"Sea Fog" was directed by Shim Sung-Bo and stars JYJ member Park Yu Chan, Han Yuri, and Kim Yoon Seok. Shim Sung-Bo directed other international acclaimed Korean films such as the The Host, Memories of Murder, and SnowPiercer with "Sea Fog" being his newest film to grace international audiences. The Host is one of my favorite Korean horror movies but even then there wasn't any expectations on this film. The plot didn't hook me and the trailer just made me not have any exciting feelings at all. Sometimes trailers can be misleading in good and bad ways but in this situation, I bought the film on dvd just to have a new Korean movie to watch this weekend.
Haemoo's plot isn't complexed by any means but if you don't understand a little about the conflict between Korea, China, and Japan when it comes to Korean people being trapped in a certain place unable to return to their homeland then this film will be a new experience for you. The sad history doesn't get dug into but you know enough from the reactions of the characters that things are not pretty for Korean people over in China and they want out. Here comes A fishing boat full of fisher men who have their own set of problems so they fish to make money but business has been kind of slow. Their next option is the smuggle illegal immigrants from China's waters back to South Korea. Lets just say the plan has its flaws then to top it all off a Sea Fog has surrounded the ship........
The film is shot in an eerie third person point of view. You always feel like your looking at things unfold from a place in a corner or behind some engine pipes in the base of the boat. Up above, to the side, or below, the view never gets boring when you got some many ways to look to view a film. Editing makes everything seem like a person is just switching their focus with their eyes, to my amazement. The shots also in no way shape or form try to make this film look like a sail on a cruise ship. things are gritty and raw justifying what fishermen all around the word have to deal with day in and day without knowing if they will make a decent living. Places outside of the ship such as restaurants are sea ports seem to be in udder chaos with no clean area to really call "nice".
Characters have mindsets that boarder the line of insanity. Especially the characters who work as fishermen on the boat. They all had issues even before the conflict of the film makes an appearance. The progression of the film shows the viewer that these guys only truly care about themselves but try to mask this fact by covering it with the whole" We are family" act. A family thinks about what is good for everyone in a reasonable matter, not takes things in your own hands by doing the worse possible option. I also blame the others who followed this plan in the first place without truly thinking about it. The immigrants will be every and anything to get back home to their families. You feel bad watching the ordeals they have to face of that boat. heck, they probably went through worse before even reaching the boat. In the mist of the fishermen and the captain's insane actions, Park Yu Chan's character tries to be the righteous one of the group, fueled by his own selfish reasons to help a girl he has grown attached to.( Han Yuri) This girl is like a deer in headlights to the point that you can see why some guy would fall for her. She has a strong will about her while looking like she lost her mind long time ago. Can't say this couple is a match made in heaven and a lot of the romance they did have seemed more forced than actually romantic. The first kiss scene was cute since you didn't see it coming, the rest of the relationship just seemed like a fling to get their sexual emotions out because they probably wouldn't have looked at each other twice if they hadn't been on this boat together. i'm soooooooo use to seeing Kim Yoon Seok play the villain that I have no more thoughts on this actor as he is brilliant and you guys can go check out his other films to see why I have come to this conclusion . The acting overall was alright for me. Nothing to out of the extraordinary but just enough to have a good film. Yu Chan won an award for this film considering I can see why.
"Sea Fog"'s plot will have the audience wondering what route this film wants to take to bring the whole product home. I'm still not completely sure if "Sea Fog" is a horror, drama, or a romance film. Some of the Korean poster will have you thinking this film is a romance thrill ride with unfortunate circumstances. Park Yu Chan was an idol but gosh, I wish he looked half as good on those movies posters as he looked in the film. Promoters knew they were wrong for tricking those fan girls into going to see this type of film. Things start to get really dark and grotesque during the midway point of the film. This is one thing that bothered me. "Sea fog" could have been an awesome horror film if the cards had been played right but instead we get a drama filled thriller. I wanted the film to go crazy on me and make me leave with a lasting impression. The ending will take your heart out of your chest and then proceeds to stomp on it.... Too Intense? Yeah. I know. If only the whole film had built up on that intensity.
I would recommend "Sea Fog" to fans of Korean thrillers and I enjoyed the film. I'm just not jumping out my chair or rolling around on the floor cause my mind was blown.
**** PLEASE NOTE, THIS FILM HAS SEXUALLY EXPLICIT SCENES THAT ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR PEOPLE UNDER 18. WAIT UNTIL YOUR OLDER. THANK YOU.****
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