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Why Are Korean Movies So Much Better Than American Films?

posted 11 years ago by cyguration
19 replies | jump to latest

I've yet to see a film come out of South Korea that I didn't like. Even wild-card films like Overheard, Triple-Tap and Protege -- where I wasn't sure what they were actually about before going into them -- still managed to be better films than I had anticipated.

I don't get it, though... why is it that South Koreans seem to be able to make masterful films on smaller budgets and with far more gripping stories than their American counterparts? It's actually rare to find an American film that isn't complete trash or a moderately lukewarm 6 out of 10.

For this to be Sang-yoon Lim's only film credit to his name it's an amazing entry and ranks up there -- almost, but not quite -- as good as films such as The Man from Nowhere and A New World. Too bad American directors don't know how to do good dramatic thrillers... well, they used to back in the 90s.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] C.S.Wood 11 years ago

As a friend of mine told me, that's because we're only getting the good ones here. Not South Korea specifically, but there are plenty of bad movies from other countries that don't get distributed over here simply because they're no good or probably won't appeal to foreign audiences.

I guess that's lucky for us so we don't have to sift through all the crap to get the diamonds like we do with American films.

Don't try to cash in love, that check will always bounce.

[–] jamasian_man 11 years ago

Also, remember the fact that South Korea is new to the movie market. They didn't start making films up until around 2000, and their first hit was an action spy movie called Shiri.

They decided if they want to break into the world with their own brand of movies, they might as well get the best directors, actors, writers, etc. to do it.

I would also guess that Korean don't try to appeal to every audience, just the ones in their own country. Korean films being a hit overseas is just a bonus to them, since they are mostly trying to appeal to Korean audiences.

[–] cyguration 11 years ago

I would also guess that Korean don't try to appeal to every audience, just the ones in their own country. Korean films being a hit overseas is just a bonus to them, since they are mostly trying to appeal to Korean audiences.

Ehhh....

I don't know about that.

Their thrillers/dramas/action films just run circles around American films and I'm not Korean. Also, there's no cultural boundaries to get over as opposed to watching French films, where there's a huge historical/cultural subtext underlying each film.

I recently watched I Saw The Devil and it's the sort of film I wish an American studio would make (in fact, it kind of reeked of being an homage to American-style cinema just set in Korea). There was also nothing inherently Korean-based that set it apart from say, Silence of the Lambs or The Place Beyond The Pines.

[–] chilone 9 years ago

Their thrillers/dramas/action films just run circles around American films and I'm not Korean.

While I LOVE Korean movies, in fact, some of my very favorites are Korean, your statement is absolutely not true.

I don't love her.. She kicked me in the face!!

[–] mgs333 10 years ago

They didn't start making films up until around 2000, and their first hit was an action spy movie called Shiri.

Korea has been making movies since long before 2000.
http://www.koreafilm.org/feature/ans_15.asp

[–] jase-prasad 11 years ago

I think the simple answer is 'simplicity.'

Korean and Asian films in general employ relatively simple effective story telling techniques, like good acting and good dialogue. You may think, "surely it can't be just that?" But in fact only the simplest methods of conveying storylines across to audiences will work and this involves getting the basics right, like believable acting, solid directing and good dialogue; elements that American films had once possessed but no longer do. films like MoS or PacificRim could have been excellent, but inept and unprofessional kindergarten dialogue and amateur school play acting is really the staple diet that audiences are fed when viewing American films. On average I watch maybe five or six American films a year, and I'm beginning to think even that's too much!

[–] LTdaz 10 years ago

Triple Tap is a HK film not Korean.

"Bike racing, rider is 80% of the equation, where as f1,in cars, I'd say the car is 80% of the eq."

[–] stemal-1 10 years ago

Cyguration, I don't think you've chosen the right film to base your argument on.

For the most part I agree with you about Asian films. They tend to be more interesting. But, be honest, would this unoriginal film be scoring as high as 6.6 if it was UK/US made?

[–] cyguration 10 years ago

I don't know... Taken is 7.9 and it's basically just a "find my daughter" movie.

If this was done and done well as a UK/US film, it could score pretty high.

[–] stemal-1 10 years ago

I didn't know that, and I'm kind of sorry you told me as it's pretty depressing!

My one gripe about Asian (particularly Korean) films is that they tend to be way too long. At least this was a trim 96 minutes. And don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it. But it wasn't up there with the best of them.

[–] activista 9 years ago

@stemal-1

Actually it's Bollywood (Indian) films that tend to be the longest of Asian films at 3 hours long. Korean films aren't that much longer than your average Hollywood film.

[–] activista 9 years ago

Sure, the film nay not have an original plot, but so what? It's how it was dealt with in a fresh, new way that I liked. This was a good action drama flick with some good martial arts and bad-a** action sequences. I also thought it was interesting how the criminals used an actual corporation as a front for their real activities---you could find a metaphor in there somewhere if you looked hard enough. Anyway, this was a better-than-average action flick, and I enjoyed it. Only problem I have with Korean films is that they sometimes seen to have there leading men in their 30 or 40s who still look like 18-year-olds. It was nice to see a leading man in his 30s who actually looks like he's in his 30s, and not a teenager. And, of course, the leading actor (Ji-seob So) is a hottie who looks his age (while still looking much younger) which made his character much more compelling as a guy who wants to get out of the life he's in because he's seen it all.

Another thing I notice about Korean actors----they seem to take a good while off between movies---as good as Ji-seob So was in this film, he dosen't seem to have done a film since, and neither has the director, whose debut this was--I really enjoyed it.

[–] moviechick1010 10 years ago

And can I add that the cinematography is also almost always stellar. Asian cinema is so on point in general but man, j'dore Korean films.

[–] KayDrama 10 years ago

How did you guys know the end (and other parts of the movie) were flashbacks?

At the end, I was thinking "why didn't he go to jail?"

I'm not saying American films are better, but they usually give a clue such as a change in hairstyle, facial hair, or temporarily tighten the actor's skin to appear more youthful so it's easier to tell.

It took me several moments during the film to realize "oh, this must be a flashback".

[–] moviechick1010 10 years ago

Hmm, I think you were being too literal while watching the flick. And I don't believe that after everything is said and done that it really matters is if he goes to a physical jail or not or gets shot up by the cops and he probably wouldn't care.

Anyway, there were metaphorical clues that came up during the film prior to the ending scene that would've clued you into the transition into the flashback. One of which is the hawk and what symbolizes for him and what hawksor certain types of birds symbolize in general mythology.

Watch it again with different eyes.

Another thing is that in Korean films it's quite common to give a back story at the end of a film in the form of a flashback to underscore or give some type of irony to what went on for most of the flick.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] deni1985 9 years ago

Probably because Hollywood has perfected a formula for making mediocre films, and since that formula gives them enough profit to continue using it, the mediocre films will continue to come out.