The top three Korean films that aren’t Oldboy

A rather weird exchange of words comes about every time I recommend maverick Korean Director Chan-wook Park’s 2003 masterpiece Oldboy: ‘Trust me this film is so amazing and messed up, it will scar you for life!’ It’s something that has to be seen to be understood. What is for sure is that Oldboy represents just one film in the blossoming world of modern Korean cinema:

I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK (2006)

What a name, eh? I’m a Cyborg... was the first film Park released after finishing his ‘Vengeance’ trilogy, of which Oldboy took centre stage. Here, Su-jeong Lim gives an electric performance as Young-goon, a factory worker who is sent to a mental hospital for thinking that she is a combat cyborg. At the institute she meets several characters ­– all deranged or strange – including Park Il-sun, played by Korean heart-throb Rain, a man who thinks he can steal souls.

The Host (2006)

I always considered The Host to be the first true ‘Blockbuster’ film to come out of South Korea. Upon release it sold over 13 million tickets domestically. Assuming no repeat viewings that totals 20% of the South Korean population. It’s not hard to see why as The Host is essentially Korea’s answer to Godzilla – instead featuring a monster lurking in Seoul’s Han River.

Memories of Murder (2003)

Released the same year as Oldboy, Memories of Murder is almost every bit a classic, starring the incredible Kang Ho-Song as one half of a detective team tasked to solve a string of brutal murders in the Gyeonggi province. With perfect pacing, deep and engrossing characters and a mystery plot every bit as shocking as David Fincher’s Seven, this film is a must-see.