Six (6) Korean Drama Movie Gems to Add To Your Watchlist (Part 1 of 2)
The Korean drama movie gems listed in this two-part article were released between 2012 and 2017. Part 1 and Part 2 list three (3) movies each. Watch them free on Tubi TV or Pluto TV, except for one that is streaming on Netflix. If you want to have a weekend or all-night watch party, consider these films.
-
(1) Heart Blackened (2017)
-
(2) Remember You (2016)
-
(3) The Chronicles of Evil (2015)
♦ (1) Heart Blackened (2017)
This Korean drama film is a remake of a Chinese movie titled “Silent Witness”.
(Genre: Crime and Mystery, Thriller and Suspense, Legal Drama, and Psychological Drama.)
“Heart Blackened” is a crime thriller about a high-profile murder case, the fiancée of a wealthy businessman is murdered, and the prime suspect is his daughter. She is accused of poisoning the fiancée; however, his daughter does not remember what happened.
Her father hires a renowned attorney to defend her and clear her name. However, as the investigation progresses, dark truths are exposed: deceit, betrayal, and hidden agendas.
Initially, the father appears to be a man of integrity who refuses to believe his daughter is guilty of murder. But as his character develops, you wonder if he is willing to blur the lines between right and wrong and do whatever it takes to save his daughter. Or is he trying to cover up something?
By contrast, the lawyer who was hired believes the daughter is innocent. She wants to maintain her integrity and pursue a straight path to justice. Yet she becomes entangled in a complicated web of deceit and manipulation.
The fiancée who was murdered is also a famous singer. One of her fans reveals CCTV footage of the day that the wealthy businessman’s daughter claims she does not remember. This revelation was unexpected. Which way will the murder case go?
As with many high-profile cases, there are always questions about whether the media objectively reports the facts or tries to shape public opinion.
Main Characters:
- Im Tae-San (played by Choi Min-Sik, “In Our Prime”)
- Choi Hee-Jung (played by Park Shin-Hye, “Doctor Slump”)
- Kim Dong-Myung (played by Ryu Jun-Yeol, “The Night Owl”, “Believer”)
- Yoo-Na (played by Lee Ha-Nee, “Knight Flower”, “Come Back Alive”)
Viewership and Rating:
- IMDb: 6.6 out of 10 stars
- My Drama List: 7.6 out of 10 stars
- Letterboxd: 3.3 out of 5 stars
My personal rating is 8 out of 10 stars.
Almost any Korean drama with Choi Min-Sik is worth watching. He is a veteran actor who starred in his first Kdrama in 1989. You may not like the script. You may not like the ending. But you will enjoy his performance. The Korean drama series “Big Bet” (2023) and the movies, “Oldboy” (2003) and “Exhuma” (2024) are on my watchlist.
- Choi Min-sik Revels In Return To Small Screen In Disney+’s ‘Big Bet’ | Variety
- ‘Oldboy’ Star Choi Min-sik Heads ‘Exhuma’ Cast, Drops Trailer | Variety
LINKS OF INTEREST:
- Heart Blackened (2017) 침묵 Review | EonTalk
- Heart Blackened (2017) ☆☆1/2(2.5/4): Flawed but not without entertainment | Seongyong’s Private Place
TRAILERS/TEASERS:
Rotten Tomatoes Indie. “Heart Blackened Trailer #1 (2017) | Movieclips Indie.” YouTube Video. YouTube, November 3, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P52XYtIUnpY.
♦ (2) Remember You (2016)
(Genre: Romance, Mystery, and Thriller.)
A man suffering from amnesia is struggling to piece together fragments of his past. Does he have wonderful memories? Does he have buried secrets? He meets a mysterious woman who is trying to solve her sister’s murder. For some reason, she cries the first time they meet each other.
The man is trying to remember his past and the woman is trying to solve a crime. Even though both of their lives are complicated, they fall in love. But other “mysterious” women were a part of his life before he met her.
He is a lawyer and one woman is a client he is supposed to be defending. She is on trial for murdering her husband. Even though he has lost his memory he is still a lawyer. For some reason, he is suspicious of her and is not sure if he should defend her.
There also seems to be a connection between him and another woman that he had before the accident that robbed him of his memory. He does not know how they are connected.
Gradually, his memories begin to return. Will his memory recall impact the future of his relationship with the woman he loves?
Main Characters:
- Yeon Seok-Won (played by Jung Woo-Sung, “Steel Rain 1 and 2”, “Cold Eyes”)
- Kim Jin-Young (played by Kim Ha-Neul, “Nothing Uncovered”)
Viewership and Rating:
- IMDb: 6.6 out of 10 stars
- My Drama List: 7.6 out of 10 stars
- Amazon customers rated this film 4 out of 5 stars
My personal rating is 8 out of 10 stars.
My praise for Jung Woo-Sung mirrors my praise for Choi Min-Sik. Almost any Korean drama with Jung Woo-Sung is worth watching. He is a veteran actor who starred in his first Kdrama in 1994. Additionally, he produced the romantic thriller “Remember You”, which made me even more curious to watch it.
- “Don’t Forget Me” (aka “Remember You”) is the longer version of the 2010 short film, “Remember You”. Actor Jung Woo-sung explains why he produced ‘Don’t Forget Me’ | Yonhap News Agency
By the way, Jung Woo-Sung also produced “Silent Sea”, a sci-fi Kdrama on Netflix.
- Korean Star Jung Woo-sung to Produce Netflix Original Series ‘The Silent Sea’ | YAHOO! Entertainment
NOTE: Some people disagree with my opinion of Jung Woo-Sung. They think he’s overrated as an actor and not very talented at all. Remember You (South Korea, 2016) – Review | AsianMovieWeb
Uuuh … OK! Maybe my point of view is prejudiced and distorted. But I’m sticking to it!
LINKS OF INTEREST:
- Hangul Celluloid: Remember You (나를잊지말아요 / 2016 / South Korea) Review | Hangul Celluloid
- Remember You, aka Don’t Forget Me | James Mudge – easternkicks.com
TRAILERS/TEASERS:
CJEntertainmentUSA. “REMEMBER YOU(나를 잊지 말아요)Official Trailer W/ English Subtitles [HD].” YouTube Video. YouTube, January 12, 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROLQXBG8-U0.
♦ (3) The Chronicles of Evil (2015)
(Genre: Crime and Mystery, Thriller and Suspense, and Psychological Drama.)
In “The Chronicles of Evil”, a detective who is a highly respected police officer becomes entangled in a web of deception and murder. WHY? Because he accidentally killed someone. But instead of admitting it, he tries to cover it up because he is about to be promoted. There was no legitimate reason for him to behave this way. It was an act of self-defense.
Nevertheless, he tries to cover up the scene where the death occurred and runs away. But guess what? The dead body of the man he killed is strung up on a crane in front of the police station. Does it get worse? Yes. The detective starts interfering with the investigation trying to cover up what he had already tried to cover up.
Does it go from bad to worse? To say it in polite words, he grapples with moral ambiguity. That’s what happens when you go from being a straight cop to being a dubious one trying to ensure you get your promotion. Not only that but there are other people involved who have hidden motives and are struggling with their own demons. Talk about plot twists and a gripping storyline.
You just have to ask the detective. Who in the world strung that dead body up in front of the police station and why? Dude! Do you have enemies?
Main Characters:
- Detective Choi Chang-sik (played by Son Hyun-Joo, “Secretly, Greatly”, “Captivating the King”)
- Detective Oh (played by Ma Dong-Seok, “Badland Hunters”)
- Kim Jin-Gyu (played by Daniel Choi, “The Ghost Detective”)
- Detective Cha Dong-Jae (played by Park Seo-Jun, “Prince Yan in Marvel Cinematic Universe”)
Viewership and Rating:
- IMDb: 6.8 out of 10 stars
- My Drama List: 7.9 out of 10 stars
- Letterboxd: 3.5 out of 5 stars
- Google users published rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars
My personal rating is 9 out of 10 stars.
All of the main actors in this movie are awesome! They all delivered standout performances.
LINKS OF INTEREST:
- Review: Never-ending suspense in ‘Chronicles of Evil’ | Korea JoongAng Daily
- [Herald Review] ‘Chronicles of Evil’ a study of moral boundaries | The Korea Herald
TRAILERS/TEASERS:
CJEntertainmentUSA. “[the Chronicles of Evil] Official Main Trailer (Korean) [HD].” YouTube Video. YouTube, May 2, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAyQ298o-K4.