Sexylocher Masterful Movie

ChicRawIdol A brilliant film that helped define a genre

Bessie Smyth Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

Rosie Searle It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

nicholas Chin In a sense, Chingoo s probably one of the best Korean films because the concept is realistic, and although some of the circumstances and events in the movie seem to wild, the overall premise of the movie is still there. Four boys, of different backgrounds, grow up together. As they go through high school, it becomes apparent that each boy will take a different road entering man-hood. No matter what- each will stay will remain friends despite the drastic choices each of them make. (Hense the title "Chingoo" which means friend in Korean.) The only problem I had with the movie was the nagging question: What happened to the girls? The movie introduces several girls, and then they seem to disappear. This movie is great for anyone, it will keep you watching until the very end.

Jaewoo This move does not cross the east/west cultural barrier very well. I am not sure if non-asians can fully understand the confucian harshness and its effects on the Korean society. Nonetheless, like all great movies, this movie strikes at both the heart and the mind in unison.It intrigues our intellect with subtleties. It leaves us to wonder why the characters behave the way they do. Why must one friend murder an another? It isn't always clear. Why does one friend chooses an another friend as his favorite? No can be sure. Yet there are reasons.It moves our emotions because the movie is about the true meaning of friendship. It is loyalty above all else, even to the point of forgiving and understanding a friend who murders an another. Among friends, there is no hatred or bitterness, only forgiveness, understanding, and support.The acting is second to none. Both the lead and the supporting actors won the best acting awards at an international film festival. When the murderous and treacherous friend becomes himself murdered, it is a profoundly sad moment. Then we realize that we have come to love and care for the characters, despite their flaws, because we come to respect them as human beings capable of deep and profound friendship unlike any other.Finally, the director did an incredible job of enhancing the allure of the main female character. Her on stage lip lyncing performance as the lead singer of a high school band was shot beautifully. Understandably, all the characters fall in love with her at that moment, and so does the audience.

dennisyoon A friend of mine who grew up in Korea recommended this movie to me a couple years ago. He said it "reminded him of friends he had when he was young." I thought about that and remembered my friends who I watched my first porno with and who fought by my side win or lose and who I parted ways with sometimes on not so good terms. I ended up thanking him because the movie is a treasure trove of memories of coming of age. It reminded me of elder brothers who showed me honor in martial arts and gangsta life and my close friends who went their separate ways. Just like my friend said it reminded me of friends and growing up.10/10. Great story. Great Acting. Great Characters. Stylish Violence. Well produced. Awesome Gangsta Drama. Right up there with "Failan" for impact.

QuadESL63 As mentioned in the earlier comment here, this movie is beautifully filmed with great cinematography, but...The first half (before two of the friends went to colleges elsewhere) of the movie brilliantly portrayed the relationships between these four friends and their differences. However, the second half of the story is not as good as the first. Sure, it illustrated the friendship between "Sang-taek" and "Joon-suk" and the parting of "Joon-suk" and "Dong-su" in great details, but we never see the two college-goers involve in the conflicts between "Joon-suk" and "Dong-su".I'm disappointed that "Joong-ho" did not get a chance to further develop the character and the involvement in the conflict (e.g. which side of the conflict did he sided with?). He became just a comic relieve type of character in the movie, which is sad. They movie could have developed all four characters around their life-long bond in a more balanced and thorough way.The friendship between "Sang-taek" and "Joon-suk" can be touching at moments. "Joon-suk" took care of "Sang-taek" took care of each others from time to time, and at the end "Sang-taek" never leave his friend (obviously "Joon-suk" was heading for an execution) even though he killed one of them.At the end of the movie "Joon-suk" said something like: "... I thought Joon-suk and Dong-su were together on the same path..." (I watched the movie with Chinese subtitle... so hopefully the translation did not loose the original meaning). They are until the end. "Dong-su" always want to be at the same position of "Joon-suk". That's the tragedy of the four.I'm relieved that it doesn't emphasize around the action scenes (they are brief but stunning none the less) as some of the Hong Kong movies of the same sort. This movie is not just about gangsters' war.This is a good movie to watch if you are tired of the usual Hollywood flicks. However, it lacks just a little bit to make it into a truly great movie.