I really liked Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...And Spring. A very Buddhist tale, but with universal appeal. Not to mention breathtaking scenes of the Korean natural landscape.

Sony Classics' official film website

www.sonyclassics.com/spring/shell.html

Imdb's webpage on the film

www.imdb.com/title/tt0374546/

There was also some discussion on the film (as a lead into Korean films) on the Foreign Film tribe

www.tribe.net/thread/347c...fd2d01eb32e4

Kim Ki-duk's work definitely focuses on the darker corners of human psyche (which I think is true of Korean cinema in general but in his case in particular). I happen concur with kEvin in that "Bad Guy" and "3-Iron" to be his strongest films. Violence (sadism, insensitivity, incommunication) seem to be the main theme of his films; even though "3-Iron" and "Spring, Summer..." seem to detract from that theme in the direction of buddhism, I find this detraction superficial: imo, buddhism (as an essence of non-violence) only serves as a backdrop to his study of violence.

"The Isle" was the film that made him first known - a dark shocker of a tale (aren't they all), with some incredibly visual and memoral mutilation scenes... wait till the final shot.

"Address Unknown" is black in a different, socio-political kind of way, with a fascinating view of americans through the eyes of a korean generation.

"Samaria" ("Samaritan Girl") is, again, a twisted (but touching) story of school girl prostitution.

Of course, as hard as these films are to watch, I find that none compares in sheer darkness (artistic evaluation aside) to Chanwook Park's "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance".