masterly master lee
a home for forgotten and famous korean pulp, its heroes, its heroines, and its pulpeteersFate 숙명 2008 review
Can you say ‘overacting’? Then you can say Fate. Violent glares, emotional outbursts, screaming contests, ten minute swearing sessions, extreme action, one man beating up tens of tough gangsters, overcooked romantic (?) liaisons, sentimental flashbacks… Read the rest of this entry »
Private Eye 그림자살인 2009 review
What is it about Korean soundtracks that makes them instantly recognizable? Is the ever-present accordion? The dramatic yet light-footed rhythm of the intro (think dancing bears), the canned strings? The Master isn’t sure (which as you know doesn’t happen very often), Read the rest of this entry »
Kill The Shogun 무장해제 1975 review
In 1592, the Japanese shogun Hideyoshi failed in his attempt to invade Korea (and later, China through Korea). This Hong Kong kung-fu thriller is loosely based on that historical incident. Since the real Hideyoshi is not an issue, and kung-fu is the star of the movie anyway, historical narration does not overpower the action. Basically, the movie shows the Koreans fighting the Japanese against all odds Read the rest of this entry »
Hera Purple: Devil Goddess 헤라버플 2001 review
A great beginning for the movie publicized as ‘the sexiest and most shocking movie in Korean cinema history‘: a naked crucified body. Then a priest in a church, looking increasingly frightened by two books in front of him that are leaved through by an invisible force, stopping at a page with a picture of Greek goddess Hera. And it gets better. Very pretty ajumma Yi Hyerim Read the rest of this entry »
Rainbow Eyes 가면 2007 review
Rainbow Eyes didn’t immediately
appeal to Master Lee and the box it came in didn’t help (come on, how many contrasting colours can you get away with?). When he put the disc in his trusty DVD player he had his thumb firmly on the fast-forward button. But lo and behold, he never touched it! Read the rest of this entry »
The Terrorists 테러리스트 1995
A gangster movie with Choi Min-su (Choe Minsu 최민수)? Master Lee is paying attention. Choi Min-su is one of the few truly believable gangsters out there in movie land. Not as believable as the Master, of course, but that would be asking too much, wouldn’t it now? It starts off well… really fake-looking camera shot of police trainees storming through a wood, screaming their lungs out (and screaming “we’re underpaid extra’s… no f*#&$ing way we’re gonna sound convincing to you!). Read the rest of this entry »
Bungee Jumping of their Own 번지점프를 하다 2001 review
‘Bungee Jumping of their Own’ is a most unusual story about true love, and one that has haunted Master Lee for quite some time. The movie introduces us to a student, Inu, played by heartthrob Lee Byung-hun, who falls madly in love with a beautiful girl, Taehŭi (played by Lee Eun-ju), who studies art at the same university. Read the rest of this entry »
Shanghai Blues 샹하이 부르스 1969 review
Shanghai Blues by director Kim Kidŏk (pictured; no, not the guy who hates women) is a colourful gem among Korea’s less serious features (and Master Lee wonders why it has not yet been brought out on DVD, whereas terribly forgettable movies such as 갯마을 have). Why? Read the rest of this entry »
Korea’s official romanization system seoks
Okay, so you still wonder why foreigners remain wary of Korean officials telling them how to romanize Korean sounds in their own language? Well, here’s why: Read the rest of this entry »
Green Chair 녹색의자 2004 review
Park Chul-soo once, in 1995, made 301-302 and at the time Master Lee thought it was quite a cool film. Although the scenes of abuse were a little unnecessary at times, it had Hwang Sin-hye, and her beauty, silent defiance and suffering worked brilliantly. Although not much happened, there was a lot to be learnt (not enjoyed, mind you) from carefully observing the women. Park obviously felt he could get a similar effect here. Read the rest of this entry »
USO Shows in Korea 한국의 미8군쇼
Since the 1940s the USO has organised all kinds of shows for its servicemen. In the 1940s and late 1950s, the men serving in Korea were on average very young. Whereas the stationing of troops in Japan had been much better planned and prepared (a number of American servicemen sent out spoke Japanese), the occupation of Korea’s southern half was much less so. Read the rest of this entry »
New web-based resources on 1950s-1960s
Master Lee has recently come across a few relatively new websites that offer some downloadable pictures and other resources from the 1950s and 1960s. The first one is the Ararian website The other one is that of the online Bell museum For more useful links, check the “useful links” link (we thought long and hard about the name for that link…).
Once Upon A Time 원스 어폰 어타임 2008 review
Movies about the colonial period in Korea are getting more and more popular. And they are looking real good as well. Master Lee was impressed with the production values of these movies: Radio Days, Epitaph and the movie he saw just now, Once Upon A Time.
The best way to describe Once Upon A Time 원스 어폰 어타임 Read the rest of this entry »
Most excellent searches that maketh the Master happy Lee!
Midari candy 미달이 사탕
This candy was produced by Chungwŏn chegwa around the year 2000. Midari, played by Kim Sŏngŭn, was a popular character from SBS’s TV series ‘Sunp’ung sanpuin’gwa’ (Smooth Sailing Gynaecology). It’s one of many unsuccessful examples of real-life talents being turned into cartoon characters. Read the rest of this entry »
Technomart parking dance – Technomart 주차춤
For several years now, Korean women looking like supergirl (the only thing missing is a cape), are employed to stand outside Technomart to direct cars into one of two lanes. Read the rest of this entry »
Quick Man 追殺令 2002 review + update
This is directly from the back of the DVD: “The death of a company CEO triggers a battle for his estate, when his will indicates that he leaves everything to his missing granddaughter. Read the rest of this entry »
Korea’s Two Sisters 한국의 둘씨스터즈
Master Lee doesn’t like Copyright issues (although he was a bit pissed off with Tony Jaa stealing his backward-looping double flip-kick), and so this video of ‘Arirang Moktong’ 아리랑목동 gets his full approval, even though the song is said to be composed by (the probably fairly lazy) Pak Chunsŏk 박준석 and not The Hague’s Shocking Blue, or even the later Bananarama. Read the rest of this entry »
Lotte ice cream commercial 롳데제과 아이스크림 광고
Master Lee likes ice cream, and he loves pulp. This ad with cute model/actress Seo Woo (née 김문주, 金紋柱) deserves his 5-star rating.
Vintage Korean film posters 2 한국영화 옛 포스터 2
Here are some more vintage Korean film posters. The first one is from what is commonly regarded as the best Korean film ever, The Stray Bullet 誤發彈 (1961). And Master Lee agrees. Although he doesn’t really think in terms of lists with at the top the best (except when it comes to himself, of course), Read the rest of this entry »


