#Byun Sung-Hyun

[kaipanzero]

Kill Boksoon

길복순 (2023)

[mydarkapron]

◤ THE MERCILESS // 불한당: 나쁜 놈들의 세상, 2017

╳ Byun Sung-Hyun

[nine-frames]

"But I like seeing you in the light."

킹메이커 (Kingmeikeo - Kingmaker), 2022.

Dir. Byun Sung-hyun | Writ. Byun Sung-hyun & Kim Min-soo | DOP Jo Hyung-rae

[shotsilike]

[writing-reading-watching-living]

"Kill Boksoon", Byun Sung-hyun (2023)

[adamwatchesmovies]

Kill Boksoon (2023)

As an action film, Kill Boksoon has the pulse-pounding sequences of hand-to-hand combat you're looking for. When the picture slows down to focus on its family drama and side characters, it can’t help but feel derivative of other works. Whether the stunts and choreography are enough for you, I can't be sure. For me, I found it lacking.

Single mother Gil “Kill” Bok-Soon (Jeo Do-yeon) is a hitwoman working for M.K. Ent, one of several criminal organizations specializing in discreet - or not-so-discreet, if that’s what you want - assassinations. Gil is also a single mother who struggles to connect with her teenage daughter, Jae-yeong (Kim Si-a). As Gil contemplates retirement, the two worlds she’s worked so hard to keep separate start moving too close together for comfort.

I never buy into these “assassins with a code of honour” movies. Bok-Soon’s boss, Cha Min-Kyu (Sol Kyung-gu) goes into great length about this airtight secret society of killers he and his peers assembled, how they won’t slaughter children, will always do the jobs they’re assigned (among other rules) and how this has made the criminal underworld a better place. It just doesn’t hold up. Firstly, any drug addict will accept to do pretty much anything if you give them $100, so how exactly can Min-Kyu and his sister Cha Min-Hee (Esom) guarantee only "sanctioned" killers are "working"? We see them take out targets outside of Korea. Are we supposed to believe there aren't any mercenaries anywhere else? Next, that code of honour. Give me a break. So you’re not killing little kids. What you are willing to do is make them orphans, and the second someone turns 18, they’re fair game so don’t pretend like you have some moral high ground. You didn’t see Mother Teresa handing envelopes of cash to get someone whacked. What I’m getting at is that no matter how much the film tries to get you to sympathize with Bok-Soon, a part of you will always think “she freely admits she’s going to Hell because of all the crimes she’s committed. I’m pretty sure the planet would be better off without her.”

Even if you don’t have issues with the problems above, the premise isn’t original. You figure Bok-Soon will eventually have to turn on her fellow assassins, with her boss - the man who taught her everything - facing off against her at the very end. We’ve seen that a thousand times. There is a bit of intrigue in the family drama stuff. After a violent incident at school, mom wonders if the apple doesn’t fall so far from the tree. Too bad that business makes the film swell up to a needlessly hefty 137 minutes. Way too long.

The action scenes are the reason to see this picture. Director Byun Sung-hyun does this cool thing where he has his protagonist imagine how a scenario might go, and then show Bok-soon snapping out of her fantasy so she can try something different. It’s a clever way to extend the fights and more than once, catches you by surprise. The stunt choreography is great, with an extended brawl in a bar is the film’s highlight.

In North America, Kill Boksoon is being released via Netflix, which means you can see it "for free". This is a film that ultimately, I doubt you'll remember, which means that's the right price for it. From the comfort of your home, you can set aside the blemishes and focus on what works, which are the action scenes and to a certain extent, the family drama. (Original Korean with English Subtitles, May 21, 2023)

[netflixia]

Kill Boksoon - Poster

Coming March 31, 2023. 

[rye-views]

Kill Boksoon (2023) dir. Byun Sung-hyun. 길복순 (2023) dir. 변성현. 7.5/10

I would not recommend this movie to my friends. I would not rewatch this movie.

Omg my beloved Hwang Jung Min from Hush.

Cheol Woo bothers me. He stands for what I don't want my son to be. Min Hee's frustrations also bother me. I don't like her. Eww the Cha's are related??

I love all these men looking up to and serving Bok Soon like the boss she is. But, the lack of loyalty, we hate it. Young Ji and Bok Soon's double team kill rewards a 대박.

I feel like the fights got better as the movie progressed. I would love to fight with this skill. Some slicing is kinda triggering.

Noooo Young Ji's death.

[unetealombre]

[absolutebl]

New Korean BL - Jazz for Two

Tae Yi (Song Han Gyeom?) hears a familiar melody filling the empty halls and makes his way to the old music room. He knows his brother is dead, but he can’t help but hope, maybe, just maybe...it’s his brother playing his favorite song. When he slams open the door, however, he finds Se Heon (Kim Jin Kwon), a new transfer student, at the piano. Disappointment comes crashing down and Tae Yi can’t control his anger. How dare Se Heon play his brother’s song? How dare he smile? How dare he say he loves jazz?

“If I ever catch you playing the piano again...that’ll be the end of you.”

And with that begins Tae Yi and Se Heon's story, as unpredictable and visceral as jazz. (Source: BLUPDATE2022 Twitter via MDL)

Adapted from the webtoon "Jazz for Two" (재즈처럼) by Keul Ra Jyu (클라쥬)

Stars

Song Han Gyeom (prev A-Day), Omega X (rapper)

Kim Jin Kwon, Newkidd (leader, sub-vocal)

Byun Sung Tae - lead in Happy Merry Ending

Ko Jae Hyun - side in To My Star

Thoughts

With two active idols in the leads (we think), odds are not great on this one. So far the only truly successful execution of solid BL from active idols has been Semantic Error (and frankly KNK barely counts). Plus this is the production team/director behind A Shoulder to Cry On which I HATED, so yeah...

I'm excited to have anything new from Korea but I'm keeping my expectations low.

My idols in BLs tracking is here (possibly not updated). This won't get on the list until after it releases. Never count your idols until after the BL has hatched.

[maggiecheungs]

Jeon Do-yeon as Gil Bok-Soon in KILL BOKSOON (2023) dir. Byun Sung-hyun

[mydarkapron]

◤ THE MERCILESS // 불한당: 나쁜 놈들의 세상, 2017

╳ Byun Sung-Hyun

[save-the-data]

Jazz for Two | S01E07

Korean Drama - 2024, 8 episodes

Episodes | Gaga | YouTube | iQIYI | WeTV | Tencent | Youku | Catalogue

[shotsilike]

[throughaglassdarkly1961]

The Merciless (2017), dir. Byun Sung-hyun

[prncssguya]

if i had a nickel for every time sol kyung gu played a murderous criminal who fell in love and had to kill his significant other but couldn’t go through with it in the end, i’d have two nickels which isn’t a lot but it’s weird that it happened twice