In 2023, there were many productions I thoroughly enjoyed watching. Here are some mini-reviews of a select few.
Television Series
Kill It (written by Son Hyun-soo & Choi Myung-jin, directed by Nam Sung-woo & Ahn Ji-sook)
(photo taken from IMDb)
I love a good “right under your nose” story and with that being said, the first show to be reviewed is “Kill It”. This 2019 South Korean TV series follows Kim Soo-hyun, an assassin, and Do Hyun-jin, a detective investigating a serial murder case. This thriller was quite engrossing, well-paced, and well-written. I liked that the character of Kim Soo-hyun portrayed by Jang Ki-yong was a bit of a juxtaposition. Despite having a cold and pretty scary demeanour, his actions seemed to show a lot more compassion than one would think possible which emphasized all the more the horror and immorality of his profession. I absolutely loved the female lead, Do Hyun-jin portrayed by Nana as she stood by her morals throughout the show and I loved to see that. I liked that throughout the series, characters made believable decisions according to their characterizations which led to an… interesting yet believable ending. Although I still had some questions by the end of the show, I think it wrapped up pretty… well and I found this thriller fun to watch.
Into the Ring (written by Mun Hyun-kyung, directed by Hwang Seung-ki)
(photo taken from IMDb)
Next to be reviewed is the absolutely fun, hilarious, and light-hearted comedy “Into the Ring” which follows Goo Se-ra, an infamous complainer who runs for a political office. The two main leads, Goo Se-ra portrayed by Nana and Seo Gong-myung, portrayed by Park Sung-hoon, had amazing chemistry with each other which made their scenes a pleasure to watch. Nana did an amazing job at leading this series in her fantastic portrayal of Se-ra who was a fun, engaging, and well-rounded albeit annoyingly naïve character. I loved how the quirky tone of the show was matched by the camera shots and soundtrack!
You Are My Spring (written by Lee Mi-na, directed by Jung Ji-hyun)
(photo taken from IMDb)
Moving on, have you ever watched a show and found yourself unsure as to what the tone of it should be? On one hand, you think it is upbeat and sweet but, in another moment, a sense of eeriness creeps in… That is what I experienced when watching the first four episodes of “You Are My Spring”. The series follows Kang Da-jeong, a hotel concierge and Ju Yeong-do, a psychiatrist as they fall in love amidst a murder investigation. Although the show opens in an eery way, the tone gradually becomes lighter as Da-jeong, portrayed by Seo Hyun-jin, and Yeong-do, portrayed by Kim Dong-wook, grow to learn more and more about each other. There is much more to the show in terms of its subplots and themes, one of which is notably healing, that work together to make this a very sweet production. I also want to commend the set design and cinematography of this show—it was very visually appealing!
Movies
Fractured (written by Alan B. McElroy, directed by Brad Anderson)
(photo taken from IMDb)
I was surprised to go on Letterboxd and find “Fractured” being dragged through the mud. The 2019 thriller, mystery film follows a man who desperately searches for his wife and daughter after they go missing in a hospital. Despite its predictability, I thoroughly enjoyed watching it and still found it quite intriguing. It was fun to watch the mystery unfold and put two and two together.
Hard Hit (directed by Kim Chang-ju, based on "Retribution" by Alberto Marini)
(photo taken from IMDb)
Moving on to another film I was surprised to see has lower than expected reviews on Letterboxd is the 2021 action thriller “Hard Hit.” This film follows a father and his two kids as they are held hostage in a car by a strange man over the phone who claims to have put a bomb in it. I thought “Hard Hit” was very captivating and engaging to watch. I especially loved the scenes where the camera was seemingly confined to the car and viewers saw things unfold from the same perspective as the family in the car. This vividly put me in the scene and made me curious as to how things would unfold outside.
The Dude in Me (written by Shin Han-sol, Jo Joong-hoon, Kang Hyo-jin, directed by Kang Hyo-jin)
(photo taken from IMDb)
And lastly, it is always a pleasure to watch a comedy film that actually makes you laugh. “The Dude in Me” follows a middle-aged gangster and a high school student who end up switching bodies after an accident takes place. Filled with action-packed scenes, numerous hilarious moments, and a fun storyline, this film was altogether wonderful! The actors portrayed their characters amazingly well, especially Jung Jin-young as the gangster Jang Pan-soo in Kim Dong-hyun’s body and Park Sung-woong as Dong-hyun in Pan-soo’s body. All in all, this was a very exciting and funny film!
Thank you for reading these mini-reviews!
- Nifemi Bola
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