I'm a sucker for close-quarters fight choreography. Here's a taekwondo-inflected fight sequence from a 2022 Korean action movie called "The Killer." With its wide stances and long kicks, taekwondo isn't really known as a close-in martial art, which makes the fight all the more interesting. Look for other martial influences, too, like muay thai and special-forces combat moves, as well as plenty of over-the-top axe choreography.
Years and years ago, I remember watching some Korean movie (whose title I can't recall) in which the bloodied hero fights his way through a series of henchmen, only to be killed at the end. I got the impression that Korean action heroes were a lot like the French action heroes of old: they had to die nobly. Today, though, both French and Korean action heroes are more likely to follow the template of American heroes: they're a one-man (or one-woman) army that comes out on top in the end. I see this as a reflection of national self-image and optimism, which is certainly fitting for an up-and-coming global power like South Korea.
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