Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Jopok Week: Top 10 Korean Gangster Films


This post was updated on August 14, 2014 and expanded to a Top 12 in order to make room for some more recent Korean gangster classics.

 To get us started in this week's celebration of Korean gangster cinema (Jopok Week on MKC), I've compiled my top 10. However, an interesting question is what constitutes a gangster film? There are a number of films which may have made it onto this list but I wasn't quite sure that they fully fit the bill, such as Tazza: The High Rollers (2006), The Yellow Sea (2010), The Unjust (2010), and Moss (2010).  

So what makes a gangster film a gangster film? And more importantly, what are your favorites?

Scroll through the below gallery to find discover our favorites and let us know if you agree.

Intro - 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 - Best of the Rest

Top 10 Lists

Year  2020 - 2019 - 2018 - 2017 - 2016
2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010

2010s (Top 50) - All Time (Top 25)

Genre

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11 comments:

  1. AnonymousMarch 17, 2012 at 3:34 PM

    a dirty carnival is so great

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJuly 4, 2012 at 4:57 PM

    a bittersweet life should be # 1

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousSeptember 12, 2012 at 8:53 AM

    My top 10 list:
    1. Nameless Gangster
    2. Die Bad
    3. Breathless
    4. A Bittersweet Life
    5. Cruel Winter Blues
    6. The Show Must Go On
    7. Friend
    8. A Dirty Carnival
    9. Sunflower
    10. Hi Dharma 1.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousOctober 18, 2012 at 2:40 AM

    A Bittersweet Life #1

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousMay 21, 2013 at 2:40 AM

    Great work on classifying and writing such interesting with in depth reviews; though I didn't see all the movies in the list I so much agree with your choices.
    And yeah breathless is so noir but I love the raw side in it that makes so beautifully portrayed .

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousJuly 23, 2013 at 9:05 PM

    I've seen all the movie on the list, thanks for your list. Its very great and I will not regret on follow your list. Great list mate!

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousOctober 4, 2013 at 6:32 AM

    I think (my opinion) 'A Love' should not be on this list, because its just some average korean movie, which is not very good.

    ReplyDelete
  8. CrumpetOctober 10, 2013 at 2:45 PM

    Must get round to seeing these. If "The Man From Nowhere" (which I thought was brilliant: that knife fight is insanity) is only an honourable mention then this must be a strong list.

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousOctober 23, 2013 at 2:47 AM

    One more vote for Breathless !!

    ReplyDelete
  10. AnonymousApril 16, 2014 at 8:34 PM

    new world and nameless gangster should be on there for sure

    ReplyDelete

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