@@talkingheadsfan Thank you! I haven't seen MHA yet, but maybe I will someday; I can't just go watching every single anime that exists all at once. Yes, Kanji would have stumped me.
American horror movie = jumped out of my seat but can have a party immediately after the movie Korean horror movie = exhausted, defeated and don't have energy to party after the movie... and lasts for several days.
I noticed that Western audiences usually criticize Korean horror because of the comedy aspect. They say it feels too out of place and jarring. That's what I found endearing about them. I think the first film I saw was The Host, which is one of the few movies I own a physical copy of, lol. Even in Western horror there are elements of comedy, but it's usually in the way of corny one liners in the beginning of the film. In Korea, they go for the gusto; nothing subtle about it. It's the dark comedy fan in me that I find myself attracted to that sort of out of place silliness. It's bizarre, it shouldn't be there because horrible things are happening but it is. The silliness makes a character more relatable: they're imperfect, just like me. They're not a 90 pound 22-year-old blond being hunted down while looking immaculate. That there is a jabroni that drops and breaks stuff all the time, that says the wrong thing by accident, that has a crappy job and a crappy diet and a crappy lifestyle with a broken family. Just like me. So when shit ends up going down you're already tied to the character with a neat little bow. You're in. Their suffering is your suffering. Comedy and bleakness are invariably tied together, just ask any comedian.
@Alnora I couldn't agree more. Also, 'The Host' was the first Korean movie I watched, too. Happily I've since watched every Korean film I could and they were almost all as good or better than 'The Host'. 'I Saw The Devil', 'Memories of Murder', and 'Train to Busan' are three of the best, along with 'Moebius' and, of course, 'Oldby' and the other two 'Vengeance' movies. I think, along with Scandinavian Horror, it's my favourite sub-genre. People that avoid subbed movies: you don't know what you're missing. So I'll tell ya! Some of the most enjoyable, thought-provoking cinema in the world. Do yourselves a favour and give 'The Wailing', or 'The Host' a try. And if you like horror, 'I Saw The Devil' and 'Moebius' are amazing. 'Thirst' is pretty good, too. And, of course, if you're aware of the recent buzz around it, 'Parasite' will ring a bell. It, also, is exemplary filmmaking and you should check it out if you get the chance.
I actually remember a jumpscare on the Host, when the Monster swallows one of the biological agents sent to the river. It doesn´t even had an incredibly loud noice, but it is so sudden, seemed almost random, without all this further preparation common on horror films, that made me touch the ceiling the first time I saw it.
Now Korean horror and movies are great, but if you do understand Korean, they get even better. The language, the words used give that depth, that well roundedness that makes it just so much more special
Broccoli This is not the think to learn but experiencing the culture. I would not say to experience Korean culture, but finding a korean friend will help you.
As a Korean who's grown up listening to my grandma's stories about what Korea was like during her generation, one reason I think Koreans are able to capture such a range and depth of emotional drama in film is because Korea as a nation has experienced so much deep pain, war, and strife. Koreans have experienced this so much that there's even a word for it, and doesn't have an English equivalent: "한", or (Han) which can be translated into a sense of injustice, sorrow, resentment, or grief.
Omg. Yes, I've read and hear that Korea had a hard time in WW2 and in other times too. I don't like the movies of my country, only a few, they are stupid comedies or so realistic that it is depressing to watch them. I find Korean movies interesting and entertaining, they make you think but witout boring you like french movies. 😄😄
@master universe , during the Korean war every single Korean city north and south was destroyed and after the war North and South Korea were the poorest and second poorest countries respectively, in the world. South Korea is a miracle.
I think all cultures under the influence of ancient China have that concept. In Vietnamese it's "hận". I'm too lazy to look up the underlying Chinese character.
Dude every country, nation, civilisation etc has been through pain, horror and slaughter...it’s just some people are able to advertise it better than others.
@lightsouthaha it is a miracle, 1945 they gain their independence from Japan after 50 years of control, and in one lifetime they are a highly functional and developed society. The wars were not miracles which is what you're inferring, no one said the wars were a miracle.
What are his other movies? I loved the symbolism as well, the whole faith theme which is underlying below the hole stuff! Great movie indeed! Just finished watching it!
I can't put my finger on what I find scary in the movie. There were no jumpscares, no ghost sighting as such. But the morbid feeling enveloped me slowly as the movie progressed. When the protagonist was waiting for the rooster to cry for the third time, I was pissing my pants. It felt real. It felt like I was one of the villagers.
I noticed that there is a strong revenge element in Korean film's,not just horror. I once read, that revenge is often explained as a result of social anger built up in a populace by South Korea's turbulent history. I am a fan of this genre. Your explanation and narative is brilliant!
They want revenge because of the way their society is build. They seek for perfection, therefore rejection is a HUGE factor. They must have an insane amount of rejection per capita there, that builds up to resentment and feelings of revenge. It's also the reason there are so many suicides. It's actually a pretty simple thing to understand. Excellence at the expense of humanity. It happens all around the world in globilized countries. Capitalism, greed, superfitiality, lies, hypocrisy, that's what you get when you don't maintain a balance with the commonly known "deadly sins". It may have almost nothing to do with history, new generations didn't live that.
Yeah my professor was telling us that vengeance is a theme in Korea, and while I was studying abroad this summer in Korea. for my film class, we watched the "Vengeance trilogy". Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance Oldboy Lady Vengeance
@@milkbeard8867 For Train to Busan the human mind was what was most horrific after a while. The complete lack of sympathy brought on by fear and the intensity of self preservation was disgusting yet somehow understandable. Obviously a wave of ravenous monsters trapping you in your own mind or killing you leaving your body to kill those you loved is terrifying they could be in there in agony as well. But humans become just as big if not a bigger threat as they don't follow rules and have motives and can be great liars. As the guy said in the video Despair is different from Fear. And I think that's what Train To Busan embodied. The feeling of HOW DO I GET OUT OF THIS, I CAN'T. There's children on board and Zombies don't see age.
@PietreADI Well, considering the fact that both movies are OBJECTIVLY great, you either dislike them for being "popular" or you have incredibly shit taste
I often think that Koreans don't feel entitled to happiness, or even the pursuit of happiness, the way Americans do. Misery and depression are unavoidable; you just have to endure. Also eat. And laugh.
It can also be due to religious differences, people of Abrahamic faith are strong believers in happy endings, if you do something correct there will be heaven at the end. Asians generally do not have such strong concepts of heaven and hell, things only exist and will continue to exist
@Samira yes, but the sense of reward still exists, see? if you endure, your happy ending will come. in non abrahamic faith, you accept the suffering as endless and accept joy when it's found.
@@yellowbelly7863 Once Thai horror gets bigger budgets, they're also one of the top dogs and I already consider them so, even with considerably less budget.
I loved Train to Busan. I felt dispair but also a sense of bittersweet for the sacrifice he made to protect the one he loved. I felt it was a wonderfully touching and fitting end to such a great movie. I cried because I feel thats something I would do to protect my children. I loved that they showed flashback images to solidify his reason. When he smiled as he fell.... I lost it! The levees broke and the floodgates opened.
I think there was also an alternative ending where the soldier aimed his gun at the pregnant belly and shot her with the kid singing. Now THAT would be a typical Korean ending.
The ending I saw with the little girl singing so they would know she's not a zombie left me crying so hard. I felt like his sacrifice was worth it, she lived.
@@klompb when i watched train to busan in the cinema, the ending got the entire place crying like you could hear an orchestra of tissue packets opening and noses sniffing. it's a great watch indeed!
@@madeofcastiron same. A definite first for me in a zombie movie :D It was a pleasant surprise to watch a zombie movie with actual character development in it.
It took me 2 movies (Mother and Parasite) to understand that the Korean-style endings were NOT what I was used to... I'm still feeling the frustration and disorientation
As a Korean, I used to say this to my foreign friend. "Korean culture is bloom from blood and sweat of recent Korean history" We been through dramatic 100 years like fallen kingdom, colonized, independent, separated , civil war, dictatorship and even we have been biological experimented by Japanese. So I can say Korean knows what is 'Brutal reality'
Korea is nothing but ironies. Economic Boom unforeseen in the contemporary world yet one of the lowest happiness indexes along with the World highest suicide rate (other than North Korea). A booming culture of Kpop and media yet an ultra-conservative and toxic societal culture that represses expression and individualism. The 20th century has done nothing but radicalize the Korean mindset. Not only has it worked to our strengths but its is destroying us at the same time. It's only natural our movies reflect out ironic reality.
I think it is an over-statement. Only thing I can think of is the generation that grew up in the 80s and 90s leads the current trends. But they don't have all the sentiments in regards to things you listed. I can say that because I belong to the same generation. I also believe it is just a tendency of what korean audiences consume: hardcore violence, usage of caustic language and in-your-face humor. I think author of this video is not clearly understanding what horror genre is: Memories of murder, oldboy, the host... are not.
Marc Velliano evenif the generation of 80-90s didnt “experience” what he listed in real, Korean have learned them from history through education in all generation unlikely Japan and its considered still going on. Korean have faced the reality in very various way from the past to present. I dont think Korean are just search for hardcore violence etc in the movie. In my personal opinion, Korean tend to like “truth” in many terms. In the society, feeling, tradition, reality, relationship etc in many terms. Those kinda brutal aspects including comedy are not detachable from reality. I am not that interested in the movie only show beautiful parts or superficial things. Yeah.. i know it is my personal taste :p and I am Korean.
Comedy and horror have a close relationship I think.. Comedy allows us to approach things that are otherwise too horrifying to confront in reality. In a sense, the horror is watching the comedy become too real.
@ but it's just the monster. everything else is pretty much default. with an american budget their entertainment industry would be one of the top in the world if it wasn't already
J Shin ya'll should watch Miracle in Cell No.7 - not a horror/thriller but really messes with your emotions (especially when you re watch it). That movie had me crying for months whenever I thought about it 👀
parasite is absolutely my favourite movie hands down, didn't know how to feel the entire way through and then the ending came at me all at once, felt scared, shocked, sad, relieved, lost.....
okay ngl Ive watched train to busan yesterday and let me tell you : I wasn't expecting a lot and definitely not that it's gonna be a good, worth watching movie. Especially since I don't really think Zombie movies are good and they all are usually very cringy (I didn't like the walking dead either). So I continued watching it and was like "Damn, this is actually good". I was shocked how good the acting was and how amazing the story went. Till I hit the half of the movie. That was the moment when I fell into an emotional rollercoaster. So much anger over came me, just a few seconds after that relief and sadness, anger again, happiness, fear, confusion. I was living the story and was on so much adrenaline. I can't describe my experience into words. This movie fucked my mind, ngl. Although I haven't been crying while watching the movie, I still started bawling my eyes out while the credits were showing. Quietly crying while saying nothing. I was shocked and had a loss of words. I just replayed everything in my head, every sentence that had me thinking, every sad moment and every heart warming moment. The end fucked me up. All I can say is : This movie is by far my favorite. Watch it. No matter how cliché the storyline might look, it's beyond your expectations. Please excuse my English, it's not my first language.
Train to Busan introduced me to Korean horror. Went back and watched The Host and Oldboy. Also got me interested in more Japanese horror. Can’t wait to watch more.
Ooooh yeah when is that happening? Initially I only watched Train to Busan because Gong Yoo was the lead and I like him as an actor but I love this movie, it holds a special place in my heart.
if you can handle more intense stuff, then I really recommend watching more korean horror movies. honestly, Train to Busan was pretty basic compared to the things they usually do. It felt almost too american-ised to me
The sequel for it is Peninsular. There is a trailer in the RUclips.its not really a sequel, bcoz the hero,place are different.but still, it happens during or after the train to Busan's scene.
Well to be fair everyone wants to erase the American remake to existence so i wouldn't hold it against your father in fact he and me are the same wouldn't even took a 20 sec glance on it.
This should really be called "What Can We Learn From South Korean Cinema", which at this point in the West is everything. I'm no expert on world cinema, but for me S. Korea has been making the best films of almost any genre for more than 20 years now.
Disciple of the Caped Baldy the Best Plot Twists I've seen are from Korean movies and dramas. Hell, even their webtoons and variety shows got great editing and plot twist too
"Melodrama is the default narrative mode in Korean cinema..." Yup, yup, can confirm. I've only seen a couple of Korean horror movies specifically, but I've seen several other genres and yeah, they love their melodrama. But they're also really good at it.
Welp... it's a country that rose from the ashes of Japan's brutal colonization and has highest student suicide rate in the world while boasting the best education level. Half of its original population is now a post modern world communist nation with nuclear weapons as its lifeline. Imagine living as an ally of U.S. and being positioned between war mongering brother nation and former slave masters. Being relatively well off economically after war yet also experiencing upper echelon depression in such a short span. This country is like a duality personified. It's only natural that its movies would embody irony and depression.
ITwas considering how revenge driven a lot of Korean movies are. I wonder if the populace subconsciously want revenge for all the things they've been thru
@@gilet102 They want revenge because of the way their society is build. They seek for perfection, therefore rejection is a HUGE factor. They must have an insane amount of rejection per capita there, that builds up to resentment and feelings of revenge. It's also the reason there are so many suicides. It's actually a pretty simple thing to understand. Excellence at the expense of humanity. It happens all around the world in globilized countries. Capitalism, greed, superfitiality, lies, hypocrisy, that's what you get when you don't maintain a balance with the commonly known "deadly sins".
In my country there is specific emotion we name “Han” which is sadness of missing someone and anger of unfairness. And this feeling is what we call the Korean’s best representative emotion. I guess melodrama is in our blood. Sorry for my English.
Minseo Kwon I got to learn about “Han” after listening to some of BTS’ songs as they tend to do word plays with Han and relate it to Han River I’m not Korean but the Korean culture and arts has been something that really interests me due to the melodrama essence. In a world we live in this essence is slowly taking over all of us...hence why more people are able to relate and enjoy such content I suppose
The closest English equivalent to "han" would be "resentment", a feeling which arises from a sense of anger of why things are, the way they are. This often stems from a lack of something experienced previously and/or desire for a different outcome be it an unrequited love interest or killing for revenge. In western cinema, the action is driven by how one is going to correct/overcome a situation, and character is revealed in the back story of how they became the way they are. It's based on ancient Greek concepts of "hero" and a "heroic tradition of hero versus the Gods". It is a social "morality tale" and there is always a resolution. What I find in Korean movies like "The Wailing" and "I saw the Devil" is that there really is no resolution. Evil continues to exist and morph into other forms and the best possible outcome would be a draw. In the first movie, the "hero" lost his family and everything he did to protect his daughter, failed. The devil moved on. And in the second, the "hero" survived but at a heavy price, his former colleagues were on his trail. Ironically, the "devil" was executed by his own family, but did evil just find a new victim? The inane laughter of the hero at the end, suggests to me that's the case. All in all, I find Korean thrillers are better at showing how people react in the face of evil whether it be external or within themselves. There's a very fine line between good and evil which is lacking in western thrillers. I feel that there is an international audience for Korean dramas and I hope to see more of this genre in the future.
I think the contrast is effective because what they're really doing, first and foremost, is emulating real life: real life is awkward, people fumble, and extremes feel surreal because we are often naturally inclined to deny such things - especially the supernatural. The contrast between horror and natural, awkward behaviour shown through long, wide takes (such as 4:36) helps to ground the film, making the horror hit closer to home.
I watched The Host when I was little, when the grandfather died by the monster, almost cried, I don’t know why but I was really attached to the characters in that movie.
This I can agree on after watching just 3 Korean movies. They make me feel very very emotionally exhausted and at the end of it all I have no idea whether I should be happy or sad. Or mad
"I Saw the Devil" was the first Korean film I ever saw, I had a solid idea of what you were planning on talking about instantly. Thanks for putting this into words better than I could have.
Great video. Korean horror movies are some of my favorites out there, especially The Wailing. They deserve the recognition they get. Keep up the good work.
They dont really get recogintion in the western world tho. Awful movies like Annabelle do get much more recognition for either being fun for some people or being absolutely awful for others.
I didnt know such genre is a thing and still I'm a Korean lol. My favorite Korean Horror film is a recent one, by Bong JoonHo. Really good one, you guys must check it out. It has remarkable creepiness and a good tempo. Not a single moment was boring. Also the film nailed it -catching the contemporary social atmosphere. I could relate to it so much. That's why this film is so creepy. Highly recommended.
@@ThienTruong-iy5ix Oh gosh the Parasite was truly one of the most disturbing movies I've watched, mostly because my friends didn't tell me what it was about, and the whole genre of the movie changed during the movie. It was completely unexpected for me.
I think Ari Aster is bringing that kind of Korean horror vibe to Hollywood. He did say he loves Korean films and he mentioned he was amazed how Koreans just mix genres and somehow make it work.
I can see the similarity. He nailed it with Hereditary. Not so much with Midsommer in a way imo. I guess it's because the characters were so plain and there's little to no attachment. Hereditary worked because it focuses a lot on the characters' perspectives while in Midsommer we're mostly detached. Idk if it was intentional but it didn't help with my experience. It was a visual feast and unnerving for sure. Just not so much with the storytelling department. Actually, I don't see Midsommer as a horror film. It's more of an art film.
To be honest, Hereditary feels like an hommage to The Wailing. Same approach and same ending. As someone who saw The Wailing and is a fangirl to it, Hereditary should be a renaissance of sort to US horror.
We, Korean, noticed it. But Korea Horror movies are tend to defend on the Korean daily life details to make audience's reality. This difference makes us consider Ari Aster's movie little hipster-ish. The Heredity was not a instant hit but slow and easy.
@@nicole-ip4yf that is the point of the film, uncertainty, and you feel the unsettling discomfort which is the goal of those kinds of movies. Korean film makers love to messing your head and feeling to Defamiliarize reality. or, German expressionists film makers and novelist called it, grotesque realism. you feel right about the movie.
Word on contrasts. I'll always remember Memories of Murder (a thriller not horror) that starts out as some kind of cop-comedy and ends up as a very dark psychological thriller, while still making sense as a movie.
I saw the ending of The Babadook as a fake happy ending. With that thing still in the basement shows she's not cured and it gives me a sense of dread. It's very well done and I think fits best, it's one of the few times that I wanted a happy ending for a horror film.
*lets be all honest, we all cried when Su-Ans dad falls off the train to make sure he doesn’t infect them. If you didn’t cry I understand if you tried holding back tears, but if you never cried in train to busan.... YOUR A MONSTER*
As a Korean girl, I always thought horror movies from my country felt so different from Western horror flicks, but I never could figure out why I felt this way. Because of your video, I can finally articulate my feelings about Korean horror, so thank you so much.
Nice one! I love introducing my friends to foreign movies. It`s like showing them a whole new world of cinema and it always provokes a strong reaction with them because they are so used to happy endings etc. I usually start them of "light" with The Chaser (since it`s an easy thriller when it comes to following the plot) and gradually move them up to movies that require a bit more tought or repeat viewings like Old Boy.
YAS! My absolute favorite is a Tale of Two Sisters! I loved Soumi and how she interacted with her family and what the monster was really about. So well done.
@@lindabyn77 Yes! And if you know you're symbology, especially of the Asian kind the movie only gets better. I read a paper on the movie and diff Asian symbology that was used to foreshadow and enhance the overall theme and it only made the movie richer.
Thank you so much for covering this! I have fell deeply in love with Korean Horror movies in university and it’s great to see other people enjoying them too! I keep being blown away by Korean filmmakers and their movies. Just when I thought I’ve seen it all they come up with something new and so unsettling. Great video!!
This is really nicely arranged and expressed. The extremes that the stories go to definitely help to both engage and unhinge the audience. When you mentioned 'honesty', it struck me. I've noticed in a lot of Korean films there are small moments that are very truthful representations of human behavior. Little touches where someone does something not because it's rational or particularly important to the plot, but because it's the 'kind of thing people do'. An example from Sympathy for Mister Vengeance would be when Ryu is trying to decide how best to position himself to open his enemy's door. It's played comically, but watching it you feel a connection, as you realize you'd probably have the same issue. It's a small moment of discomfort that makes you relate to the character in a way you otherwise wouldn't.
I have such an appreciation for Korean Horror films. I really love The Host, as it was my first Korean Horror film. I'm so happy that someone else can also really appreciate these films
OMFG U guys have some sort of... energy or thing that just keeps me glued to each and every one of your videos!!! This one is another one than makes me go wow and just WOW I love this channel!
Train to Busan, The Medium, and especially The Wailing are such impressive films. The character development as well as the structure of the story always leaves you thinking about the film days after, really such a unique and fun genre to watch.
Thank you for taking the time out to actually untangle the motivation of my love for Korean horror movies... Every single point made is accurate especially more because I am familiar with three of these movies... The most defining aspect of the video that resonated with me was the connection to S/korea's tumultous past that had a lot of unhappy endings so to speak... I am going to refer pple to this video to teach them how unique Korean cinema is overall.. Thank you so much🙌
Fine. Now I am crying because I was reminded of Train to Busan. I recommend it to almost everyone any chance I get. My favorite movie. My mom couldn't keep watching it and had to leave for a bit. The tension in it really adds to it as well as the fact that you only really learn about what's going on through the perspective of the main characters. It makes you feel very close to them and experience their uncertainty.
When I watched The Host, I have no expectations whatsoever. My intention was just to pass some time and maybe have a nap while it's playing, but boy was I in for a surprize. I was so confused at the beginning (not knowing whether I'm watching a comedy or a horror movie) and when it ended, I felt so exhausted. All the movies mentioned here doesn't have happy endings, but they have the best endings ever.
Korean thrillers are something else. Oldboy, I Saw the Devil, and Sympathy for Lady Vengeance are some of the few that really messed me up after. I'm glad you'll cover it soon.
Probably the only person who wasn’t a huge fan of Sympathy of LAdy Vengeance but it was visually beautiful. Old boy was freaking great. I haven’t watched a Korean movie in a while but they did hold up.
Great video!! My favorite thing about Korean horror is how the story is never what you expect it to be. It's never straightforward and even when I rewatch the movies, I discover new information that I didn't notice the first time around. Even if the movies themselves are not "scary", it always leaves me feeling strange at the end of them. Definitely my favorite genre!
You're soothing to listen to, even if talking horror! I also notice you don't push all of your videos past the 10 mark. Definitely subscribing, and thanks for the content.
This applies to Korean cinema overall, action, drama, comedy, not just horror. There's no nihilism, no cynicism or irony. It's always human-focused and sincere.
It’s also because of their culture that brings them to this level. It’s beautiful and tragic. It’s one of my fav genres, I absolutely love Korean horror, drama, thrillers, and obsessed with k drama shows. American horror movies are so cheesy and will always give a decent happy ending. Korean horror gives an ending that will leave you in shock and they don’t care about you feeling great. They want you to feel something, the tragedy of the protagonist.
I'm actually watching a Korean Horror series at the moment (Strangers from hell) and it combines a lot of points you were making in your video. The hilarioius elements combined with obvious and underlaying horror, slowly creeping up to you. It's very well done and I recommend it to anyone. Otherwise I really enjoy Train to Busan and "Kingdom", which is also one of the best Zombie series ever done! I'm gonna watch some of your recommendations next :D Thanks for the video!
Spoiler I finished watching Strangers from hell last year and even though it was good I couldn't figure out thee whole purpose of the residents, like what was their aim, what where they trying to do.
What an amazing review/video. I keep coming back to it after watching every movie from the list. Despite going past the spoiler warning, I'm glad I did, as it allowed me to be even more curious about it and actually MADE me watch the films you talk about. This comes from an horror enthusiast, and I honestly can tell these movies have indeed nailed it. My personal favorites so far are The Wailing and Train to Busan. The only one left is A tale of two sisters. Thanks a lot for your vids man, they surely are amazing and tremendously well done/written. Keep up the excellent work!
What's your favorite Korean Horror movie?
The Wailing
The wailing (Goksung)
by far the tale of two sisters. it was my introduction to Korean cinema so it holds a lot of nostalgia for me.
pepper pig
Thirst
American Horror Movies: *heart attack*
South Korean Horror Movies: *depression*
Thanks for the heart dude. ❤
LOL
It be like that 😩
@European Colonist uhmm, im talking about the majority of american horror movies
Japanese Horror movies: WTF!!
A bad horror makes you jump.
A good horror makes you think.
I tried to ask if your name is Midori Yaizuku, but somehow my comment has disappeared twice now. :/
Midoriya Izuku from MHA. Okay then. Just exercising my Japanese knowledge.
ConComEX Good job :) That’s why I put my name in hiragana and not kanji, so others could recognise it more easily.
@@talkingheadsfan Thank you! I haven't seen MHA yet, but maybe I will someday; I can't just go watching every single anime that exists all at once. Yes, Kanji would have stumped me.
I like your phrase.
American horror movie = jumped out of my seat but can have a party immediately after the movie
Korean horror movie = exhausted, defeated and don't have energy to party after the movie... and lasts for several days.
Good you could copy 5 other comments, but change it a little
I noticed that Western audiences usually criticize Korean horror because of the comedy aspect. They say it feels too out of place and jarring. That's what I found endearing about them. I think the first film I saw was The Host, which is one of the few movies I own a physical copy of, lol. Even in Western horror there are elements of comedy, but it's usually in the way of corny one liners in the beginning of the film. In Korea, they go for the gusto; nothing subtle about it. It's the dark comedy fan in me that I find myself attracted to that sort of out of place silliness. It's bizarre, it shouldn't be there because horrible things are happening but it is.
The silliness makes a character more relatable: they're imperfect, just like me. They're not a 90 pound 22-year-old blond being hunted down while looking immaculate. That there is a jabroni that drops and breaks stuff all the time, that says the wrong thing by accident, that has a crappy job and a crappy diet and a crappy lifestyle with a broken family. Just like me. So when shit ends up going down you're already tied to the character with a neat little bow. You're in. Their suffering is your suffering.
Comedy and bleakness are invariably tied together, just ask any comedian.
I think you bring up a good point, it does make it more relatable
Alnora ever seen Train Spotters? It’s a dark comedy about heroin addiction in Scotland.
I also saw The Host when I was a kid and I remember crying at the end lol
*gold buzzer*
@Alnora I couldn't agree more. Also, 'The Host' was the first Korean movie I watched, too. Happily I've since watched every Korean film I could and they were almost all as good or better than 'The Host'. 'I Saw The Devil', 'Memories of Murder', and 'Train to Busan' are three of the best, along with 'Moebius' and, of course, 'Oldby' and the other two 'Vengeance' movies. I think, along with Scandinavian Horror, it's my favourite sub-genre.
People that avoid subbed movies: you don't know what you're missing. So I'll tell ya! Some of the most enjoyable, thought-provoking cinema in the world. Do yourselves a favour and give 'The Wailing', or 'The Host' a try. And if you like horror, 'I Saw The Devil' and 'Moebius' are amazing. 'Thirst' is pretty good, too. And, of course, if you're aware of the recent buzz around it, 'Parasite' will ring a bell. It, also, is exemplary filmmaking and you should check it out if you get the chance.
Asian filmmakers: "I started with the image of evil approaching from far away, to show its identity to you"
American filmmakers: spooky ghosts
IT'S THE NUN
add some cheap jumpscares
Hereditary:The existential crisis and the realization that no one not even your family can truly help you
Because some horror movies focus on how much they make vs how good it is or different.
not impressed with HEREDITARY either
What We Can Learn From Korean Horror? Stop overusing jump scare
jump scare are the laugh tracks of jorror
Eliminate it all together
I actually remember a jumpscare on the Host, when the Monster swallows one of the biological agents sent to the river. It doesn´t even had an incredibly loud noice, but it is so sudden, seemed almost random, without all this further preparation common on horror films, that made me touch the ceiling the first time I saw it.
Nofan Felani fr,i noticed that about American horror movies.
Sad thing is you shouldn't have to learn from k-horror films to understand, it should just be common sense.
Now Korean horror and movies are great, but if you do understand Korean, they get even better. The language, the words used give that depth, that well roundedness that makes it just so much more special
Broccoli This is not the think to learn but experiencing the culture. I would not say to experience Korean culture, but finding a korean friend will help you.
You sold me on learning a new language
I agree. I myself have been learning the Korean language since 2013... the joy of being able to understand them in their native language is cathartic.
Yeah many great things got lost in translation. Reading subtitles and actually understand the language, both have different experience.
ngl, I read that as North Korean and not Korean, and I was quite confused.
As a Korean who's grown up listening to my grandma's stories about what Korea was like during her generation, one reason I think Koreans are able to capture such a range and depth of emotional drama in film is because Korea as a nation has experienced so much deep pain, war, and strife.
Koreans have experienced this so much that there's even a word for it, and doesn't have an English equivalent: "한", or (Han) which can be translated into a sense of injustice, sorrow, resentment, or grief.
Omg. Yes, I've read and hear that Korea had a hard time in WW2 and in other times too. I don't like the movies of my country, only a few, they are stupid comedies or so realistic that it is depressing to watch them.
I find Korean movies interesting and entertaining, they make you think but witout boring you like french movies. 😄😄
@master universe , during the Korean war every single Korean city north and south was destroyed and after the war North and South Korea were the poorest and second poorest countries respectively, in the world. South Korea is a miracle.
I think all cultures under the influence of ancient China have that concept. In Vietnamese it's "hận". I'm too lazy to look up the underlying Chinese character.
Dude every country, nation, civilisation etc has been through pain, horror and slaughter...it’s just some people are able to advertise it better than others.
@lightsouthaha it is a miracle, 1945 they gain their independence from Japan after 50 years of control, and in one lifetime they are a highly functional and developed society. The wars were not miracles which is what you're inferring, no one said the wars were a miracle.
Tom Cruise: I WANT THE THRUTH!!!!
Jack Nicholson: YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE THRUTH!!!
So far this comment is winning
Was looking for this 👍
Was it spelled wrong for some reason? Did I miss something?!
@@Screened explain pls
You will never reach the truth
The obvious hasn't been mentioned yet...but many of these Korean actors and actresses are Legit!
Very true, one of the best actings I have seen too in terms of dramatic acting.
you know many, many other actors of other nationalities are legit, right?
Su-an Kim is an amazing kid actor. But damn, I love Don Lee.
@@jamesayewale5695 Well then have their own nationalities create movies worth watching
That is true.
The Wailing is so underrated. The symbolism in this film is deep. And I love director's previous work.
lenny2527 lol idk internationally but in korea it was the biggest hype for a while
What are his other movies?
I loved the symbolism as well, the whole faith theme which is underlying below the hole stuff!
Great movie indeed! Just finished watching it!
@@MrXBOCAX The chaser is a really good one
I can't put my finger on what I find scary in the movie. There were no jumpscares, no ghost sighting as such. But the morbid feeling enveloped me slowly as the movie progressed. When the protagonist was waiting for the rooster to cry for the third time, I was pissing my pants. It felt real. It felt like I was one of the villagers.
wouldn't call it underrated, even internationally alot of non korean people like us loved the movie, one of my all time favorite movie :)
I love how many Korean films are consistent with a hilarious tone without diminishing any of the serious and tragic moments that happen in them.
I noticed that there is a strong revenge element in Korean film's,not just horror. I once read, that revenge is often explained as a result of social anger built up in a populace by South Korea's turbulent history. I am a fan of this genre. Your explanation and narative is brilliant!
They want revenge because of the way their society is build. They seek for perfection, therefore rejection is a HUGE factor. They must have an insane amount of rejection per capita there, that builds up to resentment and feelings of revenge. It's also the reason there are so many suicides.
It's actually a pretty simple thing to understand. Excellence at the expense of humanity. It happens all around the world in globilized countries. Capitalism, greed, superfitiality, lies, hypocrisy, that's what you get when you don't maintain a balance with the commonly known "deadly sins". It may have almost nothing to do with history, new generations didn't live that.
I feel like Korean horror borrowed a lot from the Japanese. Japan does revenge horror better. Just look at the movie Confessions.
I agree!!!
@@rumblefish9 'Did'
Yeah my professor was telling us that vengeance is a theme in Korea, and while I was studying abroad this summer in Korea. for my film class, we watched the "Vengeance trilogy".
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
Oldboy
Lady Vengeance
welp even without audio the ending of train to busan still makes me cry! 🙃
Man the feels i got when he jumped off the train.
@@milkbeard8867 For Train to Busan the human mind was what was most horrific after a while. The complete lack of sympathy brought on by fear and the intensity of self preservation was disgusting yet somehow understandable. Obviously a wave of ravenous monsters trapping you in your own mind or killing you leaving your body to kill those you loved is terrifying they could be in there in agony as well. But humans become just as big if not a bigger threat as they don't follow rules and have motives and can be great liars.
As the guy said in the video Despair is different from Fear. And I think that's what Train To Busan embodied. The feeling of HOW DO I GET OUT OF THIS, I CAN'T. There's children on board and Zombies don't see age.
@PietreADI Well, considering the fact that both movies are OBJECTIVLY great, you either dislike them for being "popular" or you have incredibly shit taste
@PietreADI i agree man, extremely overrated. I mean it was a good movie, but not as good as people set it out to be.
@@boltmix7294 i think it's just overrated, people have different opinions man.
I often think that Koreans don't feel entitled to happiness, or even the pursuit of happiness, the way Americans do. Misery and depression are unavoidable; you just have to endure. Also eat. And laugh.
@lightsouthaha Sorry you understood it that way.
It can also be due to religious differences, people of Abrahamic faith are strong believers in happy endings, if you do something correct there will be heaven at the end. Asians generally do not have such strong concepts of heaven and hell, things only exist and will continue to exist
@@niteshprabhu6791 Interesting & useful for this OWL (old white lady). Thank you
Well said!
@Samira yes, but the sense of reward still exists, see? if you endure, your happy ending will come. in non abrahamic faith, you accept the suffering as endless and accept joy when it's found.
Korean Horror deserves to be up in there with the Italian Neorealism, French New Wave and German Expressionism. It's a movement on its own.
@master universe True! Japan also have a great horror industry!
@master universe Started as. However, as this video states, Japanese horror movies have evolved into a mix of unrealistic CGI and jumpscares.
Asian horror in general. Koreans and Japanese are dominant forces to be appreciate dearly!
@@yellowbelly7863 Once Thai horror gets bigger budgets, they're also one of the top dogs and I already consider them so, even with considerably less budget.
Please recommend movies from all of these genres!
Despair is a very accurate description to what I felt after watching train to Busan.
i cried like a little bitch baby at the end of train to busan lmaoo
I loved Train to Busan. I felt dispair but also a sense of bittersweet for the sacrifice he made to protect the one he loved. I felt it was a wonderfully touching and fitting end to such a great movie. I cried because I feel thats something I would do to protect my children. I loved that they showed flashback images to solidify his reason. When he smiled as he fell.... I lost it! The levees broke and the floodgates opened.
I think there was also an alternative ending where the soldier aimed his gun at the pregnant belly and shot her with the kid singing.
Now THAT would be a typical Korean ending.
The ending I saw with the little girl singing so they would know she's not a zombie left me crying so hard. I felt like his sacrifice was worth it, she lived.
if you really want to know what despair is then watch the Wailing. Fucked me up so badly
Wow. I don’t think I could ever watch Korean horror, I’d be so emotionally exhausted after one lol
That is a real shame because The Host and Train to Busan are great. The latter being my personal favourite zombie movie of all time.
yeah i get you... i watched oldboy and after i kept hyperventilating because i was in such a weird state of shock and despair.
@@klompb when i watched train to busan in the cinema, the ending got the entire place crying like you could hear an orchestra of tissue packets opening and noses sniffing. it's a great watch indeed!
ah ye defo, especially the Thrillers he mentioned are just heartbreaking
@@madeofcastiron same. A definite first for me in a zombie movie :D It was a pleasant surprise to watch a zombie movie with actual character development in it.
It took me 2 movies (Mother and Parasite) to understand that the Korean-style endings were NOT what I was used to... I'm still feeling the frustration and disorientation
That would be the exact same feeling after watching his other masterpiece, Memories of Murder.
As a Korean, I used to say this to my foreign friend. "Korean culture is bloom from blood and sweat of recent Korean history"
We been through dramatic 100 years like fallen kingdom, colonized, independent, separated , civil war, dictatorship and even we have been biological experimented by Japanese.
So I can say Korean knows what is 'Brutal reality'
Korea is nothing but ironies. Economic Boom unforeseen in the contemporary world yet one of the lowest happiness indexes along with the World highest suicide rate (other than North Korea). A booming culture of Kpop and media yet an ultra-conservative and toxic societal culture that represses expression and individualism. The 20th century has done nothing but radicalize the Korean mindset. Not only has it worked to our strengths but its is destroying us at the same time. It's only natural our movies reflect out ironic reality.
I think it is an over-statement. Only thing I can think of is the generation that grew up in the 80s and 90s leads the current trends. But they don't have all the sentiments in regards to things you listed. I can say that because I belong to the same generation. I also believe it is just a tendency of what korean audiences consume: hardcore violence, usage of caustic language and in-your-face humor. I think author of this video is not clearly understanding what horror genre is: Memories of murder, oldboy, the host... are not.
@@machiavellianos He clearly stated that Oldboy & Co are not horror per se.
Wave Ape
How did you find out what North Koreas suicide rate is?
Marc Velliano evenif the generation of 80-90s didnt “experience” what he listed in real, Korean have learned them from history through education in all generation unlikely Japan and its considered still going on. Korean have faced the reality in very various way from the past to present.
I dont think Korean are just search for hardcore violence etc in the movie. In my personal opinion, Korean tend to like “truth” in many terms. In the society, feeling, tradition, reality, relationship etc in many terms.
Those kinda brutal aspects including comedy are not detachable from reality.
I am not that interested in the movie only show beautiful parts or superficial things.
Yeah.. i know it is my personal taste :p and I am Korean.
South Korea: Makes horror movies
North Korea: IS horror movie
Sifat Shams hahahaha gago
Sifat Shams what the heck man
@mnemonic Max aRe YoUU SurE aBoUTt THtat?
@@angelitoincrisis "hail hydra"
🙊
I remember watching "The Wailing". It is a gorgeous experience that feels like your melting into a wandering nightmare.
damn fucking asshole that the wailing.. i grasp and hold my breath till end of film. what a masterpiece.. the storyy justt ughhhhh damn it.
And it kinda gave me some serious insights about like religious beliefs and acts through its own culture
Definitely
Fuckin' movie is brilliant. Still freaks me out.
karl chandran yes that movie did leave you with a lot of dispair, which means it did its job well.
Comedy and horror have a close relationship I think.. Comedy allows us to approach things that are otherwise too horrifying to confront in reality. In a sense, the horror is watching the comedy become too real.
If we combined Korean writing and direction with Hollywood technology (such as CGI), the films would be unstoppable
Korean CGI is actually pretty good. However, it's the budgets that are different. An expensive film in Korea is $10mm. In Hollywood it's $100mm.
Edward Kim That’s true,,, I should probably change my statement to “Hollywood’s outrageous budgets”
@@ladyblubel It's mostly due to salaries given to actors/actresses. That's the main price difference.
Dude have you seen The Host? The monster looks fucking legit, even to this day!
@ but it's just the monster. everything else is pretty much default. with an american budget their entertainment industry would be one of the top in the world if it wasn't already
Korean cinema is full of jewels.
Misread that as _jews_ at first...
@@RuSosan I hate myself.....
@@RuSosan IT'S **THEM!** THEY ARE EVERY WHERE!
okja is really good
It used to be
Oldboy is such a masterpiece, never has a movie made me feel that way
Same 👍
Yup Oldboy and Wailing are the two best Korean movies in my opinion.
J Shin The Handmaiden?
MikeD haven’t watched the handmaiden yet
J Shin ya'll should watch Miracle in Cell No.7 - not a horror/thriller but really messes with your emotions (especially when you re watch it). That movie had me crying for months whenever I thought about it 👀
parasite is absolutely my favourite movie hands down, didn't know how to feel the entire way through and then the ending came at me all at once, felt scared, shocked, sad, relieved, lost.....
okay ngl Ive watched train to busan yesterday and let me tell you : I wasn't expecting a lot and definitely not that it's gonna be a good, worth watching movie. Especially since I don't really think Zombie movies are good and they all are usually very cringy (I didn't like the walking dead either). So I continued watching it and was like "Damn, this is actually good". I was shocked how good the acting was and how amazing the story went. Till I hit the half of the movie. That was the moment when I fell into an emotional rollercoaster. So much anger over came me, just a few seconds after that relief and sadness, anger again, happiness, fear, confusion. I was living the story and was on so much adrenaline. I can't describe my experience into words. This movie fucked my mind, ngl. Although I haven't been crying while watching the movie, I still started bawling my eyes out while the credits were showing. Quietly crying while saying nothing. I was shocked and had a loss of words. I just replayed everything in my head, every sentence that had me thinking, every sad moment and every heart warming moment. The end fucked me up.
All I can say is : This movie is by far my favorite. Watch it. No matter how cliché the storyline might look, it's beyond your expectations.
Please excuse my English, it's not my first language.
It's a cult classic, korean movies are really good
You might wanna try the movie Rampant. ^_^
Train to Busan introduced me to Korean horror. Went back and watched The Host and Oldboy. Also got me interested in more Japanese horror. Can’t wait to watch more.
Tashina Martin same train to Busan is the cats tits
Same 3 i've seen! Started with The Host when i was much younger tho and it really messed me up, absolutely love it to this day
Tashina Martin not really horror but watch The Handmaiden it’s God tier. Also watch the other two films in the vengeance trilogy that aren’t oldboy
You should watch " I saw the devil" and "Wailing" too.
@@obdiane bittersweet life
I love Train to Busan. It made me laugh, cry, angry and feel bad for the characters. I can’t wait for the second one
Hopefully it's good 👍
Ooooh yeah when is that happening? Initially I only watched Train to Busan because Gong Yoo was the lead and I like him as an actor but I love this movie, it holds a special place in my heart.
if you can handle more intense stuff, then I really recommend watching more korean horror movies.
honestly, Train to Busan was pretty basic compared to the things they usually do. It felt almost too american-ised to me
Seoul station is the prequel of train to busan. Its an amine tho
The sequel for it is Peninsular. There is a trailer in the RUclips.its not really a sequel, bcoz the hero,place are different.but still, it happens during or after the train to Busan's scene.
my dad would ONLY watch the korean oldboy. he wont even acknowledge the american remake
hold on there is american remake?
Aria same!🤣🤣
What american remake? We dont talk about that remake
Well to be fair everyone wants to erase the American remake to existence so i wouldn't hold it against your father in fact he and me are the same wouldn't even took a 20 sec glance on it.
@@snoot6629 It's pure trash honestly.
This should really be called "What Can We Learn From South Korean Cinema", which at this point in the West is everything.
I'm no expert on world cinema, but for me S. Korea has been making the best films of almost any genre for more than 20 years now.
Your comment, your profile picture and lastly your username deserves a trophy and a good job certificate
@@dlfosk6781 lmao I needed that after a crappy day's work. Thanks!
I think we are making better series than movies now in the west. Like breaking bad or Ozark. still my favorite movie is The Revenant
Disciple of the Caped Baldy the Best Plot Twists I've seen are from Korean movies and dramas. Hell, even their webtoons and variety shows got great editing and plot twist too
@@harathea7554 Exactly
"Melodrama is the default narrative mode in Korean cinema..." Yup, yup, can confirm. I've only seen a couple of Korean horror movies specifically, but I've seen several other genres and yeah, they love their melodrama. But they're also really good at it.
Welp... it's a country that rose from the ashes of Japan's brutal colonization and has highest student suicide rate in the world while boasting the best education level. Half of its original population is now a post modern world communist nation with nuclear weapons as its lifeline. Imagine living as an ally of U.S. and being positioned between war mongering brother nation and former slave masters. Being relatively well off economically after war yet also experiencing upper echelon depression in such a short span. This country is like a duality personified. It's only natural that its movies would embody irony and depression.
ITwas considering how revenge driven a lot of Korean movies are. I wonder if the populace subconsciously want revenge for all the things they've been thru
@@gilet102 They want revenge because of the way their society is build. They seek for perfection, therefore rejection is a HUGE factor. They must have an insane amount of rejection per capita there, that builds up to resentment and feelings of revenge. It's also the reason there are so many suicides.
It's actually a pretty simple thing to understand. Excellence at the expense of humanity. It happens all around the world in globilized countries. Capitalism, greed, superfitiality, lies, hypocrisy, that's what you get when you don't maintain a balance with the commonly known "deadly sins".
Wow that’s... surprisingly well put
You forget that they als9 have kdrama where its all sunflowers rainbows and sunshine tho
@@pinkyamerlli that was a bit of the latter part of kdrama. Kdrama back then was sas and main actors even die. E.g. stairway to heaven
In my country there is specific emotion we name “Han” which is sadness of missing someone and anger of unfairness. And this feeling is what we call the Korean’s best representative emotion. I guess melodrama is in our blood.
Sorry for my English.
Minseo Kwon I got to learn about “Han” after listening to some of BTS’ songs as they tend to do word plays with Han and relate it to Han River
I’m not Korean but the Korean culture and arts has been something that really interests me due to the melodrama essence. In a world we live in this essence is slowly taking over all of us...hence why more people are able to relate and enjoy such content I suppose
Your English is great!
The closest English equivalent to "han" would be "resentment", a feeling which arises from a sense of anger of why things are, the way they are. This often stems from a lack of something experienced previously and/or desire for a different outcome be it an unrequited love interest or killing for revenge.
In western cinema, the action is driven by how one is going to correct/overcome a situation, and character is revealed in the back story of how they became the way they are. It's based on ancient Greek concepts of "hero" and a "heroic tradition of hero versus the Gods". It is a social "morality tale" and there is always a resolution.
What I find in Korean movies like "The Wailing" and "I saw the Devil" is that there really is no resolution. Evil continues to exist and morph into other forms and the best possible outcome would be a draw. In the first movie, the "hero" lost his family and everything he did to protect his daughter, failed. The devil moved on. And in the second, the "hero" survived but at a heavy price, his former colleagues were on his trail. Ironically, the "devil" was executed by his own family, but did evil just find a new victim? The inane laughter of the hero at the end, suggests to me that's the case.
All in all, I find Korean thrillers are better at showing how people react in the face of evil whether it be external or within themselves. There's a very fine line between good and evil which is lacking in western thrillers. I feel that there is an international audience for Korean dramas and I hope to see more of this genre in the future.
I think the contrast is effective because what they're really doing, first and foremost, is emulating real life: real life is awkward, people fumble, and extremes feel surreal because we are often naturally inclined to deny such things - especially the supernatural. The contrast between horror and natural, awkward behaviour shown through long, wide takes (such as 4:36) helps to ground the film, making the horror hit closer to home.
Dude, the Host is that one movie I will never get tired of. I will feel the same fear and sadness as if i watched it the first time.
Im trying to find the sub but all i find is the trash dub
@@tr-x-sh8248 hahaha I agree the dub sucks but ive watched the sub in Netflix, ya can check it out there
I watched The Host when I was little, when the grandfather died by the monster, almost cried, I don’t know why but I was really attached to the characters in that movie.
This I can agree on after watching just 3 Korean movies.
They make me feel very very emotionally exhausted and at the end of it all I have no idea whether I should be happy or sad. Or mad
"I Saw the Devil" was the first Korean film I ever saw, I had a solid idea of what you were planning on talking about instantly. Thanks for putting this into words better than I could have.
There's a lot of great Korean films. Hope is one I would recommend.
Memories of Murder and The Chaser are also excellent Korean detective thriller movies that has elements of horror
Great video. Korean horror movies are some of my favorites out there, especially The Wailing. They deserve the recognition they get.
Keep up the good work.
I really loved The Wailing
They dont really get recogintion in the western world tho. Awful movies like Annabelle do get much more recognition for either being fun for some people or being absolutely awful for others.
Felix Knorke True unfortunately.
Regular casual filmgoers simply aren't aware and have been groomed to specific tastes.
I feel like I’ve seen the wailing, but I don’t remember it being called that 🤔
I didnt know such genre is a thing and still I'm a Korean lol.
My favorite Korean Horror film is a recent one, by Bong JoonHo.
Really good one, you guys must check it out. It has remarkable creepiness and a good tempo. Not a single moment was boring.
Also the film nailed it -catching the contemporary social atmosphere. I could relate to it so much. That's why this film is so creepy. Highly recommended.
Really looking forward to Parasite👍
Parasite is a true masterpiece ! I saw it twice in the cinema and I still can't get over it. I'm a French guy and I just love Korean cinema.
Where can I watch it ?
@@ThienTruong-iy5ix Oh gosh the Parasite was truly one of the most disturbing movies I've watched, mostly because my friends didn't tell me what it was about, and the whole genre of the movie changed during the movie. It was completely unexpected for me.
Oh my gosh yes!! Parasite is so good!! I was laughing for most of the movie, until I wasn’t. 😳
Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum is insanely well executed. That scene, out in the forest, near the end... It scared the crap out of me.
the wailing has messed me up. the cinematography is great really suites the story well.
I think Ari Aster is bringing that kind of Korean horror vibe to Hollywood. He did say he loves Korean films and he mentioned he was amazed how Koreans just mix genres and somehow make it work.
I can see the similarity. He nailed it with Hereditary. Not so much with Midsommer in a way imo. I guess it's because the characters were so plain and there's little to no attachment. Hereditary worked because it focuses a lot on the characters' perspectives while in Midsommer we're mostly detached. Idk if it was intentional but it didn't help with my experience. It was a visual feast and unnerving for sure. Just not so much with the storytelling department. Actually, I don't see Midsommer as a horror film. It's more of an art film.
To be honest, Hereditary feels like an hommage to The Wailing. Same approach and same ending.
As someone who saw The Wailing and is a fangirl to it, Hereditary should be a renaissance of sort to US horror.
We, Korean, noticed it. But Korea Horror movies are tend to defend on the Korean daily life details to make audience's reality. This difference makes us consider Ari Aster's movie little hipster-ish. The Heredity was not a instant hit but slow and easy.
didnt like hereditary. didnt even know if the cult people at the end are dead, ghosts, or alive. i only likedthe cinematography
@@nicole-ip4yf that is the point of the film, uncertainty, and you feel the unsettling discomfort which is the goal of those kinds of movies. Korean film makers love to messing your head and feeling to Defamiliarize reality. or, German expressionists film makers and novelist called it, grotesque realism. you feel right about the movie.
A Tale of 2 Sisters is one of the best movies ever made, it's so beautiful and horror at the same time
Word on contrasts. I'll always remember Memories of Murder (a thriller not horror) that starts out as some kind of cop-comedy and ends up as a very dark psychological thriller, while still making sense as a movie.
I really hate when horror's end with happiness, rainbows and ponies...
When it's deserved it's great. The Babadook is a great example
I felt it was deserved in the conjuring
I saw the ending of The Babadook as a fake happy ending. With that thing still in the basement shows she's not cured and it gives me a sense of dread. It's very well done and I think fits best, it's one of the few times that I wanted a happy ending for a horror film.
@@justsomenuts she's not cured but she's learning to live with it
@@spencerpommier806 I thought The Babadook was a masterpiece - until the final act. It becomes maudlin and silly, and just ruins the film.
*lets be all honest, we all cried when Su-Ans dad falls off the train to make sure he doesn’t infect them. If you didn’t cry I understand if you tried holding back tears, but if you never cried in train to busan.... YOUR A MONSTER*
SO I'm a monster ☠☠ I'm Korean but I 've never cried out during watching Train to Busan
As a Korean girl, I always thought horror movies from my country felt so different from Western horror flicks, but I never could figure out why I felt this way. Because of your video, I can finally articulate my feelings about Korean horror, so thank you so much.
honestly this video essay is so delightful to watch and your voice is super calming too???? rlly good
Thank you 👍
Nice one! I love introducing my friends to foreign movies. It`s like showing them a whole new world of cinema and it always provokes a strong reaction with them because they are so used to happy endings etc. I usually start them of "light" with The Chaser (since it`s an easy thriller when it comes to following the plot) and gradually move them up to movies that require a bit more tought or repeat viewings like Old Boy.
YAS! My absolute favorite is a Tale of Two Sisters! I loved Soumi and how she interacted with her family and what the monster was really about. So well done.
My fav as well. Even the music and cinematography blended in with the movie to make it even more eerie.
@@lindabyn77 Yes! And if you know you're symbology, especially of the Asian kind the movie only gets better. I read a paper on the movie and diff Asian symbology that was used to foreshadow and enhance the overall theme and it only made the movie richer.
the last few minutes of the video are so soothing and insightful
Tale of Two Sisters is an absolute fav! So glad you mentioned it! It really keeps you think about it for weeks after
You ended this video in the most amazing way. Your final sentence left me truly speechless, I had never interpreted film that way but.... wow...
Thank you so much for covering this! I have fell deeply in love with Korean Horror movies in university and it’s great to see other people enjoying them too! I keep being blown away by Korean filmmakers and their movies. Just when I thought I’ve seen it all they come up with something new and so unsettling. Great video!!
Thank you 👍
Really nice analysis! Good job guys
Ari Aster has clearly learned well from Korean Horror before making Hereditary and Midsommar.
Never really cared for horror movies but u make me wanna watch some of these korean movies now.
Sonny Red if your gonna, start with the wailing
@@weebtrash6119 will do, thanks!
then after that, check out The Host
@@luigiwiiUU will do .
Sonny Red Please watch Train to Busan too, it's slow for the beginning but it's a movie with a decent amount if substance
Korean horror movies linger in my mind even after I'm done watching it.
I think that's what makes it scary. It kind of eats at you.
This is really nicely arranged and expressed. The extremes that the stories go to definitely help to both engage and unhinge the audience. When you mentioned 'honesty', it struck me. I've noticed in a lot of Korean films there are small moments that are very truthful representations of human behavior. Little touches where someone does something not because it's rational or particularly important to the plot, but because it's the 'kind of thing people do'. An example from Sympathy for Mister Vengeance would be when Ryu is trying to decide how best to position himself to open his enemy's door. It's played comically, but watching it you feel a connection, as you realize you'd probably have the same issue. It's a small moment of discomfort that makes you relate to the character in a way you otherwise wouldn't.
I have such an appreciation for Korean Horror films. I really love The Host, as it was my first Korean Horror film. I'm so happy that someone else can also really appreciate these films
OMFG U guys have some sort of... energy or thing that just keeps me glued to each and every one of your videos!!! This one is another one than makes me go wow and just WOW I love this channel!
Thank you I'm glad you liked it 👍
THANK YOU
i really wish there is more videos about korean films, explaining them and appreciating them
Train to Busan, The Medium, and especially The Wailing are such impressive films. The character development as well as the structure of the story always leaves you thinking about the film days after, really such a unique and fun genre to watch.
Always there with a quality analysis. Thanks!
I've never seen korean horror movies before and now i really want to, great video
Enjoy 👍
They are great.
start w train to busan!
Train To Busan and The Flu are my two favorites.
Japanese horror is interesting too, if you like the Grudge and Ring.
“Train to busan”is on Netflix. It is kinda scary but it is sad.
I've never felt obliged to like a video like i did for this video.
Great effort
Wow! I watched the movies you've with exception of Two Sister and you did a great of explaining the horror that is felt after watching those movies.
Thank you for taking the time out to actually untangle the motivation of my love for Korean horror movies... Every single point made is accurate especially more because I am familiar with three of these movies... The most defining aspect of the video that resonated with me was the connection to S/korea's tumultous past that had a lot of unhappy endings so to speak... I am going to refer pple to this video to teach them how unique Korean cinema is overall.. Thank you so much🙌
Thank you glad you liked it 👍
Good video but truth isn't spelled 'thruth'. Can you fix that?
Oh god I left that in...
@@Screened aha, I thought that might have been a inside joke 😁👌
Ileana Contreras it is now!
Yes so tHrue
@@ileanacontreras2146 now it's our inside jone for the channel hahaha
Wow, good analysis. Great writing.
That mixing genres experimentally is amazing and needs to be done more often
Train to Busan is still my most favorite Zombie flick.
Fine. Now I am crying because I was reminded of Train to Busan. I recommend it to almost everyone any chance I get. My favorite movie. My mom couldn't keep watching it and had to leave for a bit. The tension in it really adds to it as well as the fact that you only really learn about what's going on through the perspective of the main characters. It makes you feel very close to them and experience their uncertainty.
thank you for your videos and also for adding the movie titles on the screen.
As a Korean studying to be a movie director, I thoroughly enjoyed this video. I really appreciate your content. Thank you :)
When I watched The Host, I have no expectations whatsoever. My intention was just to pass some time and maybe have a nap while it's playing, but boy was I in for a surprize. I was so confused at the beginning (not knowing whether I'm watching a comedy or a horror movie) and when it ended, I felt so exhausted. All the movies mentioned here doesn't have happy endings, but they have the best endings ever.
I didn't expect to see Train to Busan on here, good work on the video
This was so well done! I agree with so many things and I can tell you really did your research. You just got a new subscriber
3 weeks in since you released this video cant wait for the next one !
Soon 👍 We've been on summer vacation
After seeing "I saw the Devil" I had a whole new respect for Korean horror.
Korean thrillers are something else. Oldboy, I Saw the Devil, and Sympathy for Lady Vengeance are some of the few that really messed me up after. I'm glad you'll cover it soon.
They really are something else👍
Don't also forget The Chaser and Bedevilled. You're right, these movies linger to your mind after watching it.
Probably the only person who wasn’t a huge fan of Sympathy of LAdy Vengeance but it was visually beautiful. Old boy was freaking great. I haven’t watched a Korean movie in a while but they did hold up.
Great video!! My favorite thing about Korean horror is how the story is never what you expect it to be. It's never straightforward and even when I rewatch the movies, I discover new information that I didn't notice the first time around. Even if the movies themselves are not "scary", it always leaves me feeling strange at the end of them. Definitely my favorite genre!
I've watched this video almost 5 times now. Thank you!
This video surmises why I love Korean films so much, particularly horror. Well done.
There are South Korean exchange students at my school and I like discussing South Korean films with them sometimes
excellent helpful for writing appreciation.. I wasn't aware of these films thank you very much!
You're soothing to listen to, even if talking horror! I also notice you don't push all of your videos past the 10 mark. Definitely subscribing, and thanks for the content.
Thank you glad you like the videos 👍
This applies to Korean cinema overall, action, drama, comedy, not just horror. There's no nihilism, no cynicism or irony. It's always human-focused and sincere.
That's probably why I really enjoy Korean movies.
So true
Korean cinema is so good yet their dramas are so bad, it makes one wonder. I wonder where this divide happens.
@@rimun5235 From the Kocowa ads, they do seem shitty. At latest Mr.Sunshine isn't bad
funny thing is Koreans think all of them aren't horror movies 😂😂
So truee lol
yessssss
reallllll
More like mystery thriller
Except gonjiam and tale of two sisters maybe😂 koreans tend to consider the films with ghost as horror films and the rest as thrillers.
I have to check some of these movies. Thank you for the video!
Enjoy 👍
Wow. Watching this is really an eye opener. Thank you.
It’s also because of their culture that brings them to this level. It’s beautiful and tragic.
It’s one of my fav genres, I absolutely love Korean horror, drama, thrillers, and obsessed with k drama shows.
American horror movies are so cheesy and will always give a decent happy ending.
Korean horror gives an ending that will leave you in shock and they don’t care about you feeling great.
They want you to feel something, the tragedy of the protagonist.
I'm actually watching a Korean Horror series at the moment (Strangers from hell) and it combines a lot of points you were making in your video. The hilarioius elements combined with obvious and underlaying horror, slowly creeping up to you. It's very well done and I recommend it to anyone. Otherwise I really enjoy Train to Busan and "Kingdom", which is also one of the best Zombie series ever done! I'm gonna watch some of your recommendations next :D Thanks for the video!
Spoiler
I finished watching Strangers from hell last year and even though it was good I couldn't figure out thee whole purpose of the residents, like what was their aim, what where they trying to do.
You just convinced me to watch these movies. Good job.
What an amazing review/video.
I keep coming back to it after watching every movie from the list.
Despite going past the spoiler warning, I'm glad I did, as it allowed me to be even more curious about it and actually MADE me watch the films you talk about.
This comes from an horror enthusiast, and I honestly can tell these movies have indeed nailed it. My personal favorites so far are The Wailing and Train to Busan. The only one left is A tale of two sisters.
Thanks a lot for your vids man, they surely are amazing and tremendously well done/written.
Keep up the excellent work!