Artist Obaltan (Aimless Bullet)

An emotionally draining family drama filmed on location in Seoul just after the Korean War—Yoo Hyeon-mok’s Obaltan (Aimless Bullet) is often regarded as the pinnacle of Korean cinema. The story concerns three siblings: a lowly accountant brother struggling to support his family on a measly salary, a war-veteran brother experiencing a difficult transition after his service is up, and a sister whose unusual success comes at the cost of prostitution. The crushing realism of the film led the Korean government to ban it after its original release in 1961 for what it deemed an overly bleak depiction of life in the country.

Updated 08/31/2010