Who payed the critics

Really Surprised!

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

I normally is a big fan of Korean crime movie, and most of movie I've watched before are quite satisfying. This one is really a amateur movie, the one I regret wasting my time watching it. First off, Lee Minho just doesn't suit to play in this role, apart form his face, who suit more to a soft character role, his acting for crime and fighting just weak. Don't do the mistake, leave the softer actor for soft character role. They are more suited to love/drama movie.Secondly, the story just so not interesting, too many bosses at too little scene and time, I had difficulty to determine which is Jang, Yang, Hul, etc. The movie doesn't intro each of them well in the story line. They all shown up in a group, make it hard to identify the person in our mind in later scene when the name was brought up.This is my first IMDb review, and the reason i decided to write this because I'm so disappointed for this movie.

What was good: --1.-- realistic setting: quite strikingly accurate, totally relates to 70s as far as ambiance is concerned. The uncontrollable violence and crime rate are also well depicted. The whole "70s" atmosphere is totally in. --2.-- the mud fight scene is totally dramatic and professional. Impressive feel for movement and coordination. --3.-- high tempo. A lot is happening within 1.5h while the story does not feel rushed or superficial.What was bad: --1.-- A lot of mature content, which is not bad as it as as long as it contributes to the story line, makes it deeper, explains some hidden motives. In this case most mature scenes seemed put in just to shock the audience and get the scandalous 18+ rating. So, in my opinion it was not intelligently used. Sort of - the director wanted to have the tough reputation...but missed on intellect. -- 2.-- Kim Rae Won character was very accurate - wild, cunning, uncontrollable, which probably was a one-sided role to begin with, so, psychologically easier to capture. Almost everyone else didn't get it right. Ex: people were portrayed as "good" while still having the evil background - these angles didn't match up. So, I was missing intrinsic psychological logic in most of the characters. --3.-- along the lines of the above point, Lee Min Ho (LMH) was a disappointment. Although not into his romantic mode, but was playing the old good sane Min Ho. That does not explain how such a normal person with morals and principles could carry out series of brutal murders purely for the sake of money. I think he needed to consult a professional crime physiologist before going into such complex role. The lead character missed badly on something important in his psychological portrait and because of that the whole film felt diluted. I remember the movie for the brutal history, not for the lead personality. LMH had all the chances to become the Korean God Father, but was probably mentally too young to make it.All in all, the film didn't teach life lessons or bring out memorable main characters, was unnecessarily sex-filled and sickly gory. However, quite informative in terms of history.

This movie elaborates the struggles people in Gangnam district had to go through with various changes with power. As a non Korean viewer, I recommend this to watched in terms of power corruption, brutality and rejection in society. However the end is not what most would expect, however it gives the story more realistic appeal. The incredibly played character is that of Lee Min Ho. I was pleasantly surprised by the acting of Min Ho. As I have always seen him as a cheerful, melodramatic flower boy in many of his dramas. In fact quite shocking. This really shows his capabilities of adjusting to various roles as a great actor. He has changed his experience to suit this character and delivers a noteworthy performance.I recommend this movie and it is worth the time spent to watch.

This film avoids the trap of trying to make the great mob movie by flying low, and it works, it is a rich experience. I will be watching it again. The biggest similarity with the Godather is that Gangnam can evoke what it wants just through the visuals. The meaning, and meanings, of the story are interlayered in what you see and how you see it. The lighting was I thought great, I rarely do. If you've known crime, criminals, cities, politics, family, hard times this film will speak. You get a tapestry of human personalities, and the faces speak about life, choices, chances, death. Pretty violent but surprisingly gentle. I guess it is because it is all symbolic of life's struggles and of cultural changes during the 1970's. It gave me the feeling of a (the) true story of Gangnam. Novelistic. Music, A-1. Acting, too. It's the only mob movie since the Godfather which could be compared to it.