DASMUSICALKAT

Perhaps brought on by the huge success of the annual Korean Film Festival, a couple of Sydney’s most popular cinemas are now screening select Korean blockbuster films! Yes! My K-Film! On the big screen with subtitles! ❤ ^.^

This month I watched Ode To My Father and Gangnam Blues, both phenomenal films!

Ode To My Father was very much an emotional roller coaster of feelings- sympathy for the protagonist’s difficult life, anxiety through the more dangerous situations, happiness in the moments of joy, anguish during his more despairing moments, and swooning at the appearance of TVXQ’s Jung Yunho… *ahem*.

Gangnam Blues, or Gangnam 1970 (it’s original Korean title), on the other hand was quite a different film. It was a real eye opener into the early development days on the land of Gangnam- which involved plenty of gang wars and political corruption. The wide expanses of farmland were certainly different to the sprawling high-class lights of Gangam today.

Lee Minho did a seriously fantastic job in this film, I was so proud of him. I’ve actually been a fan since Boys Over Flowers days but this was quite a distance from his angsty schoolboy performances and he did admirably (I didn’t really mind having a giant suit-wearing LMH on screen either if I’m being honest).

I actually really really enjoyed Gangam Blues, even more than I thought I would. I was completely captivated the whole film and in fact I’m quite keen to see it again. I preferred it a lot over Ode To My Father. I still thought Ode was a fantastic film, but it kept you at such a distance from it’s characters (you felt plenty of emotion, but this was quite distanced from the characters), whereas Gangnam got you right up there in their feelings and relationships. I like that approach more- I like to feel really emotionally attached to the characters (even if they end up breaking my heart). I think that’s what makes a story that stays with you.

Last year I also saw Roaring Currents in the cinema. Twice. LOVED IT. What an incredible film! Wow. Both times I was blown away by this amazing re-telling of a true historical event. Choi Minsik was perfect (of course) and I basically ran home to find the OST because the score was so beautiful. It was really one of those films that I was so glad I had the opportunity to see in a cinema too, because it was just so BIG.

I really hope this continues and Sydney gets more of these amazing films because I am loving it! Also because I think clearly the next most logical step would be all-night movie marathon screenings of K-Dramas!! WHO’S WITH ME!?

My full review of Ode To My Father is available here, and for Gangnam Blues here.

You can still catch Ode To My Father in Sydney I believe, and Detective K is showing now (which I’m going to try and see!) so check cinema dates and times and go see some large screen K-Film action! They’re also showing a great selection of Chinese films!