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The 2004 Korean film starring Jung Da-Bin as Han Ye-Won and Song Seung-Heon as Ji Eun-Sung.
Brief summary: Han Ye-Won is a free-spirited high-schooler and Ji Eun-Sung is the neighborhood delinquent. At first Han Ye-Won doesn’t think much of this boy, but it’s love at first fight! If the two of them can keep up the relationship, maybe it’s even meant to be.
Let’s be real about this movie for just a minute: it’s not the type to get invested in.
1. There’s not much to the plot. It’s the kind of shallow story that really belongs in a manga. Because there’s not much, a lot of the movie is a little over-dramatic and over-played.
2. Both main characters are just major dorks. They’re young, immature, and too narrow-minded to be considering a serious relationship. Love can happen at anyone, at any time, and at any place, but priorities exist too: get an education!
3. There’s no character development from anyone. This is partly because there’s not much to it in the first place.
Now, some things I noticed:
1. Ji Eun-Sung was a little too mean for boyfriend material, although it WAS the character trend of the time and is a hallmark of early hallyu dramas. This said, we should also remember what DOES and what DOESN’T work in real functional relationships. Unfortunately, the couple in this film is so dysfunctional that I’d use it in a Marriage and Family Relationships college course for analyzing. It would probably be one of the greatest assignments of the year!
2. Lee Ki-Woo was apparently a giant of a man from infancy. This movie was one of his earlier roles, too, and I still watch him and think he might have had a real shot at pro basketball if acting hadn’t panned out for him.
3. The acting is so extra that sometimes I can’t help but laugh. For instance, the fight scene in 1:35:00 between Han-Sung and Eun-Sung. I couldn’t help but notice that they both went sprawling on the ground after each punch. One would fall because of taking the blow, but the other would find himself just as floored because his feet wanted to follow his fist! 😂
4. The language is a little mouthy, even by Korean standards. For the most part, English subtitles can take care of that, but it’s good to be prepared if you’re not sure about your subtitle provider or quality.
Overall, this film is spoofy and dorky. Cheesy. So cheesy you could watch it with nachos. But it’s a great pick if you’re looking for something to lighten the mood and laugh at with a bunch of friends! The next time I watch this movie, I hope it's with my friends on a lazy day with loads of snacks by our sides! 3/5 stars.
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