Ride the Korean wave (Hallyu) of cinema and explore the most exciting and captivating films in the world today.
From smash hits like Parasite to cult favorites Oldboy, The Handmaiden, and Train to Busan, Korean cinema has revolutionized the film industry. Hallyuwood is a comprehensive, cultural dive into Korean cinema from 1900 to the present highlighting more than 100 major films from Golden Age classics to intriguing indies. Asian film expert and writer Bastian Meiresonne explores how Korean cinema found its roots and the cultural, historical, and political forces that have shaped the industry over the last 125 years.
With vibrant film stills and original movies posters throughout, Hallyuwood is a celebration of the past, present, and future of Korean cinema and a gateway to everything you need to know about these unique and thrilling movies.
This book is very well-designed and thorough, but I have to admit it's not what I thought it was going to be when I checked it out lol.
I took "ultimate guide to Korean cinema" to mean like, a viewer's guide, essential movies and why you should see them, etc. But this book is not a "guide" exactly, telling you what to go watch... instead, the book is actually the main feature. It's a chronological HISTORY of Korean cinema rather than a guide, explaining in great detail the historical and cultural context of the birth and life of Korean film. Of course tons of films are mentioned, but there's no recommendations for what to watch, no viewers advisory guides, etc
So if you want a book on the HISTORY of Korean cinema, you should check this out. If you're looking for a GUIDE to Korean cinema I would say..... maybe not lol