He was cool

he was cool

Cast:
Song Seung Hun
Jung Da Bin

Romance sizzles for Jung Da Bin (Rooftop Room Cat) and Summer Scent's Song Seung Hun in the silver screen blockbuster He Was Cool that is based on a best-selling novel. Jung portrays a vivid clever girl that gets involved in a touching affair with wealthy Song who has to display all his his lovely charms to overcome the shadows of the past.

Review:
I find this movie with quite of a resemblance with that of Meteor garden. Eun Sung (played by Endless Love hunkie Song Seung Hun) is the Korean version of Dao Ming Si. Although his group also has 4 members, the characterization mainly focused on him. I like this movie no matter what the story had turned out to be. The story is actually a mess for the organization of the sequence is not good. The revelations are untimely. You get to watch this movie again for you will only realize why this happened and that happened only during the credits part of the film. But it's okay for movies are meant to be that way but in this one, it's somewhat misdirected and misplaced. However, i will still give this an 8 if it wasn't for the bad boy charming image of Song Seung Hun and if it wasn't for the cute and effective comedic inputs in the movie with the inclusion of some "fairytale" and "comedy special effects". I just love the scenes wherein Han Ye Won's mother and brother will just slide into her back and scare her. I also like the "matrix-like" spoofs and the "run like the wind" scene of Ye Won while she was getting her hair straight. I also enjoyed the "Meteor Garden, Ching-Her-like character" of Ye Won's friend who came back from America. This is a laughtrip, I'm telling you.

Windstruck

windstruck
Cast:
Ji-hyun Jun
Hyuk Jang
Su-ro Kim

When police officer Kyungjin met with Myungwoo accidentally in a crime, she found that this responsible teacher was a really nice guy. At that night, Kyungjin got into a fight with a bunch of high school kids and got trouble in a big gun fight between rival drug dealers. Myungwoo tried to help her but then something happened that forces them stayed together all day long. They got closer to each other and Myungwoo was not able to repulse the strange but pure nature. He fell in love with her. One day, when Kyungjin was chasing a notorious criminal, Myungwoo helped her again, however, not knowing that what would happen that day changed their relationship forever...

Review:
This is another film by Jae-young Kwak that seemed to capture a lot of the audience hearts. Another romantic comedy. Some may have believed that the film has something to do with Kwak's previous work "My Sassy Girl" which stars the beautiful Ji-Hyun Jin but no matter how you try to analyze it, there's no connection at all. Maybe people are just anticipating for some connection. As Filipinos, we should get used to this trick or style of directors when it comes to incorporating previous works or trying to do cameos inorder for the movie to sell out.
Enough of that. The story is quite "unbelievable" in a way. But hey, it's a romantic comedy after all. What's not to believe. The song used in the movie with the lyrics "Why don't you stay, just a little bit longer" seemed to be quite infectious and a favorite when it comes to having LSS. This was proven by my friend who introduced to me the song and now I just can't get it off of my head. All in all, the movie is just okay. There is still that "sadness" to expect in Korean films. I'll give it an 8.

My brother

my brother

Cast:
Won Bin
Shin Ha Kyun

Popular actors Shin Ha Kyun and Won Bin team up in the heartrending hit My Brother! Handsome Won Bin (Taegukgi) is Jong-Hyun, an underachiever whose slightly handicapped older brother Sung-Hyun (Shin Ha Kyun of Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance and Save the Green Planet) is favored by their mother and acquaintances alike for all his sincere efforts. Filial jealousy, competition over a pretty girl, and years of sought-after acceptance drives a rift between the two brothers. As the years pass, the two brothers lead increasingly separate lives, and their lingering conflict goes unsettled. Will each eventually be able to call the other "My brother?"
My Brother features the first teaming of actors Shin Ha Kyun and Won Bin since the popular 2001 action comedy Guns and Talks. As brothers facing estrangement and possibly reconciliation, the two actors turn in effective dramatic and comic performances, and bring photogenic spark to director Ahn Kwon Tae's hit drama.

Review:
During the first few minutes that you get to watch this film, one will probably get bored because of how dull the movie is. It is a "quiet" movie if i may put it that way. there are not much sound effects and the musical score is so poor. But eventually, i guess that's what makes the film wonderful after all. I can't help not to be emotionally drawn with the film for the story is such a moving piece that i get to look into myself and appreciate my sister at the moment. i like the "closure" used between the first part and the last part. The imagery of the camera that was used by jung hyun (won bin) is important in making the movie such a poignant piece. won bin is no hunk in here. as a matter of fact, i abhor his character in the film. nonetheless, i will rate this with a 9. koreans are so good in drama.

My little bride

my little bride

Cast:
Kim Rae Won
Moon Geun Young

Love is in the air in "My Little Bride"!
Korea 's heart-throb Kim Rae Won ("Rooftop Room Cat") leaps back to your video-screen in this romantic treat to please his fans once more! This time he teams up with Moon Geun Young ("A Tale of Two Sisters"). Super dandy Sang-min is sure that no woman can escape his attractiveness, while 16-year young high-schooler Bo-eun cannot help falling for handsome guys. As luck would have it, these to extreme characters decide to tie the knot just for fun in order to keep Sang-min 's grandpa happy & alive.

Review:
The movie was okay. There are some scenes wherein the lines are boring and seemed unnecessary but all in all the film wasn't that bad. The good thing about the movie is that it showcases Korean tradition of marriage. Here you can see the role played by the elders in involving themselves in the relationship of their younger generation. The use of "Hanbok" (traditional Korean clothing)is very much emphasized and others as well. I'll give this movie a 7. Thanks to the humor of Kim Rae Won.

Sang Doo Let's Go to School

Sang Doo Let's Go to School is a simple story which turned out as complicated but as enthralling as it can be. Well, aside from the visual sustenance that I get everytime Jeong Ji hoon as Cha Sang Doo will make faces, smile with his eyes closed, dance like Michael Jackson or act like a clown, I get all happy and alive. The storyline is very well thought of. It's not like one of our very own telenovelas wherein the script writers make the story too complicated just to be able to prolong the airing of the particular teleserye. Sang Doo is a gigolo. He has a daughter. His childhood is composed of not so good memories except for his first love, Chae Eun Hwan (Gong, Hyo Jin). He was sent to jail because of doing something for his first love.

On the other, Eun Hwan is poor. Her mother had a lot of debts that's why they have to vacate their home. Thus, the two lovers were separated. Ten years had passed they again meet. Eun Hwan is in a relationship with Kang Min Suk (Lee Dong Gun). They recognize each other but there are a lot conflicts that ensue (I can't mention them here but i guarantee you they are not that typical and overly used set-up in movies and TV series).

I just can't get enough of the story. I actually finished it for 2 days. If it weren't for my responsibilities and obligations, I could've finished it in one sitting. Unlike Stairway to Heaven wherein the drama is such a burden, in Sang Doo, there is balance. Rain is meant for comedic roles. The girl, Gong Hyo Jin, you may not like her at first. Compared to Song Hye Kyo (Jessie in Full House), her beauty is not exceptional and striking (i actually don't like her) but her character is what touched me the most. I can see the child in me through her especially when she cries. Speaking of child, the child in the series is also important in the story. This is different for my encounter in Korean series/movies. Maybe I am not that well-learned or informed in Korean dramas and movies but the involvement of the child (Cha Bori) in the story delved into my whole being.

Morality-wise, there is reparation. Thus, the so-called "Robin Hood complex" demeanor of Sang Doo was remunerated through Sang Doo's fate. But the most important of course is the focus on "love". Maybe I just wrongfully assumed it all. Because knowing Rain's character in Full House, it's just not so right for him to have roles such as this poignant TV series, to end up the way Korean drama usually ends.

All in all, I so much like it. I wanna watch it again. I will watch it again. I can't compare it to Full House for they are both incomparable. But I must say, this is one great series. I wrongfully assumed it all. i remember when I bought the series, I complained not having the soundtrack and other freebies mentioned in the package and the seller told me that because Sang Doo is not that popular and not in demand, she didn't prepare much for the package. To overlook the whole "then do not include it in the ad" thing, I practically expected that Sang Doo will be a comedic series. So I warn you all, be emotionally prepared. Just like what I said in my blog entry in my main blog, have some tissue papers around. Just in case.

Full House- KBS2 2004

Cast:

Bi/Rain

Song Hye Kyo

Han Eun Jung

Kim Sung Soo

I bet you will all get fed up with this for I cited so many sort of a "mini-review" or "preview of review" entries in my other blog, so I'll make this short.

I like the concept. It's not new for it still deals with domestic life, marriage, love, fame, money, poverty, solitude, etc., but I like the treatment in the characters. You can always find the revolving and evolving characterization alongside the plot. Something happens, therefore, the ambivalence within one character.

I like the symbolisms. I like the setting, the places visited and the house itself. I also will acknowledge (not because I am a certified addict/fan/aficionado of Bi) the actors and actresses. I love the chemistry between Song Hye Kyo and Rain. They did well. I just can't get enough of the Korean way of romanticizing in movies/TV shows.

For the rest of the review, do check out my other blogs. It will be redundant to do the whole summary or in-depth analysis in here.