Discoveries from South Korea World Cinema

Hyun-myung, Doo-yong- and Gun-woo decide to spend the night at their secret place at the pond to celebrate their last day of high school and Sung-pil’s sister Kyung-mi’s birthday. Later night as the party intensifies, Gun-woo and Kyung-mi go back home quickly to get something, however they don’t make it back. The rest go searching for them only to find Gun-woo’s broken scooter and Kyung-mi’s dead body near the verge of the town and Gun-woo is missing. Four years later, Hyun-myung comes back in town and runs into his old friends. Eventually the truth of the past unfolds.

One man's desperation to save his dying wife sparks a chain of tragedies in the dark crime thriller Circle of Crime. The film offers a complex story that first depicts several seemingly unconnected incidents: the escape of a serial killer, a man being chased by loan sharks after taking the money to save his wife's life, a taxi driver's hit-and-run and a woman's suicide attempt. As the plot unfolds, the connection between these incidents begins to become clear.

Angels land on earth in human form with a simple assignment: escort an old lady to her final resting place. But first they enjoy a drink. The angels sense a long-lost connection with Mi-yeon, the bar-owner. The old lady goes to Sok-chool, the shaman to ask him for a gut, a ritual to mediate between the living and the dead. She may want it for her late husband who appeared to her in a dream or for her son Yong-taek who took his own life. The shama..

Eighteen-year-old Da-seul was spending an ordinary life helping her father run a traditional makgeolli (rice wine) brewery. However, because the origin of the 'nuruk' (the yeast) that determines the taste of the makgeolli was unknown, their makgeolli could not be officially distributed, and they ended up secretly selling it only to the local villagers. Her older brother, Da-hyeon, who wanted to modernize the brewery, secretly threw away the old nuruk and replaced it with a commercially available one without telling their father or Da-seul. He thought no one would notice—but from that day on, Da-seul fell ill as if possessed, saying "the nuruk is gone." At first, Da-hyeon found it absurd, but as Da-seul's condition worsened, he began to take it seriously. He eventually discovers traces of the nuruk in an unexpected place, and through a chaotic episode involving homeless people, Da-seul and Da-hyeon come to face a truth they had long turned away from.

So-jin fell in love with the fun of contacting Do-joon, a man she met on a random chat that started by chance. Then one day, starting with a phone call, she crosses the line that she shouldn't cross.

Korean newlyweds are on their honeymoon in Paris. Strolling in the Pigalle area, the young bride sees in a red dress in a store window and she enters the shop. Her husband goes to buy cigarettes while he waits for her. When the man comes back his wife has disappeared. Not speaking a word of French he desperately searches for her. A search that will turn into a free fall into a world ruled by illegality, prostitution, drugs, a universe with its own codes and punishments

An erotic film about sexual intercourse between co-workers

Cheondong got dumped by his first love Murim 8 years ago. He's on the verge of getting sick of his boring life when Murim appears in front of him as a ghost. Even before he could accept Murim's death, Murim asks him for a favor. It's to find his boyfriend. Cheondong gets angry at first but he ends up looking for her boyfriend...

While waiting to hear on a teaching position, Jong-hwan falls in love with Su-kyeong who, in turn, loves his poetry. They marry but, because Jong-hwan is caught up in his work and taking care of his mother and siblings, he fails to notice his wife's hardships or the fact that her health is getting progressively worse

Kisaeng Wol-ha marries Kim Han-su, but soon dies because of a false accusation made up by her mother-in-law and very own servant. Now, the ghost of Wol-ha wants revenge!

Seol-hwa, an aspiring celebrity, is envious of her younger sister Seol-min, a celebrity on top of her game. Seol-min, however, is not afraid to use her body to not miss any opportunity. Seol sisters' road to stardom begins.

A touching drama of a baseball player who has past his prime and comes back to the major league after much struggle.

Na-yeong who has always been a friend of the innocent and friendly Hoon-i knows that he really likes the girl living in the house in front named Da-hee, and tries to connect them somehow. However, Da-hee doubts the relationship between Hoon-i and Na-yeong so he treats Hoon-i more and more coldly, and she opens her heart to her colleague, Min-soo, instead. But Min-soo who's a senior in the company only thinks of Da-hee as one of his many girls, and Na-yeong is aware of this fact. She tries to tell Hoon-i and Da-hee about this... The story of two men and women wandering between love and friendship is just beginning.

A story about a three-part family with lots of stories to tell and the first episode of the '3 life parts' that is completed henceforth.

Three part omnibus film, with each story connected to the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster, in which over 300 people, many students, perished when the ship sank.

So-hee and Hyeon-goo move into the house next to Mi-na and Seung-mo.

Kang-soe and his wife Ong-nyeo settle down in a new village but tragedy strikes when Kang-soe dies while chopping wood. Ong-nyeo announces that she will marry any man who can successfully bury her husband. Many men try to accomplish the task, but die in the process. Ong-nyeo is in despair over not being able to complete the funeral preparations when her husband appears before her apparently alive again

A young man and woman meet at the beach. The man falls in love with her despite her perpetually moody personality. She soon reveals that she is dying and has only a few months to live.

A native Korean man, born to Korean parents as a Black individual, and a lesbian woman still holding onto memories of her ex-lover embark on a journey together.

My alien daddy pays a visit.

Have you had a bitter experience because of a stranger you let in your house? Don’t be a good Samaritan inviting a stranger into your house recklessly. Chang-soo invites a stranger man to his house, whom he met through his photography hobby club. The two drinks together and fall asleep. When Chang-soo wakes up, he finds himself tied up and there stands his wife looking scared.

The newly installed radio transmitter using ultra sonic wavelengths has caused all corpses in the local cemeteries to rise up. The resurrected go on a rampage in a endless search for blood.

'Gi-seong' the head of the children's education sales office is the head of the 'bean flour family' with his accident-prone father, his adolescent daughter, and his ex-wife who re-married his classmate. His only dream is to be reunited with his wife and live in a large apartment with his family. 'Il-yeong' a bank employee says the timid man 'Gi-seong' is cute, makes his life a little different, and perhaps 'Gi-seong' can get his family back. Nerdy but charming, the cute guy's family rekindling project begins!

Short film by Kim Sung-su.

After the woman who nearly killed her is brought to trial, Eun-hie finds that she must take the stand to give evidence. However, the defense attempts to turn the tables on her by revealing her sordid past and trying to make it seem as if she deserved what happened to her.

A man spends all of his tuition money on his sick father and is forced to take a job in a factory where he becomes involved with the plight of the foreign workers.

What happened in Korean society in the 1990s? The film starts with the Jijon-pa (Supreme Gangsters) case. The shocking story is narrated through the discussion by the two detectives who arrested the gangsters, of details of the roundup, data screens, and the death sentence. Nevertheless, Nonfiction Diary’s focus is not on the crime story. Starting from Jijon-pa onwards, the film reflects on the 1990s, when Korea digressed into contemporary history. The Seongsu Bridge and the Sampoong Department Store’s collapses are recalled, followed by the then-government’s punishment of the May 18 Uprising leaders, revealing the Korean legal system’s death penalty status, touching on political and power issues. The audience is reminded that today, 2013, is an extension of that same flow.

Jeong-sun as her name lives an uncluttered life with modest behavior even though working at a food factory. Young-soo, a factory colleague, approaches her. As they get closer, they enjoy their secret relationship, and he takes candid shots in beds with his mobile camera. One day, she gets inappropriate stares from others.

In Manchuria during the 1940's, a karate master named Sazaki and hapkido champion Wang make plans to rob the Korean Independence Army of its funds. However, unknown to them, the money is guarded by one Mr Lee--a grand master of taekwondo.

“To me films are an imaginary world where emotion comes into play.” YOO Teo traveled to Belgium to make his movie but he ended up being locked down due to COVID-19. This film is about his 15-days of quarantine in Antwerp Hotel fighting for his movie and loneliness. He also depicted his most personal story. This is the debut film of YOO Teo both as the star and the director.

Haengnam going to the hospital. She wants to look good to her, so she looks at her stores and takes care of all her housework. She even got a job for you and worked hard for you today, but because of an unexpected variable, Haengnam quickly becomes an intellectually disabled person.

A nobleman sends his daughter to the king as a concubine in order to gain personal power and favors from the monarch. Her lover follows her into the palace disguised as a eunuch. They continue to meet in secret until discovered and sentenced to death.

Three grown sons have struggled to achieve some sort of normal routine after their father was sent off to prison for sexual assault on an underaged girl. Their lives are thrown into radical disarray when dad finishes his time and returns to the family home. The fact that the victim’s father is awaiting the return outside their door with a knife is certainly not any help to their situation... but it’s not like things are going so well otherwise, with the three sons, a virtual compendium of sexual dysfunctions in their own right.

A dying merman asks a friend to give his remains to his daughter, hiding amongst the humans. Tasked with this dangerous journey, the merman secretly heads to the land of humans. He is chased by a new civil servant recruit fueled by curiosity and hatred.

Dong-hoon, a CF director, decides to marry Su-hee, a young lady, with the introduction of Jun-seok, a neuropsychiatrist. Dong-hoon, whose women's relationship is complicated, reveals his last night with Ji-eun the day before marriage in the sense of ending all relationships. Su-hee, who saw Dong-hoon's naked body at first night, runs out of the bedroom in shock, but eventually Dong-hoon experiences a maiden from Su-hee and is moved. One day while living a happy honeymoon, Su-hee accidentally learns about the relationship between Dong-hoon and Ji-eun. Su-hee, who was agonizing, shivers the moment she sees the commercial made by Dong-hoon. After that, Su-hee, who goes out on the street, begins to seduce the men. Is it out of revenge for her husband's affair? She meets a swimming coach on the street and a zookeeper and burns a fantastic, wild zest.

During a summer vacation, Ok-ju and Dong-ju move into their grandpa's house. While Dong-ju adapts to his new home, Ok-ju feels awkward about this new environment. Once their soon-to-be-divorced aunt also moves in, and as Ok-ju spends time with her family, the house and her grandpa start to grow on her.

Chang-ho, 12, becomes friends with a North-Korean immigrant about the same age who just crossed the Dooman river, border between North-Korea and China. His mute sister and his wise grandfather accompany him through a series of misfortunes.

A young man works at the bond collection call center. He is polite, pure and sincere at a glance. On the other hand, the director of the center is not called to the head office, so she is antsy every day. And she has a daughter who is having a hard time preparing for a job.

No pain, no gain. This is the motto of the Yoo family: the father is a successful doctor, the mother supervises their daughter's scholastic performance from the vantage point of their beautiful home. Then cracks appear in the facade which soon deepen and spread. In particular, the father seems to be losing control - he is suddenly faced with a sexual harassment lawsuit and an absurd running battle with a taxi driver.

Tae-ho, a high school student, and his friends decide to go see a shooting star on the weekend. Meanwhile, Tae-ho, a gay man, is hiding this from his friends, but avoids appointments because of a date with his lover. When his best friend ‘White Horse’ accidentally finds out about this secret, the story goes unpredictable.

Show hostess Yeon-jeong, who has been pushed out from works in her workplace, and overwhelmed by her junior colleagues because of her pregnancy with her second child, eventually decides to have an abortion since both her body and mind have been devastated. Then, her husband Min-hyeok drops a bombshell: he will take care of childbirth and child rearing himself.

Since their debut in 2020, aespa has shown impressive growth with the mega-hits of their every album, including 'Black Mamba', 'Next Level', 'Savage', and 'Girls.' The first page of the story about aespa's radiant dream unfolds on the screen, including their new music world, the live recording of their performances, the first reveal of the honest interview of the four members, and the stories behind the scenes of their first concert in 2023 'SYNK : HYPER LINE.'

Se-dol (Young-ho), who goes to the video room, wants to watch a dirty movie, but hesitates every time he notices it. Lisa, who enjoyed traveling in Korea, misunderstood the blind date, went into the video room, misunderstood as a helper, and lost her embarrassing first experience. Hae-soo learns that Sedol, who leaves the video room to go to a part-time job at dawn, is on the verge of joining the army. Three years have passed since then. After being discharged, an unexpected visitor comes to Sedol, who was preparing for the national notice. A childhood friend who called each other Sedol and Simsun. After discovering each other's hearts that were their first love, Se-dol and Sim-sun spend an exciting night, Hae-su, who had a formal relationship with Se-dol, discovers the entangled relationship between the two, and then sinks.

Cheol-Su, an assassin disguised as a patriot, Tae-Ho, a gangster, and Dal-Gun, a spy, are kind of people who can turn their backs from each other for the sake of their own interests. Now they are cooperating to find a golden Buddhist statue. They gets to think about the nation's wellbeing during their search for the statue, and decide to fight for their mother land, returning the statue to Lance.

While working on a case with farmers, lawyer Heo Seung comes to believe that the rural development movement is the only lasting way to preserve the identity of the country. With conviction, Seung throws himself into the rural area. However, this position is against the Japanese occupation policies and eventually, even his wife, Yun Jung-sun, ends up leaving him. The Japanese judge Masaki Hiroshi determines that Seung's rural development activities are actually a rebellion against Japan. He has Seung imprisoned as an ideology criminal. After spending five years in jail, Seung returns to the country to see his wife, Jung-sun, continuing her husband's work and waiting for him.

Under the Sungsan Bridge, in a waterside stand by the Han River, a poor and tired-looking father and daughter, Jae-mun, and In-seon, are arguing the generation gap over whether to buy boiled eggs or instant crackers. The stand owner Hee-bong hears Jae-mun suddenly declare that boiled eggs float.

Seul-gi has a satisfactory life with her rich and caring husband. However, she feels she’s lacking something and meets Seung-hwan to whom she is very much attracted to. Seung-hwan is a free spirited man and seduces Seul-gi.The two of them experience an exciting but dangerous relationship. However, her husband Jeong-ho finds out but he’s willing to let it go as he knows he loves her but he hasn’t been able to care for her much as he’s been so busy. He gives her the chance to make a choice and the moment comes where she has to make the right decision…

A story of a husband battle that unfolds in a village near the 38th parallel a year before the outbreak of the Korean War.

In an era of economic despair and record-high unemployment, where becoming a YouTuber is the ultimate dream job, the popular YouTube crew 'Killing Time' collapses overnight after an unforeseen accident claims a team member's life during a live broadcast. Desperate for a successful comeback, the members plot to return with far more extreme and sensational content. However, just as success seems within reach, mysterious figures appear and propose the 'real' Killing Time.

Kim In-in is about to die. To protect his deathbed, Sang-woo's family visits the hospital. Kim In-in asks Sang-woo about the whereabouts of Byung-cheol, but Byung-cheol avoids contact. Kim In-in, who was looking for Byung-cheol until his death, faces a lonely death while Sang-woo and his family are watching, and Sang-woo turns to where Byeong-cheol lives.

Nan-Hyang runs away from home because she can't bear her inharmonious family where her father is a doctor and her mother is the president of a third rate publishing company. Nan-Hyang meets Jin-Ho and his friend Min-Su and has mutual understandings. Jin-Ho stopped studying temporarily. With them, Nan-Hyang lives at her own way and sometimes deviates from the right path. But, Min-Su's success in exam, who makes efforts in everything, makes her realize self-consciousness. Jin-Ho also returns to the college.

The widow of a nobleman bears a son after having an affair with her servant. The servant and the baby are driven from the home by the woman's irate in-laws when the truth is discovered. Even after the child is grown, no contact is allowed between he and his mother who now denies the events of her past.

In 2008, late President Roh Moo-hyun returned to his hometown Bongha village after his retirement and was joined by supporters as he recreated his hometown and began to clean up the Bonghae Mountain, cultivating Bongha Mountain, and cultivating environmentally friendly rice.