I Saw the Devil (2011) Director: Kim Jee-woon Starring: Lee Byung-hun, Choi Min-sik
From its release, I Saw the Devil was no stranger to controversy, particularly regarding its extreme depictions of violence. In South Korea, the Korea Media Rating Board demanded cuts totaling 80 seconds before granting it a theatrical release, arguing that the original version "severely damaged human dignity". Despite this, director Kim Jee-woon stood by his brutal vision, famously comparing censorship to eating sushi with "a little less wasabi," and stating that his film's purpose was not to glorify violence but to provide a critical lens through which to examine it. He defended the film by saying, "If someone watches my movie and actually tries copying the violent acts, I believe that person would have acted aggressively with or without my film". isaidub i saw the devil