South Korea’s national movement is arguably the most powerful, vibrant, and influential of all contemporary Asian cinemas, having taken the world stage by storm starting in 1999 and deeply impacted the Hollywood films of today. Dominated by the thriller and horror genres, but also filled with poetic dramas and provocative character studies, the Korean New Wave offers something for everyone. Its hybrid approach and accessibility result from the fact that many of these filmmakers were exposed to Western styles and various international cinemas in their youth. They bring sophistication and a deep appreciation of form to their work, which often implicitly comments on the country’s long history of oppression as well as its current border concerns with North Korea. This line-up of recent films offers an ideal opportunity for avid fans to see a diverse range of celebrated cinema as well as a fitting introduction for newcomers looking to make some new discoveries.

First up, from July 10-12, are COAST GUARD (2002) and THE RED SHOES (2005). In Ki-duk Kim’s COAST GUARD, South Korean border patrol agents struggle amidst heated tensions in their own ranks as they stand watch on the dividing line between their country and North Korea. An unfortunate twist of fate leads one agent to question his own code of honor and confront his own critical mistake. THE RED SHOES, directed by Yong-gyun Kim, adapts Hans Christian Anderson’s classic tale into an updated story about a Korean woman who finds a pair of pink slippers on a subway platform. Bringing the shoes home, the single mother becomes obsessed with their surrounding mystery until she realizes that she may be caught up in a deadly curse.

From July 17-19, SPIDER FOREST and MEMENTO MORI will screen. In the atmospheric, supernatural thriller, SPIDER FOREST (2004, Il-gon Song), a TV producer loses his way in the middle of a dark forest. Upon entering a cabin, he stumbles upon two murders and realizes that one of the victims is his girlfriend. He begins to question his sanity as he tries to solve the puzzle of the disturbing crimes and get to truth behind the convoluted myth of these woods. MEMENTO MORI (1999), the second film in the WHISPERING CORRIDORS trilogy, has become a staple in the so-called K-Horror (or Korean Horror) genre. Two teenage girls explore their attraction to one another as they resist the confining social pressures of their all-female boarding school. Told in flashbacks, this film by Tae-yong Kim and Kyu-dong Kim explores memory, perception, and self-disclosure, as one of the girls comes to term with the other’s untimely death.

Concluding the series on July 24-26 are SAMARITAN GIRL and BLOODY TIE. SAMARITAN GIRL (2004) brought director Ki-duk Kim a Silver Bear Award at the Berlin Film Festival. It tells the story of a novice prostitute and the good friend who functions as her Madame.  After falling in love with one of her customers, the call girl commits suicide, leaving her friend to re-trace her path and sleep with each of her former clients. This consuming, profound drama features a riveting performance by Jim-min Kwak as the friend. BLOODY TIE (also known as Bloody Ties) is a 2006 police action film. A detective initiates an uneasy relationship with a mid-level drug dealer in his efforts to bring down a powerful new warlord. Driven by stellar cinematography and deft verbal sparring, this award-winning film’s strength lies in its gifted performances and close attention to character.