| Few reviews that I have read have bothered to really look at the film as anything more than a copycat of "A Tale Of Two Sisters"--which it certainly is not. If one were so inclined to draw thematic and story comparisons, then consider the Alan Parker film "Angel Heart". In this film, Mickey Rourke's amnesiac character is forced into confrontation with a series of mysterious deaths, all of which are orchestrated by an evil force in order to make him realize who he really is and not who he believes himself to be. Such is the story soul of "Dead Friend" and the predicament in which Ji-Won finds herself. Not that the writer of "Dead Friend" was aiming to remake "Angel Heart". But if one must draw thematic comparisons in order to map out the film for prospective viewers, let's forego such trivial points as stealing wall paper and debating the color and length of a girl's hair.
For fans of Korean horror--fans who enjoy the melodrama and puzzle-solving story angles for which many K-horrors are known--"Dead Friend" will indeed deliver. Kim Ha-Neul in the starring role as Ji-Won puts a fine performance onto the screen, as does Nam Sang-Mi in the small but vital role of Su-In. In fact, the scenes their characters share (mostly flashbacks) are some of the most dramatic and emotional moments of the film. If I have any beef with "Dead Friend" it is that there should have been more screen time devoted to Su-In, seeing as how she figures so prominently by film's end.
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