Hwa-i-teu: Jeo-woo-eui mel-lo-di

I happened to stumble upon the 2011 South Korean horror movie "White: The Melody of the Curse" (aka "Hwa-i-teu: Jeo-woo-eui mel-lo-di"), and being an avid horror fan and a fan of the Asian cinema, of course I needed no persuasion to sit down and watch this movie from writers and directors Gok Kim and Sun Kim.

I will say that the movie is nicely produced and definitely has a good presentation to it. However, for a horror movie it fell short of being particularly outstanding or memorable. While the movie definitely is watchable, it was hardly a gem in the South Korean horror genre. In fact, the storyline was so mundane that I doubt that I will ever be returning to watching it a second time.

The acting in the movie was good, despite the actresses had next to very little to work with in terms of a proper script and storyline, and also having to struggle with characters that weren't fully written or given much of any discernible personalities or traits.

The movie was quite generic in terms of how it was build up and executed, so you shouldn't go expecting any grand surprises or plot twists here, you will just end up sorely disappointed.

There were aspects to the movie that definitely showed potential, but it just felt underplayed as if the writers and directors weren't really following through with the ideas that they had mustered to come up with. It was a shame, because the movie never managed to raise itself from being nothing more than generic and mediocre.

"White: The Melody of the Curse" was frightfully devoid of anything overly scary, especially for a seasoned horror veteran as myself. Perhaps if you are Asian you might find some scares here and there, but trust me, don't get your hopes up.

I am rating "White: The Melody of the Curse" a very mediocre five out of ten stars.

I was pleasantly surprised by this one therefore I have to recommend it to all of you horror fans out there, looking for something nice. Here are some reasons why "White: Melody of the curse" manages to stand tall at its end:

I had my share of Asian horrors, not too many I must say but enough for an opinion to be formed. While they bring something new from your typical Hollywood scares they also kinda always circle around the same pattern, a female ghost, long hair, usually crawling in a scary way or walking on a ceiling, nonetheless you can say: you've seen one, you've seen them all. Well not really, this movie takes you outside the box a little, characters have solid builds, it shows the cruel reality of bands struggling to succeed and you get a inside look in the music industry.

Also, as many Asian Horrors accustomed us, this one also has a twist and quite impossible to figure it out, therefore if you're watching it alone or with friends, you'll get a blast trying to figure out who is behind all of it.

I guess there are more things to be said but I find it best to let you discover them for yourself, just have a little faith and patience, quite hard to be disappointed by it.

This movie follows the trend of long-haired Asian ghost in a quest for revenge, but manages to spice things up by coming up with a story that is both refreshing and fun to watch. I thoroughly enjoyed this at first peculiar blend of music and horror.

Having an idol group as target for the spooky surroundings makes for an interesting insight into the conflicts and problems that arise between members. We get to see the characters cracking up under pressure and fighting with each other, giving the movie a realistic feel. The horror element is present throughout the movie, going from mild to full-on ghostly tension as the story progresses. The movie does a good job at developing the characters and building up the menacing atmosphere.

The actors all did a fine job, especially the lead actress, with some over-the-top acting from the other members of the group, albeit not very distracting. Although it was marketed as a horror, the movie takes a turn towards the mystery genre towards the end and tends to drag a bit in the unveiling of the final twist. The truly scary scenes are quite rare, but pretty effective and well-made, albeit not very original if you've seen your fair share of Asian horror. The cinematography is beautiful to look at and it even dabbles a bit into experimental territory towards the end.

While this isn't anything groundbreaking or original in terms of horror, the music aspect and the commentary directed at the life of idols gives an interesting spin. Overall, the movie does a good job at entertaining you, being a nice addition to the genre.

Many Asian horror films actually trying to depict a horrifying situation from different perspectives. This one, White, based on issues regarding harsh nature of Kpop idols. It's quite original, although I have to conclude both the plot and execution are mediocre at best.

The premise of the movie revolves on a struggling girl group, Pink Dolls who garnered attention when they sang a song titled 'White' from unknown performance that found in their new renovated studio after fire incident 15 years ago. When the management decides to promote the song with center (lead singer), the chosen member become terrorized by unknown force.

It's interesting, in fact that the movie told us many information behind what's actually happening off camera. I don't know if the movie is exaggerating, but many issues like center choice, performance and MR in music shows (it's hella debatable by Kpop fans), and surge of popularity, are quite staple in Kpop and to know that for a bit, is fun.

Unfortunately, those are trivial things because we mainly have to face the acting that is confusing. Probably it's not how the act, but how inconsistent the character is. While it's understandable that being Kpop idol is stressful, I recognized these characters changing their attitude heavily, that makes me wonder how the reading process ever finished? The characters seem to be at the pole of bully and Cinderella continuum quickly. It ruins the flow of the plot, since it makes me have to understand many things.

In terms of production design, the movie also seems to know that this movie ain't A-class movie. It's understandable, but I can't stand how the movie like to give trippy shots when the ghost is around. I guess it's a trend back then. Honestly, it cheapens the movie, because I feel that the executed horror scenes aren't good enough compared to the other scenes.

I also note some plot holes, but I let it slide. This movie seems like B-class horror that fun enough to watch without high expectation. It has original and creative story (also direction) that makes you stay through the movie, but it lacks execution to many details that I'd like to observe when watching a horror movie. To conclude, if you want a horror from unusual setting just for fun, it is a great movie.

Watching "White: The Melody of the Curse" in 2023 feels like stumbling upon one of those old-school horror movies that would randomly play on TV late at night. It has that nostalgic vibe, making it an interesting watch, especially for fans of K-horror.

The movie mixes K-pop with supernatural elements, which is a pretty cool concept. The creepy atmosphere and some genuinely eerie moments work well, especially as it delves into the darker side of the K-pop industry. But the pacing can be a bit off, and some of the characters don't get as much development as they need.

As the story goes on, it starts to feel a bit predictable, and while there are some good scares, they don't always pack the punch you'd hope for. The ending, unfortunately, feels a bit rushed and doesn't quite deliver the payoff you'd expect.

Overall, "White: The Melody of the Curse" is an interesting film, especially if you're into that nostalgic, late-night horror vibe. It's not a must-see, but it has its moments, and the unique mix of K-pop and horror makes it worth checking out. I'd give it a solid 6/10.