KILLING ROMANCE Will Make You Fall in Love with Korean Cinema All Over Again

By Pierce Conran

Almost 20 years ago I walked into a theatre in Dublin, taking a chance on a strange-looking movie that no one had heard of. I was rewarded with one of the best cinema experiences of my life. I grinned from ear to ear from start to finish, as I laughed, and cried, and marvelled at the constant madcap ingenuity rocketing from the screen into my bewildered eyeballs. That film was Save the Green Planet.

I’ve been fruitlessly searching for that feeling ever since, until now.

Click to read more»

Review: THE ROYAL TAILOR Spins a Colorful Period Yarn

By Pierce Conran

Period dramas are all the rage in Korea at the moment, but while some have been setting records at the box office (such as Roaring Currents), not all have been successful. No film is a guaranteed hit but period productions are a costlier gamble than most and with those risks come certain strings. The Royal Tailor, a King’s court drama with a penchant for colorful fashion and plenty of humor, is a fine sophomore effort from Lee Won-suk, if one that feels bound by certain restrictions and obligations, particularly in its final act.

Click to read more»