| Love, Lies | |
|---|---|
| Hangul | |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Hae-eohwa |
| Directed by | Park Heung-sik |
| Produced by | Park Sun-jin |
| Written by |
|
| Starring | |
| Music by | Lee Byung-hoon |
| Cinematography | Jo Eun-soo |
| Edited by |
|
The Lamp | |
| Distributed by | Lotte Entertainment |
| |
| 120 minutes[1] | |
| Country | South Korea |
| Language | Korean,Japanese |
| Box office | US$3.4 million (South Korea)[1] |
- Lies is a film directed by Jang Sun-woo with Lee Sang Hyun, Kim Tae Yeon, Jeon Hye-jin, Choi Hyun Joo, Han Kwon Taek. Original title: Gojitmal (Lies). Synopsis: A conscious exploration of fantasy and flesh. The director talks about the novel upon which the film is based, we see the crew at work, the actors talk about what's going on.
- Sinopsis Lie after Lie (Lies of Lies) Plot Cerita tentang seseorang perempuan memilah buat mengawali cinta palsu serta jadi bunda tiri dari gadis angkatnya yang tersimpan rahasia dibaliknya. Ia melaksanakan kebohongan supaya dapat memperoleh putrinya kembali.
Love, Lies (Korean: 해어화; Hanja: 解語花; RR: Hae-eohwa) is 2016 South Korean period drama film directed by Park Heung-sik, reuniting The Beauty Inside co-stars Han Hyo-joo, Chun Woo-hee and Yoo Yeon-seok. The story takes place in 1943, during the Imperial Japanese occupation of Korea.[2] In the film, best friends Jung So-yul (Han Hyo-joo) and Seo Yeon-hee (Chun Woo-hee) are two of the last remaining gisaeng. Although they enjoy pop music, they are committed to singing jeongga, or classical Korean songs. So-yul's life falls apart when her lover, pop music producer Kim Yoon-woo (Yoo Yeon-seok), falls in love with Yeon-hee and helps her debut as a pop singer. The story follows So-yul's downward spiral as she is consumed by uncontrollable jealousy.
Korean Lies(거짓말, Gojitmal) is a 1999 South Korean film depicting a sadomasochisticsexual relationship between a 38-year-old sculptor and an 18-year-old high school student. It was the debut film for both of its stars; Lee Sang-hyunis a sculptor and Kim Tae-yeon, a fashion model.
The film was released on April 13, 2016. Critics particularly praised the film for its meticulous reconstruction of 1940s Seoul, with period-correct sets, props, costumes and music.[3][4][5]
Plot[edit]
In Imperial Japanese-occupied Korea, Jung So-yul is a gisaeng-in-training at one of the last remaining gwonbeon, learning to sing jeongga, the classical songs of Korea's upper class. Jung is the daughter of a famous gisaeng, who is also the institution's headmistress. Seo Yeon-hee arrives at the school after she is sold by her father, who cannot take care of her. The young girls become best friends, and are two of the best students in the school. They both enjoy the popular songs of the day, but promise each other to keep their dignity as the only gisaeng who sing jeongga. So-yul's natural talent and beauty make her the center of attention, and she receives invitations from important people, including the Japanese chief of police.
One day in 1943, So-yul meets the top pop songwriter, Kim Yoon-woo, and the two fall in love. Yoon-woo asks So-yul to sing a song he is writing to encourage the Korean people suffering under Imperial Japanese rule. However, things begins to fall apart when he hears Yeon-hee sing and becomes mesmerized by her voice. Yoon-woo writes the song for Yeon-hee, and encourages her to leave the gwonbeon so he can help her become a pop singer, because pop songs speak more to the common people instead of just the upper class. Yeon-hee takes his advice, and So-yul feels betrayed. After spending much time together for the production of Yeon-hee’s album Yoon woo fell in love with Yeon Hee. Fueled by jealousy, So-yul attempts to regain what she believes her friend stole from her, destroying the lives of those around her, and ultimately, herself.
Cast[edit]
- Han Hyo-joo as Jung So-yul
- Chun Woo-hee as Seo Yeon-hee
- Yoo Yeon-seok as Kim Yoon-woo
- Park Sung-woong as Police Chief
- Jang Young-nam as San-wol
- Lee Han-wi as Purser
- Ryu Hye-young as Kim Ok-hyang
- Jang In-sub as Hong-seok
- Kim Su-an as young Jung So-yul
- Hiromitsu Takeda [ja] as Military police
- Lee Kyu-jung [ko] as Sampae student 1
- Hwang Byeong-guk [ko] as Councilor
- Son Seong-chan [ko] as Japanese army general
- Cha Ji-yeon [ko] as Lee Nan-young
- Kim Young-min [ko] as Producer
Production and release[edit]
Filming began on June 21, 2015 and finished on October 17.[6][7] The three lead actors had previously worked together on the 2015 film The Beauty Inside.[8] Han Hyo-joo accepted the role of So-yul because Love, Lies is female-dominated, unlike most recent successful Korean films.[2] She also wanted to try a more challenging role, as this is the first time she played an antagonist. To prepare for the role, she learned Japanese, dancing, and traditional Korean songs.[9]
The film was launched in October 2015 at Busan International Film Festival's Asian Film Market.[10] In March 2016, it was promoted at Hong Kong International Film & TV Market, securing distribution deals in Japan (KlockWorx), Taiwan (KBro Media) and the Philippines (Viva Communications).[11] The VIP premiere was held on April 11, 2016 at Lotte Cinema in Songpa-gu, Seoul, and it premiered nationwide on April 13.[12] It opened in fifth place at the box office, with 133,563 tickets sold across 572 screens.[13][14] The film earned US$1.67 million in a five-day period (Wednesday to Sunday).[15]
Critical reception[edit]
Rumy Doo of The Korea Herald called the film 'meticulously made-up' and pointed to its painstaking recreation of 1940s Seoul (then called Gyeongseong). Doo said Han Hyo-joo's acting is 'somewhat strained' in the beginning of the film, but her portrayal of a jealous, wronged woman is more convincing and 'painfully human'.[4] Jin Eun-soo of the Korea JoongAng Daily called the film a 'feast for the eyes and ears', praising the actors' musical talent, the costume design, and the reconstruction of 1940s Seoul.[5] Yun Suh-young of The Korea Times also praised the actors' musical performance.[16]
Shim Sun-ah of Yonhap News Agency gave the film a more mixed review. She praised Han Hyo-joo and Chun Woo-hee's 'brilliant performances', but said Chun's singing was not good enough to be believable for a character with 'mesmerizing talent'. Shim also disliked So-yul's 'very unnatural' makeup as an elderly woman. According to Shim, the film's greatest weakness is the storyline, because it is vague about how Yoon-woo's love shifts from So-yul to Yeon-hee, and why Yeon-hee feels no remorse for taking her best friend's lover. Shim said the film's greatest strength is its 'immaculate period reconstruction', with accurate sets, props, costumes and music.[3]
Themes[edit]
Highlighted in the film is the conflict between tradition and modernity, illustrated by the classical jeongga and early Korean pop music (later known as trot).[4] At a press junket for the film, director Park Heung-sik explained how he chose the film's setting: 'The 1940s was a doomed period for Koreans ... But it was also a period when Korean pop first emerged and experienced its golden age. It was a good period to show the conflict between two female gisaeng who wanted to become top singers.'[5][16] Park concentrated on how So-yul loses herself through jealousy, the 'universal emotion', and later finds herself and regrets her past. He said the film can be summed up by the phrase, 'Why didn't I know that before, if it was so good'.[4][16]
Another theme in the film is the duality that was expected of gisaeng, who were well-educated in the arts but treated as socially inferior, and ultimately existed for men's pleasure.[4][17][18] The film's Korean title literally means 'flowers that understand words' or 'a flower that can talk', referring to gisaeng.[5][16] This is explained by So-yul's mother in the film: 'Gisaeng are like flowers that can understand human speech...We're flowers meant to be picked by men who grant our wishes'.[4]
Awards[edit]
- 2016 4th BIFF with Marie Claire Asia Star Awards
- Asia Star Award: Han Hyo-joo
References[edit]
- ^ ab'Love, Lies (2016)'. KoBiz. Korean Film Council. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
- ^ abShim Sun-ah (April 7, 2016). '(Yonhap Interview) Han Hyo-joo: My greed as actress drove me to choose 'Love, Lies''. Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
- ^ abShim Sun-ah (April 5, 2016). '(Movie Review) 'Love, Lies': immaculate period reconstruction of 40s Seoul'. Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
- ^ abcdefDoo, Rumy (April 6, 2016). '[Herald review] One woman's jealousy in 'Love, Lies''. The Korea Herald. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
- ^ abcdJin Eun-soo (April 8, 2016). 'Tracing the birth of Korean pop'. Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
- ^Jeong Yu-jin (March 30, 2016). '유연석, '해어화' 첫 촬영의 추억..완벽한 1940년대 신사' [Yoo Yeon-seok in 'Loves, Lies' in the 1940s]. OSEN (in Korean). Retrieved April 13, 2016.
- ^Jo Ji-yeong (October 29, 2015). '한효주·유연석·천우희 '해어화', 대장정 마치고 크랭크 업' ['Loves, Lies' starring Han Hyo-joo, Yoo Yeon-seok and Cheon Woo-hee has finished filming]. TV Report (in Korean). Retrieved April 13, 2016.
- ^Jeong Yu-jin (April 12, 2016). '1940년대, 다시 만난 '뷰티 인사이드' [해어화①]' ['Loves, Lies', the 1940s version of 'Beauty Inside']. OSEN (in Korean). Retrieved April 12, 2016.
- ^Park Se-wan (April 26, 2016). 'Actress goes all in with 'Love, Lies''. Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
- ^Kil, Sonia (March 14, 2016). 'FilMart: Lotte Launches Kim Han-min's 'The Hunt''. Variety. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
- ^Conran, Pierce (March 29, 2016). 'Love, Lies Seals Asian Sales Trio at FilMart'. KoBiz. Korean Film Council. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
- ^Ahn, Woorim (April 12, 2016). ''Love, Lies' Invites VIPs for Its Premiere'. BNT News. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
- ^Shim Sun-ah (April 18, 2016). 'Korean romantic thriller opens at No. 1'. Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
- ^Jin Eun-soo (April 19, 2016). 'Romance-thriller 'Time Renegades' takes the lead'. Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
- ^Kil, Sonia (April 17, 2016). 'Korea Box Office: Kwak Jae-yong's 'Time Renegades' Debuts on Top'. Variety. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
- ^ abcdYun Suh-young (April 5, 2016). ''Love, Lies' portrays gisaeng's life in 1940s'. The Korea Times. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
- ^Kyung Moon Hwang (February 4, 2015). 'Life and role of gisaeng courtesans'. The Korea Times. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
- ^Jung Min-kyung (March 2, 2016). 'Film's most beautiful gisaeng'. K-Pop Herald. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
External links[edit]
- Love, Lies on IMDb
- Love, Lies at HanCinema
By Anthony Kao, 15 Jun 18 08:59 GMT
Film Korea Lies
Looking for a Korean film to remind yourself of a lost love, watch with a significant other, or even help get over a breakup? Look no further than this list of the 16 Best Korean Romance Movies, updated for 2020 with streaming links included.
As East Asia’s media powerhouse, South Korea not only has romantic TV dramas, but also plenty of romantic films. Korea has romantic comedies, atypical romances, melodramas, and even fantasy romances — creating a very diverse set of movies for every occasion, be it a breakup or first date.
We’ve compiled a list of 16 movies that reflects the rich diversity and quality of Korean romance. Most of these films are from within the past decade, though we’ve included a few titles from the early 2000s that you won’t want to miss.
• • •16. Always
'>Korean title: 오직 그대만 (Ohjik geudaeman)| Released: 2011 | Starring: So Ji-sub, Han Hyo-joo
Inspired by the 1931 Charlie Chaplin silent film City Lights, Always (alternatively known as Only You) features the love story between a former boxer named Jang Cheol-min (played by So Ji-sub) and a blind female telemarketer named Ha Jung-hwa (played by Han Hyo-joo).
The film has the outlines of a typical melodrama — male character with a dark past, female character with a health condition — but never becomes too excessive. Instead, Always offers a low-key yet heartfelt and poignant look at the sacrifices people make to keep love alive. Both leads feel like three-dimensional people, not archetypes; they’re easy to empathize with. Great camerawork and careful background music lend additional emotional weight to the movie.
Stream on Amazon
15. My Sassy Girl
'>Korean title: 엽기적인 그녀 (Yeopgijeogin Geunyeo)| Released: 2001 | Starring: Jun Ji-hyun, Cha Tae-hyun
If you’re an Asian or Asian-American millennial, you’ve probably heard of My Sassy Girl. This 2001 romantic comedy was a smash hit across all of East Asia, drawing comparisons to Titanic and helping launch the Korean Wave. Needless to say, My Sassy Girl has touched the lives of many young people across Asia and beyond.
The movie stars Cha Tae-hyun as a bumbling engineering student who meets a sassy (what else?) girl played by Jun Ji-hyun. This odd couple embarks on an eccentric, whirlwind romance with many twists and turns. Through many shots of soju, some classic film re-enactments, and a performance of Pachelbel’s Canon in D, My Sassy Girl‘s protagonists provide a highly unique and entertaining love story that’ll make you both laugh and cry throughout its entire two hour run-time.
Jun Ji-hyun’s unnamed “sassy girl” character is the film’s standout personality. Never before had Korean cinema — or Asian cinema in general — seen a female lead with such sass and personality. Audiences loved the “sassy girl” concept, and apparently other movie studios did too. My Sassy Girl inspired American, Nepalese, and Indian remakes, as well as Japanese and Korean drama spin-offs. The movie also has a sequel called My New Sassy Girl, which came out in 2016 and stars Victoria of the K-pop group f(x); you can read a review of that sequel here.
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14. Windstruck
'>Korean title: 내 여자친구를 소개합니다 (Nae yeojachingureul sogae habnid)| Released: 2004 | Starring: Jun Ji-hyun, Jang Hyuk
Loved My Sassy Girl, and want to see more movies like it? Fortunately, there’s Windstruck, which also stars Jun Ji-hyun and has the same director (Kwak Jae-yong) as My Sassy Girl.
Beyond cast and crew, there’s a lot of similarities between the two movies. In Windstruck, Jun Ji-hyun also plays a strong female character: an ambitious police officer named Yeo Kyung-jin. While trying to catch a thief, she accidentally apprehends a physics teacher named Go Myung-woo (played by Jang Hyuk).
Go and Yeo end up falling in love with each other, though the film then takes a turn towards melodramatic fantasy as tragedy befalls one of them. While Yeo initially satisfies the “sassy girl” archetype at the start of Windstruck, her character becomes more introspective and emotional as the movie progresses. I won’t give too much away, but if you’re looking for a balance between the comedy of My Sassy Girl and classic melodrama, Windstruck might be a good choice. Also: Windstruck has a bunch of subtle references to My Sassy Girl which you can look out for.
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13. My Girlfriend is an Agent
'>Korean title: 7급 공무원 (7keup kongmuwon) | Released: 2009 | Starring: Im Yeong-ho, Chun Sung-il, Shin Hye-yeon, Park Kyung-duk
Offering a blend of romance, comedy, and action, My Girlfriend is an Agent feels like a Korean version of Hollywood’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith.
Actress Kim Ha-neul and actor Kang Ji-hwan play secret agents Ahn Soo-ji and Lee Jae-joon, respectively. Agents Ahn and Lee get into a love-hate relationship, but don’t know about their respective secret identities. Unbeknownst to each other, both of them get assigned to stop Russian mobsters from deploying a biological weapon in Korea. Amidst a turbulent romance, the two must save the day behind each others’ backs.
My Girlfriend is an Agent did quite well at Korea’s box office and even inspired a K-drama remake called 7th Grade Civil Servant.
Stream on Netflix (limited availability) | Stream on Amazon (limited availability)
12. Architecture 101
'>Korean title: 건축학개론 (Geonchukhakgaeron)| Released: 2012 | Starring: Uhm Tae-woong, Han Ga-in, Lee Je-hoon, Bae Suzy
For a story of nostalgia and lost love, look no further than Architecture 101 — a moving Korean romance that happens to star Suzy from the hit K-pop group Miss A.
The movie starts in the present day, when a woman named Yang Seo-yeon approaches an old college classmate named Lee Seung-min to help design her house. The two first met in an architecture class, where Lee started falling in love with Yang. Architecture 101 traces the evolution of their youthful romance, linking it poetically back to the present day.
Besides touching off a wave of early 90s nostalgia, Architecture 101 earned plaudits for its deep characters and ability to poignantly remind audience members about their first loves.
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11. Il Mare
'>Korean title: 시월애 (Siworae)| Released: 2000 | Starring: Jun Ji-hyun, Lee Jung-jae
While Il Mare didn’t have a strong premiere at the box office, it’s become a cult classic among Korean romance fans. The film depicts a “time-transcending love” between a woman named Eun-joo (Jun Ji-hyun) and a man named Sung-hyun (Lee Jung-jae).
Eun-joo and Sung-hyun live in the same house by the sea — but at different points in time, two years apart. Somehow, the two begin to write letters to each other (don’t ask how… realism isn’t the movie’s strength), and gradually develop feelings for each other. Il Mare offers a calm meditative view on romance — contrasting with more rambunctious rom-coms like My Sassy Girl. The film’s famous for its great cinematography and scenery, which create a dreamy aura.
Il Mare also gained enough renown to spawn a US remake. Starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, The Lake House transplanted the original time-transcending concept to Chicago.
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10. All About My Wife
Film Lies Korea Kim Tae Yeon
'>Korean title: 내 아내의 모든 것 (Nae anaeui modeun geot)| Released: 2012 | Starring: Im Soo-jung, Lee Sun-kyun, Ryu Seung-ryong
Oftentimes, we see other countries remaking Korean romances. In this sense, All About My Wife is unique. This romantic comedy is actually the remake of an Argentine movie called A Boyfriend for My Wife.
This movie has an amusing premise. Lee Doo-hyun (played by Lee Sun-kyun) is a mild-mannered man who can’t stand his endlessly nagging wife (played by Im Soo-jung). Too timid to ask his wife for a divorce, Lee hires his casanova neighbor Jang Sung-ki (played by Ryu Seung-ryong) to seduce his wife away.
All About My Wife did pretty well at Korea’s box office, beating out The Avengers when it premiered. The film includes lots of witty jokes, and maintains strong storytelling momentum throughout.
Buy the DVD on Amazon
9. Love 911
'>Korean title: 반창꼬 (Banchangkko)| Released: 2012 | Starring: Go Soo, Han Hyo-joo
A firefighter and a doctor fall in love: that’s the basic outline of the aptly named Love 911. Go Soo stars as a firefighter named Kang-il —who can’t get over his wife’s death— and Han Hyo-joo plays a cold-hearted doctor named Mi-soo.
When Mi-soo gets sued for malpractice, her lawyer highlights Kang-il as a witness who can cast doubt on the suing patient’s character. Wanting to keep her medical license, Mi-soo cozies up to Kang-il, secretly aiming to convince him to testify. The two end up growing closer, and you can figure out the rest from here.
Despite its characters’ serious occupations, Love 911 provides a light-hearted story. It’s a no-nonsense romantic comedy which will both tickle your funny bone and touch your heart.
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8. Love, Lies
'>Korean title: 해어화 (Hae-eohwa)| Released: 2016 | Starring: Han Hyo-joo, Chun Woo-hee, Yoo Yeon-seok
Love, Lies is a unique romance movie set in the 1940s, when Korea was under Japanese occupation. Han Hyo-joo and Chun Wo-hee star as Jung So-yul and Seo Yeon-hee, respectively, two female entertainers (gisaeng) learning the dwindling practice of traditional Korean jeongak music.
One day in 1943, So-yul meets and falls in love renowned pop music songwriter. This strains her relationship with Yeon-hee, and also forces her to struggle between “traditional” and “modern” musical traditions. Love, Lies carries a lot of historical weight. The movie contains many undertones about Korea’s suffering under Japanese imperial rule, and Korean media praised its exquisitely detailed re-creation of 1940s Seoul.
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7. 200 Pounds Beauty
'>Korean title: 미녀는 괴로워 (Minyeoneun Goerowo)| Released: 2006 | Starring: Kim Ah-joong, Joo Jin-mo
South Korea leads the world in plastic surgery. Therefore, it’s no surprise that one of Korea’s most popular romances of all time uses plastic surgery as a big plot point.
In 200 Pounds Beauty, an overweight ghost singer (who provides a famous pop star’s voice) named Kang Han-na decides to undergo drastic cosmetic surgery after feeling under-appreciated and depressed. She emerges slender and beautiful, assuming a new identity and resolving to enter the music industry on her own terms.
200 Pounds Beauty provides an accessible, though not necessarily nuanced, way to learn about beauty standards in South Korea. If you’re not looking to learn anything though, this box office favorite will entertain you with song, dance, and dramatics.
Stream on Netflix (limited availability) | Buy the DVD on Amazon
6. Be With You
'>Korean title: 지금 만나러 갑니다 (Jigeum Mannareo Gamnida)| Released: 2018 | Starring: So Ji-sub, Son Ye-jin
The 2018 melodrama Be With You swept the box office upon its premiere, becoming the fastest Korean melodrama (ahead of others like Architecture 101) to reach 1 million unique viewers (in 7 days). Starring So Ji-sub and Son Ye-jin in its lead male and female roles, respectively, Be With You is the Korean remake of a popular Japanese movie of the same name.
So Ji-sub plays Woo-jin, a man raising a young son. Woo-jin’s wife Soo-ah (Son Ye-jin) passed away a year ago — but suddenly, she returns on one summer day, albeit with no memory of her own death. Be With You follows a pretty standard melodrama plot, so if you’re looking for a strong contender in the genre, it’ll be a good choice.
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5. I’m a Cyborg but that’s OK
'>Korean title: 싸이보그지만 괜찮아 (Ssaibogeujiman Gwaenchanha)| Released: 2006 | Starring: Rain, Im Soo-jung
One of Korea’s most critically acclaimed directors, Park Chan-wook is best known for his “Vengeance Trilogy”, which includes the 2003 noir hit Oldboy. However, Park also directed I’m a Cyborg, but that’s OK — a quirky and memorable movie that’ll give you a new perspective on love.
I’m a Cyborg, but that’s OK takes place in a mental institution. Its two protagonists belong to a veritable menagerie of patients. Park Il-soon (played by pop star Rain) has been hospitalized for antisocial behavior and kleptomania, while Cha Young-goon thinks she’s a cyborg. Despite the obvious challenges of institutionalization, the two develop a highly unique romance that embraces their respective mental disorders.
If you’re looking for a break from mainstream romances, I’m a Cyborg, but that’s OK offers excellent respite. The film’s two protagonists are anything but normal; they show how love can blossom even beyond “standard” societal expectations. Even without flowers, fancy candlelight dinners, and other materialistic romantic hallmarks, Park and Cha have a love as genuine as any other. That’s a refreshing—and sadly uncommon—message.
Stream on Netflix (limited availability) | Stream on Amazon
4. The Beauty Inside
'>Korean title: 뷰티 인사이드 (Byuti Insaideu)| Released: 2015 | Starring: Han Hyo-joo, Park Shin-hye, Go Ah-sung
Woo-jin has an unusual life. Every day, he wakes up in a different body — sometimes he’s a guy, sometime’s he’s a girl, sometime’s he’s not even Korean — but retains the same mind. Oh, he also retains the same love interest: a girl named Yi-soo, played by perennial K-romance actress Han Hyo-joo.
That’s the novel concept behind The Beauty Inside, a highly acclaimed Korean romantic comedy. This movie will keep your attention with its variety of scenes, situations, and acting talent. Since Woo-jin changes bodies every day, over a dozen actors play “him” —including stars like Park Shin-hye and Go Ah-sung.
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3. A Moment to Remember
'>Korean title: 내 머리 속의 지우개(Nae Meorisogui Jiugae)| Released: 2004 | Starring: Jung Woo-sung, Son Ye-jin
Apparently A Moment to Remember is also “a movie to remember”. This melodrama is one of the most well-received Korean romances of all time, and set many precedents for the genre.
Korea Film Lies Streaming
Actress Son Ye-jin plays the film’s female lead, a woman named Kim Su-jin. Through a series of happenstances, she meets Choi Chul-soo (Jung Woo-sung), a construction foreman. Though Kim comes from a rich family, she’s smitten by Choi’s rough-and-tumble nature. She actively pursues them, and the two eventually get married.
Of course, this is a melodrama — so something has to get in the way of that marriage. In this case, it’s early onset Alzheimer’s, which strikes Kim Su-jin. As her condition worsens, Choi resolves to remain by her side all the way.
Fair warning: A Moment to Remember is a massive tearjerker! Though memory loss is now a well-worn K-romance trope, this movie was an early pioneer that set a high bar. It executes the memory loss concept beautifully, with elegant camerawork and emotional acting. Bring tissues: A Moment to Remember will touch your heart… and tear ducts.
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2. A Werewolf Boy
'>Korean title: 늑대소년 (Neukdae Sonyeon)| Released: 2012 | Starring: Song Joong-ki, Park Bo-young
In the present day, an old woman named Kim Sun-yi receives a call about the sale of her old family home. Returning to the home, Kim begins reminiscing about a unique relationship she had 47 years ago.
As the title A Werewolf Boywould suggest, this isn’t a normal relationship. When she first moved to that family home in the 1960s, the young Kim discovers a feral boy. She first assumes he’s an orphan from the Korean War, and her kindhearted mother adopts him as names him Chul-soo. However, he’s not a normal orphan. His body temperature is higher than normal, and he behaves like a wild beast, unable to read or speak.
While Kim Sun-yi first thinks Chul-soo is annoying, she begins to grow fonder of him. She starts “taming” him and opens her heart to him. In turn, Chul-soo also begins to show affection to her.
Atop this premise, A Werewolf Boy ends up telling a heartwarming story that’ll bring tears to your eyes. A special shoutout goes out to Song Joong-ki for his delicate portrayal of Chul-soo. While A Werewolf Boy isn’t dialog-heavy; it manages to convey plenty of meaning through gestures, details, and great cinematography. It’ll leave a strong visual imprint of beautiful melancholy that’ll echo in your heart.
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1. Castaway on the Moon
'>Korean title: 김씨 표류기 (Kimssi Pyoryugi)| Released: 2009 | Starring: Jung Jae-young, Jung Ryeo-won
Completing our list is Castaway on the Moon, a criminally under-appreciated atypical romance. This is one of those movies that’ll make you rethink the meanings of love and life after you finish watching.
Suicide and internet addiction aren’t popular Korean romance tropes. However, they’re front and center for Castaway on the Moon, making it this list’s most meaningful and socially resonant movie.
When the film starts, a man named Kim Seong-geun (Jung Jae-young) stands at the edge of Mapo Bridge, Seoul’s most popular suicide spot. Saddled with debt, Kim’s done being a failure at life. Unfortunately, he’s also a failure at death. Kim jumps from the bridge, but wakes up alive on an abandoned island in the middle of Seoul’s Han River. He decides to try living alone on the island, becoming a modern Korean Robinson Crusoe.
Meanwhile, a woman named Kim Jung-yeon (Jung Ryeo-won) goes about her hobby of photographing the moon. She accidentally points her camera at the island, and notices Seong-geun. Through a creative exchange of messages in bottles, sand scribbles, and jajangmyeon (black bean paste noodle) deliveries, Jung-yeon and Seong-geun begin to strike up a meaningful connection.
Why the “creativity”, you might ask? Well, as it turns out, Jung-yeon is an internet addict who shuns physical interaction. Both of Castaway on the Moon‘s protagonists live at the edge of society, and shun “traditional” social norms and modes of interaction. At the same time, those “edges” they inhabit actually aren’t that abnormal.
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South Korea has the highest suicide rate among developed countries, and considers internet addiction a “public health crisis”. These are mainstream problems that mainstream Korean romances often ignore. Castaway on the Moon grapples with them both, and does so beautifully. Entertaining and heartwarming, the movie shows that — amidst the vagaries of modern urban life — you can still find genuine connection in the most unlikely places.
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