Two North Korean soldiers are killed in the border area between North and South Korea, prompting an investigation by a neutral body. The sergeant is the shooter, but the lead investigator, a Swiss-Korean woman, receives differing accounts from the two sides.
Lee Young-ae Lee Byung-hun Song Kang-ho Kim Tae-woo Shin Ha-kyun Herbert Ulrich Christoph Hofrichter Lee Han-wi Koh In-bae Lee Dae-yeon Ki Joo-bong Won Geun-hee Go Eun-a Seo Jeong-gyu Jeong Ju-hwan Park Jeong-gi Yoon Hee-won Lee Do-yeop Jin Tae-hyeon Kim Kwang-il Lee Seung-chan Lim Il-gyu Yoo Hyung-gwan Ahmedov Ayder Isaac Green Gallego Alberto Cannon Greg Courtney Kwon Nam-hee Lee Jong-yong Show All…
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Germany Berlin International Film Festival 
Hong KongIII 
South Korea15 
Russia18+ Hong KongIIB 
Lithuania Germany16 
JapanG 
France12 Russia18+ France France Germany Hong Kong Japan Lithuania Russia South Korea 
This movie...
The middle part is like the most wonderful Christmas movie about
brotherly spirit where no brotherly spirit should exist. It's such a moving, hopeful film.
The ending is so incredibly sad.
Song Kang-ho is so natural, one of the most talented actors of his generation.
Loooooved this. Could’ve watched another hour of this middle of this movie. Honestly feel like the mystery part could’ve gone away, since it feels like it’s just there to set up an ending that’s kinda obvious? Just so sweet in a way that’s simultaneously painful because you know it can only be sweet for so long, and then it’s heartbreaking. All-timer final shot. Can’t imagine how much more this would’ve worked on me if i knew anything about the complicated relationship between North and South Korea. Luckily, it still works very well for me because I know a lot about the complicated relationship between me being a straight man and Shin Ha-kyun/Lee Byung-hun’s faces.
I forgot how That 70s Show coded it was
Our next screening series at the Flanaplex is focused on the work of my favorite living filmmaker, Park Chan-wook.
Considered by most (including Park) to be his first real feature (he made two others prior to this that were essentially disowned), J.S.A. tells the story of a shooting at the DMZ outposts between North and South Korea. A neutral investigator is brought in to get to the truth of the incident before it ignites a war, and finds the survivors telling very different versions of what occurred.
Through Park's assured and sophisticated direction (brilliant even this early in his career), what unfolds is a complex and emotionally riveting puzzle that focuses on the artificial division of borders and politics, the…
"You still have that mine fuse I gave you? Don't lose it. Hold onto that and even bullets will pass you by."
this is the gayest and most heartbreaking technically-not-actually-gay film i've ever seen, thanks park chan-wook!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am a shell of my former self. The measureless power of friendship, even in the face of palpable political tension. Maybe my favorite closing shot ever?
Park Chan-wook is a treasure.
After today’s historic and unprecedented meeting between North and South Korean heads of state, I couldn’t help but want to rewatch Park Chan-wook’s masterpiece JSA.
I was at a business dinner a few years ago with group of folks from Samsung. We were providing a demonstration in their booth at a trade show, and they took us out to dinner to show their appreciation of us supporting them. It came up during the dinner that I was a fan of Korean cinema, and we chatted about many Korean films and directors. When I asked them what their favourite Korean film was, the answer was unanimous. JSA.
I could easily tell that the issues brought up in the film were very…
I know letterboxd’s user base consists roughly 95% of zoomers who saw Parasite as their first ever foreign language film and it breaks my heart to see headlines like this nowadays but those of us in the know, know that Park Chan-wook > Bong Joon-ho. Always has been. I’ve seen all but one (Barking Dogs Never Bite) of Bong Joon-ho’s feature films and I can tell you with a high degree of certainty that not ONE of them, masterpieces that they are, made me FEEL for the characters the way that Park Chan-wook did in The Handmaiden, Oldboy, and now Joint Security Area. In terms of portrayal of friendships and brotherhood on film this is easily up there with the best of John…
85
Park Chan-wook's films always capture his craft within the particular chosen story. He never overdoses on style unless it's called for, but the restraint (or lack thereof) utilized is indicative of a confident artist who knows not to mismanage his choices behind the camera. Every decision is made with intent and a clear-eyed vision. With Joint Security Area, Park Chan-wook digs into generational unrest and political tension, sharp physical barriers and emotional fault-lines, in addition to the central mystery angle, but the lingering dramatic power is sourced from relationships, those that collapse under concepts of loyalty and commonality. How friendships can be found and nurtured in professional structures, with tragedy just on the horizon. As devastating as Joint Security Area is, Park Chan-wook balances the pain of policy with short glimmers of hope and understanding. How we find meaning in our geopolitical reality.
Minus the first scene, the movie didn’t feel quite unique, and I was worried I stumbled into something I wouldn’t like. Everything about it initially felt average, bland, and not something you would expect from Park Chan-wook. Although, twenty minutes in, I felt the biggest relief.
Chan-wook’s films are simply magical, and this one is no exception! The outdated poster doesn’t do it any justice at all. Like most of his films it’s filled with humor, but this time it’s more innocent and pure. As per usual, the story hits tragically hard.
Heartbreaking. Oof.
Park Chan-wook’s got such a big heart but doesn’t overplay it. But it’s there and it’s a part of every scene.
Already ugly crying halfway through, then the final shot just broke me
