Welcome back to my Korean horror film recommendations! Today I will recommend the sixth film of thirteen, which is Thirst.
I was initially drawn to watching this film because it is a vampire film and I’ve never seen another Korean film about vampires. In fact, I’m not entirely sure whether vampires are a common theme in Korean films or not. You see a lot about Gumiho’s and vengeful female ghosts, but this is because there is a lot of Korean lore and superstition surrounding the repressed rage of women (due to oppression) and how it could manifest itself after death. This is why creepy girl ghosts are very prevalent in Korean cinema; a nice little fact for you there!
Back on topic –Thirst revolves around a priest called Sang Hyun who is well respected for his unwavering faith and dedicated service, but unbeknownst to his parishioners he is plagued with feelings of doubt. He volunteers to take part in a medical experiment to cure ‘Emmanuel Virus’, but unfortunately it goes massively wrong and he becomes infected with the fatal disease.
After a blood transfusion that miraculously cures him and a series of unusual events, Sang Hyun finds himself a vampire with unfamiliar desires and capabilities. He gains a lot of attention from devout parishioners as they claim that he must have healing capabilities. He tries to come to terms with his new situation, but things become even more difficult when he starts to fall for the wife of one of his long-time friends.
What I enjoyed about this film was that it tackled the subject of vampires from a different perspective, and was also about more than just his transformation. It had the classic gore and brutality in places of the film as most in the horror genre, but Thirst also showcases an elicit love affair which I found to be a refreshing addition to a horror film.
This isn’t really your usual vampire film, so if you’re after pretty boys with fangs and super choreographed fight scenes, then this probably isn’t for you. If you enjoy violence, blood and some full-on nudity then this film will be right up your street!
Let us know if you watch this film, or if you’ve seen it before! How did you like it? Stay tuned for more recommendations right up until Halloween!
