Hayan chonjaeng

I almost didn't see this one...I was on a film festival pass, and was trying to bounce back from a weekend of three movies a day. But it was Monday and I went, and I was treated to a gripping psychological drama. Not a dull second in this one, and a darker, grimmer war movie is hard to imagine.

When I tell people that my father went to Vietnam as a member of the South Korean army, the response I often get is, "Wow, I didn't even know that South Koreans were in the Vietnam War." Given this low base line of knowledge, this film is worth recommending on the sole basis that it provides an overview of an often-overlooked facet of this tragic conflict. Aside from that, as a film it certainly has its flaws (editing, pacing, music, and production value are a few flaws that come to mind), but overall it conveys the spirit of the novel and gives a reasonably historically accurate portrayal of the men and the times.

If you're looking for a great Korean war movie, though, this isn't it. Watch Taegugki, the gripping Korean War tale that is part of the recent "New Wave" of Korean cinema sweeping the global film scene. This movie, made in the 90's took place well before this New Wave and pales in comparison to newer offerings. Still, if you're looking for a different take on the Vietnam War film and can find this at your local video store, give it a shot.

And if you like the movie, or were even remotely intrigued, you really owe it to yourself to read the novel, which gives a much greater sense of depth and character development to the story.

A dark yet watchable drama. This film is one of the most realistic portrayals of the Vietnam War I've ever seen. The acting performances, the story, and the cinematography make it worth watching. The sad and hurtful reality is that the majority of Koreans sent to the Vietnam War didn't have a happy ending; some ended up losing themselves, mistreated by their country, or forever injured... Lee Kyung Young's outstanding performance rightfully earned him an award, and Ahn Sung Ki proves once again why he's one of the most influential actors in Korean cinema. I highly recommend this movie to anyone interested in learning about Koreans in the Vietnam War!

While I don't view this film as highly as the others who've commented here, I do think it provides and interesting insight into the Vietnam experience. What I found quite interesting about this film was its similarity in themes to so many US films on that war. The film does provides hints on how the war was portrayed in Korea (much gov't censorship), the frustrations of the "poor" Koreans fighting as proxies for the "rich" Americans, and the fact that many of these Koreans returned to their own country where US troops are a constant presence. The DVD version I saw may not have been the best copy. The film was very dark, the editing was a bit choppy, and some of the music sounded canned. I'm pretty sure the end of the movie used the end music from Platoon. Still, I think it's worth your time to watch this film to get an insight into the Vietnam experience that you might not get anywhere else.