The hero leaves Korea. But the village where Korean immigrants live is attacked by Chinese bandits. The hero and his friends want to return to Korea. Japanese police officers fire shots at border trespassers.

Nine warriors travel to Tsushima Island to rescue Korean captives kidnapped by Japanese pirates.

Jo Joon, a third-class serviceman, suffers severe epileptic seizures during a fight. Although weed extract, which is effective in epilepsy, passed the National Assembly in 2018, it is difficult to have universal access due to the strict enforcement ordinance of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Jo Joon finds an old friend who is a hemp man and learns more about weeds... The first cannabis he encounters is of legendary quality.

Ernst Mo works for courier service Delivery Dancer. Every day, she transports an endless stream of parcels, following algorithmically generated routes through a labyrinthine Seoul. After she runs into an alternative version of herself, her reality slowly starts to crack – with all the attendant consequences. In her own unique style, artist Ayoung Kim creates a fascinating and pretty disturbing world.

A nurse who needs money is offered a simple anesthetic part-time job, who soon finds herself caught up in a dangerous insurance scam and tries to escape. However, the nurse is left to the end.

Min-ah prepares graduation gifts for her crush Ji-yeong. Min-ah's graduation gift is two cans of beer. Min-ah, who is drunk for the first time, gets an unexpected return from Ji-yeong.

Sang-woo's mother who gives money to her to break up with Sang-woo and a woman who refuses to accept money. In the midst of the escalating debate, the two are using martial arts and the people around them are caught up in this ridiculous drama.

A Night before the Wedding, I Pack My Things.

Elle grows up sheltered by her mother who is afraid of what others would do when they saw her floating in the air, apparently unaffected by gravity. One day, a young soldier comes across the girl and quickly befriends her. When he lets her out to explore the city, Elle discovers truth behind her royal birth, and the usurper who will stop at nothing to find the lost, floating princess.

Eden is driving down the road when the engine fails and her car comes to a stop. Eden calls Haewon and tells him she wants to see him before she leaves Korea, but Haewon keeps saying he just can’t come. The hot summer heats up the road and Eden’s wish to say a proper goodbye does not seem to be coming true.

This is a 'Minority Report [or the Report on Minorities]' captured during the 2002 Korea - Japan World Cup season. The huge suvvess of this sports festival bolstered 'national pride' among many Koreans, who have forgotten that feeling for a long time while it gave some people a feeling of despair. Those who despaired that this soccer event completely excluded 'minority' voices who suffer from bitter reality and ordeal. This festive event was only for the majority of people who think they represent Korean as a whole.

Ye-eun came up to Seoul to meet Sa-rang, who she met through chatting. Ye-eun still feels awkward about having sex with the same sex. While drinking, Sa-rang and Ye-eun have a conversation. The moment she tries to have sex, Ye-eun breaks the mood with futile words.

In the early 1980s, the period of political chaos, a family of 7 members is falsely accused of espionage. Investigators torture and threaten them into false confession and the innocent family from Jindo countryside becomes a scapegoat of a political conspiracy. As a result, they end up spending 18 years in prison. The tragedy of the case caused by our lack of interest and negligence of the people from their village is beyond our imagination.

Yeong and Hyeob are young underground musicians and very much in love until the day wehn Yeong witnesses Hyeob kissing a wealthy fan. She leaves him effectively breaking up their singing duo. She begins helping her friend Woo-jin in establishing a youth center but Woo-jin's estranged wife and a bitter Hyeob unite to make the pair miserable.

Jang, a North Korean general, surrenders to Captain Lee of the South. Lee presses him for information which Jang agrees to supply on the condition that Lee helps him locate his wife who had defected to South Korea many years earlier. Coincidently, Jang's wife is now married to Captain Lee who must decide whether or not to re-unite them for the sake of his country.

A Korean woman tells off her blind date for his preconceived notions about her.

Among the desolated desert dune, The underground city. last humanity Developed combat robot under the command of the Organization. The Organization is now awaiting the result of the "Performance Test".

Cheol-hyeon kidnaps Hae-im to steal away bitcoins for him to be able to pay his debts, and his lover Yeon-mi, who has been neglected by him is also imprisoned in a warehouse. Cheol-hyeon uses violence to achieve his goal with Hae-im and emotional violence to seek love from Yeon-mi. His misogyny goes extreme, rationalizing his violence, uncovering the shocking past of the two women, and attempting to shake up their lives.

A woman steals luxurious bicycle saddles and sells them to make money for her tuition. One day, she has her own bicycle saddle stolen. Now one thief comes to pursue another.

After the reserve force training, Jun-Hong is craving for jokbal from his ex-girlfriend's restaurant. First time in five years, he visits Mi-ran's jokbal restaurant and meets the uncomfortable ones.

As serial rape murders have continued in Hwagok-ri village for the past 10 years, the villagers have left one by one and even the police have given up, but residents and police barely recover stability as nothing happens in the past two years. Then one day, a female college student is raped and murdered, and the village falls into fear again. Choi Kang, a ghost hunter who assumes this is not a human crime but ghosts, comes to the village and conflicts with police who can't even get a clue. Another ghost hunter also quietly sneaks into the village and starts digging into the case.

Suyeon works in nail care at a hair salon in Brickstone in South London. Maya, a mischievous punk girl, steps into the salon. When their fingers touch, Suyeon begins to feel confused with her own feelings.

The violinist and the dancer fell in love. However, a man suddenly appears, with whom the dancer leaves, tempted by his wealth. A musician who has lost his beloved looks at life pessimistically and falls into despair.

Orphaned from a young age, Jeong Shik runs away from the orphanage in hopes of making money. He roams the streets but soon he is caught for stealing bread. He is saved by Seong Gyu who, taking pity on him, invites him to live with him and his friend Min Wook. The three friends are invited one day to Soo Mi's birthday party. Soo Mi is a friend of Hye Ryun who is Min Wook's girlfriend. But they are ridiculed and verbally abused by Soo Mi's elder brother and so they leave the party. Jeong Shik becomes convinced that money is the answer to all his troubles. Meanwhile, Min Wook vows to take revenge on Kang Cheol who stole Hye Ryun from him only to dump her immediately. But he is no match for Kang Cheol and becomes a casualty of his own rage.

Over ten years ago, their mother passed away after giving birth to the youngest sibling. Not long after, their ailing father also died. Now, with an eviction notice in hand, the four siblings are left with only a letter from their father and a car registration under Chun-ja's name. Chun-ja takes back the car that their uncle had been using. After a family meeting, they agree with Jun-myung, the third sibling, who wishes to take a year off from school to travel. They set off on a camping journey together.

The soccer team of Mirae High School, which is centered on the ground wild horse Park Han-eol and soccer genius Oh Se-hwa, faces a crisis of dissolution due to its unpolished skills. However, through hell training by teachers and players who love soccer, he is finally selected for the youth team.

Ha Ki-Ryong, an executive of the Korean independence army, is killed by Taeaming, a spy of Japanese Special Investigation Bureau, and Ha's daughter, Ye-Sim, and Cheol are tracking Taeaming. Ye-Sim is taken as a hostage. Dong-Shik and Cheol falls is a trap by Hwang, an old boatman, then arrested. Taeaming joined Oosima's party near Ko-San, wrestling over a code book. When the Japanese army gathers to execute Ye-Sim and Cheol, the Korean independence army attacks them. Hwang is a commander of the Koran independence army. Finally, Taeaming is killed and Dong-Shik finds the code book.

A turtle like species crashes to earth after being attack by the shark gang, and with the help of some earthlings, make a giant weapon that will defeated the shark gang.

Seungbum is a ‘faux’ environmental journalist who makes a living by threatening construction and waste disposal companies. Travelling to his hometown on business, he recalls a long-forgotten memory.

Sang-yun, a boy who lives alone in the same village, visits Pastor Kang, who is carrying the funeral of his only son, “Mit-eum,” who has been brutally murdered by someone.