THIS twisted social comedy is an accomplished debut feature from young South Korean director Bong Joon-Ho. On the surface there is not much of story, but the film works as a drily amusing human interest comedy.

An indolent university lecturer, lying in his apartment weighing up how he will find the money to bribe his way into a professorship, is driven to distraction by a yapping dog somewhere in his block. In a fit of anger he takes extreme action to deal with his tormentor, an action that will come to haunt him.

The rest of the characters in this doggie drama fall into two camps, although their lives become intertwined: there are those that love dogs and those who don't. A kind-hearted girl at the local shop and the lecturer's pregnant wife, who buys a poodle after being laid off work, are among the dog-sympathetic, while on the other side of the fence is an old janitor who sneaks into the basement to furtively cook up stews made from unfortunate pets.

Bong Joon-Ho doesn't rush the telling of his story, but the barbed humour is intelligent and he has a good command of the cinematic medium. Particularly striking is just how good the film looks in terms of its composition and aesthetic. An enjoyable piece of world cinema.