Top 10 Korean films of 2015

By Jason Bechervaise

At the box office, despite a slow start, Korean films continued to perform well in 2015. Admissions for local films surpassed 100 million for the fourth consecutive year with the local market share for the year expected to be at approximately 50 percent or perhaps a little higher.

Typically, it's the latter six months, especially in the months of July and August when the local industry gets into full swing. This year was no exception as seen with "Assassination" (12.7 million admissions) and "Veteran" (13.4 million). Since then, local films have remained popular at the box office. November, a traditionally quiet month saw two further unexpected hits: "The Priests" and "Inside Men."

Critically, established filmmakers have made their mark such as Ryoo Seung-wan ("Veteran") and Hong Sang-soo ("Right Now, Wrong Then"), but there's only one debut filmmaker in my top ten below reflecting a weak year for new filmmakers.

All the films below were released in Korean cinemas this year.

1. Veteran

Korean films can often be dark, gritty and violent. "Veteran" is all of these, yet it's richly entertaining through Ryoo Seung-wan's witty screenplay, making it one of the most enjoyable viewing experiences of the year. Superbly acted by the electric Hwang Jung-min and Yoo Ah-in, Ryoo does what he does best and delivers an action-packed film that also tackles the issues of justice, corruption, and the chaebol (conglomerates) as it follows a detective who pursues a young and obnoxious heir of a powerful conglomerate.

2. Right Now, Wrong Then

Renowned auteur Hong Sang-soo can divide opinion but his latest film "Right Now, Wrong Then" has deservedly received wide critical acclaim as illustrated by the Golden Leopard the film won at the 68th Locarno Film Festival together with Best Actor for Jung Jae-young. Again playing with narrative structure and repetition, Hong devises an enchanting story about an encounter between a director and a painter but tells it twice with slight variations. Quintessentially Hong, but it's also the sterling leading performances by Jung and Kim Min-hee that resonate.

3. Madonna

It's perhaps too punishing for some viewers but Shin Su-won's ("Pluto") third feature is a layered and absorbing drama about some of the difficulties a woman marginalized by society faces. Dealing with prostitution and misogyny, Shin's approach is courageous and thought- provoking. Kwon So-hyun in her first role in a film delivers a captivating performance as Madonna -- a young woman who is abused by the men around her.

4. Factory Complex

One of the most exciting areas of Korean film over the past two years is in the realm of documentaries. Premiering in Busan in 2014, "Factory Complex" directed by Im Heung-soon went on to screen at festivals around the world and was awarded the Silver Lion at the 56th Venice Biennale in May. Im's superb sophomore feature intelligently deconstructs the so-called "Miracle on the Han River" as it unveils the plight of female workers past and present through interviews, stills and other footage.

5. A Midsummer's Fantasia

Reminiscent of Richard Linklater's "Before Sunrise," Jang Kun-jae's "A Midsummer's Fantasia" might be a little protracted for some, but the realist aesthetic and enigmatic documentary-like structure captures something rather alluring and profound. Split into two parts, the first half is shot in black and white and follows a Korean director scouting for locations in a Japanese rural town. Inspired by a story told in the first part, the second half is captured in color and is about a romance between a Korean woman and a local man.

6. Alive

Actor and director Park Jung-bum utilizes his talents behind and in front of the camera to deliver a second compelling feature about those struggling to survive in a society riddled with inequality. Akin to "The Journals of Musan" Park plays a character trying to maintain a source of income with little in the way of support to help him. Set in Gangwon Province and beautifully shot, Park's film is not a rant; instead it's a carefully and smartly constructed feature that rightly sheds light on injustices in today's society.

7. Revivre

Sometimes dubbed as the father of Korean cinema, Im Kwon-taek has now made a whopping 102 features spanning more than 50 years. While in recent years, his films haven't connected with audiences in the same way his more renowned pieces of work have, "Revivre" marks a return to form for Im. Produced by Myung films ("JSA"), his latest, starring Ahn Sung-ki in his best role since "Unbowed" deals with the subject of grief through his captivating narrative structure.

8. Inside Men

Both graphic and grim in its depiction of corruption as it follows the relationships between a journalist, congressman, political henchman and a prosecutor, Woo Min-ho's "Inside Men" has been a surprise hit accumulating over 6.5 million admissions. Its success is largely down to strong word-of-mouth. Expertly executed and riveting from start to finish. Lee Byung-hun and Cho Seung-woo also give scintillating performances.

9. Gangnam Blues

Yoo Ha's noir action film starring Lee Min-ho and Kim Rae-won provides a fascinating glimpse into how the district of Gangnam was drawn up amidst rampant corruption in the real estate market in the 1970s. Visually, it's arguably the film of the year. The cinematography, lighting and choreography are outstanding. It does, however overstretch itself and so demands more than one viewing, especially for those unfamiliar with the backdrop.

10. Coin Locker Girl

Directed by Han Jun-hee (feature debut), the film stars Kim Hye-soo in one of the strongest performances by an actress this year. Set in Incheon's Chinatown, a girl who is abandoned in a coin locker is sold to a boss of an organ trafficking ring. What elevates the film is Han's well-crafted execution and use of mise-en-scène that was likely a factor in securing an invitation to the Cannes film Festival in May.

Jason Bechervaise is a film columnist for The Korea Times. He can be reached at jase@koreanfilm.org.uk.