Chainataun

Although this is not horror, I saw this film during a horror festival. Their idea was to introduce "horror" that was more related to crime/violence, rather than real horror. Was it a success? Yes. I usually lack words to describe what I like about films, especially when I really like them. I wanted this film to be good but I thought it would end up being a normal film - I was wrong. The acting was really good (from main to secondary characters), the crudeness of a life of crime was very clear, the confusion of the main character when facing a clarity that wasn't there before was heartbreaking and your heart will shrink and shrink an shrink as the story goes on. This is not a pretty story and it's not embellished. This is about a girl who was brought to a life of crime, dealing with lack of love and working to survive. It's a film about a human being that is trying to find her spot in this world of horror - horror done simply by people who are just evil.

As a last note, I would also like to add, since this is a Korean film, I was worried my friends wouldn't enjoy it (since a lot of times cultural differences are plastered in the films but unless you understand those differences you won't be truly able to appreciate the work before you), but they actually did. If you want to introduce yourself to Korean films (and if you like action and violence), this is a really good film. If you know something about Korean culture it won't hurt, but if you don't you won't find yourself lost in translation. Totally recommend watching this.

Characters are interesting and believable. The storyline is also interesting and, although I've never been part of a loan shark operation, what happens in the story makes sense and is also believable.

The movie kept my interest throughout and I was definitely rooting for the main character, who definitely had more than her fair share of hardship and misery in her life.

Although she's a loan shark gang member, her basic humanity shows throughout and made me like and sympathize with her. She was fundamentally decent and human, in a good way, throughout the movie.

Strong ensemble cast also helped establish the believability and credibility of the characters.

One of the best movies I've seen in a while.

I loved this movie overall. The tone it sets from the beginning and the ambiguity of the plot is what kept me glued to the tv for *almost* this entire movie. I say almost because I found myself, towards the end, getting ready for it to conclude. The last 15 minutes of the movie feel like 30, but I am also more than likely partial because I expected a big fight scene/shoot out "Ballerina-esque" type ending and that is simply just not this movie. There is violence and action, but it is few and far between. The ending is beautiful and very well acted, I just went into it with the wrong mindset. I would 100% recommend this movie have added it to increasingly growing list of amazing Korean cinema to come out the last 25-30+ years.

I found this movie to be a bit violent (which I normally skip) but the characters so well thought & played, I didn't want to miss a minute. The cast is very good especially Go-eun Kim who was perfect in the role of the Coin Locker Girl. I really found an attachment which may be positive or negative to all the characters. That by itself drew me further into the story. I got a bit emotionally involved a few times. This movie does get slow at a few parts but I was kept focused as those parts always were on the character's story being told. If you can take a bit of blood & violence you will enjoy this movie as well. Its really more than a drama or thriller. Its a character study and their relationships between them all. I would have given it more than 8 stars but it was a little too sad in parts for myself.

This was on of these movies that convinced me to go through Korean cinema again. A very interesting and original plot where nothing leads as you would have expected and many bodies will fall until you reach the end of this personal crusade. I needed few minutes to calm myself down after I finished watching the movie. I thought they can't surprise me anymore and here you go. Personal is an important word here. Whenever I watch Hollywood made movie I can never get that feeling, i can rarely relate to characters so much that by the end I feel like a character in the movie.