1, Parasites
The film profoundly reveals the acute problems of social class in South Korea.
Kim Ki-taek, played by Song Kang-ho, as the father of the family, is in trouble despite his efforts to support his family, and his struggle and helplessness touch people's hearts.
The film shows the cruel reality of the gap between the rich and the poor through the unexpected entanglement between two families. The seemingly perfect family of the rich inspires complex feelings for the poor – even if they are not at fault, it is still difficult to suppress the hatred of them. The film cleverly uses metaphors, symbolized by parasites and stones, to reveal the nature of social phenomena. The subtle depiction of the political background and the profound connotation of the lines make this film not only a visual feast, but also a thought-provoking portrayal of society.
2. Memories of killing
Park Doo-man, a small-town criminal policeman played by Song Kang-ho, joins forces with the Su police transferred from Seoul to investigate the serial murder case. Park Doo-man handled the case harshly, and even used violence against the suspect in order to solve the case as soon as possible. However, at the moment when the truth was about to surface, the audience fell into confusion and unwillingness with him.
At the end of the movie, Park Dooman returned to the scene of the crime, and the eyes of the murderer in that scene seemed to have crossed the screen and hit people's hearts. This blend of reality and fiction is chilling. The outstanding performances of the actors in the film, especially Song Kang-ho's superb acting skills, pushed the film to the peak. This is a breathtaking but irresistible work, and it is definitely a classic of Korean cinema.
3. Defender
Based on the real-life experience of former South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, it shows the life transformation of tax lawyer Song Woo-suk. Song Woo-suk, played by Song Kang-ho, was just an ordinary little person at first, and he emerged in the real estate scrivener business with his keen eye. However, when the son of the hotel aunt was unfairly treated because of the Kamayulian incident, he chose to defend justice without hesitation.
The film profoundly shows the interweaving of history and reality in Korean society, and people can't help but admire the introspective spirit of Korean films. Song Kang-ho's superb acting skills brought the audience into the tense atmosphere of the courtroom, which made people moved. The shocking scene of the last scene makes people deeply understand the true meaning of those who win the hearts of the people and win the world.
4. Mourning
Deeply restores the tragic story of the Imwu Disaster in Korean history, Song Kang-ho played by Lee Yu, as a young ancestor, has both the majesty of the king and the ardent expectations for his son. He longed for Li Su to become a generation of Ming Jun, but fate played a cruel joke. Under the heavy oppression of patriarchy, the father and son went from intimacy to antagonism, which eventually led to irreparable tragedy.
The film vividly shows the conflicts and collisions of the characters' personalities through the narrative technique of constantly flashbacking, making the characters more three-dimensional and full. This work is not only a faithful reproduction of the historical facts of the Joseon court of the Lee family, but also a masterpiece of deep reflection on human nature and power, which makes people lament the impermanence of fate while also thinking about the complex entanglement of father-son relationship and power struggle.
5, Han River Monster
Kang Doo, played by Song Kang-ho, is an ordinary middle-aged man who runs a small shop by the Han River, but is unexpectedly attacked by monsters. This monster is not only a product of a biochemical disaster, but also a metaphor for power and American culture. Director Bong Joon-ho has a unique perspective to raise the voice for local culture in the context of Asian culture being impacted by Western culture.
The film successfully combines the theme of biochemical disasters with sociality, which is thought-provoking. Although the social satire is slightly forceful, the scheduling of thrillers and emotional scenes is top-notch. The script is solid, confronts reality, full of metaphors and political interpretations, and shows the power of absurdity and subversion. This film is not only the box office champion in South Korea, but also a deep reflection on the real world.
6. I want revenge
Park Dong-jin, played by Song Kang-ho, vows to take revenge after her daughter is accidentally killed. The film uses a multi-threaded narrative to show the twists and turns and accidents in the process of revenge. The layered editing and intertwined clues make the story more tense and exciting. The scene composition and image processing are full of artistic sense, and the silence is better than the sound expression of the inner emotions of the characters.
The black satire and political criticism in the film are also thought-provoking. Overall, the film is perfect from design to execution, both in terms of pacing and sound and picture processing. As the first of Park Chan-wook's "revenge trilogy", although it does not have the exquisite and fancy form of "Old Boy", it carries out the tyrannical and bloody to the end in a concise and straightforward way. This work is definitely a masterpiece, making people feel the absurdity of fate in their hearts every step of the way.