MovieChat Forums > Yeopgijeogin geunyeo (2001) Discussion > Korean expats like me, share your nostal...

Korean expats like me, share your nostalgia

posted 16 years ago by sjhong-1
18 replies | jump to latest

Movies like this always bring nostalgic feelings of my time spent in Korea and I believe it would be the same for any expat out there like me.

I left Korea pretty young but I went back there after college to re-learn the language I had long forgotten. And in that time I met a girl with whom I had a long relationship. I still remember the rides in the subway on my way to meet her, the way she used to hold my arm when we were walking in the busy streets and her cute shyness at any public display of affection from my "westernized" personality.

Our relationship wasn't platonic (and I doubt any couple in Korea would have such a relationship as shown in this movie, especially now) but it had much of the same innocence shown in the movie. We also went to amusement parks, we also took trips to the country, we also spent long hours just sitting in the park and talking. And, funny thing, we once went to a club in which the target patrons were a little bit younger than us. We just didn't have any high school uniforms to wear.

I don't think I miss her (and it wouldn't be fair to my wife and my baby girl if I longed for a long gone ex-girlfriend), but I miss some elements of that relationship. And I'm definitely nostalgic about the only serious relationship I had in Korea. The moments we spent together, especially the moments we spent in Korea, were magic.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] sjhong-1 16 years ago

I don't understand the sarcasm. What's the problem here?

[–] ankmiike 16 years ago

The problem is that you are obviously not satisfied by your wife.

"I don't think I miss her (and it wouldn't be fair to my wife and my baby girl if I longed for a long gone ex-girlfriend)"
This shows that you actually do miss her. You r just lying to yourself.

What I liked about the girl in the movie was that she was frank about her ex, not trying to convince herself or anyone else that she isn't because it is convenient.
I say stop deceiving you child, your wife and yourself.

And all the w**ores and politicians will look up and shout “save us!”… And I’ll look down and whisper “no.”

[–] sjhong-1 16 years ago

That's what's nostalgia is. I don't exactly miss that ex-girlfriend (hey, I had others after her). What I miss are the good times we spent in Korea. And since I am Korean, watching movies like this make me think of that country.

[–] Kory_Hasakawa 15 years ago

Agreed - thanks for sharing your story.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] chrischien 15 years ago

Don't be put off by their bitterness. Must just be internet-nerds with yellow fever that wish they could even talk to a girl like the one in this movie.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] keep-flying 11 years ago

Ankletthedogsout, don't act irrational. You obviously haven't been in such a position before, because you'd understand what it is like if you were.

[–] haewatein 15 years ago

Aaaaaaaaaaaargh.... I NEED to visit Korea once!

It must be such a beautiful country!!!

Can't await it!

I'm a huge fan of the modern Korean cinema....

_
SEUL CONTRE TOUS
www.myspace.com/anzycpethian
www.pbase.com/anzycpethian

[–] ankmiike 15 years ago

haewatein on Sun Dec 28 2008 18:26:38
Aaaaaaaaaaaargh.... I NEED to visit Korea once!

It must be such a beautiful country!!!

WARNING: They love eating dogs(Puppies for their young, tender flesh are a delicacy) in Korea. Actually, they consider it very "manly".
http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/04IJfxpeg61aZ/340x.jpg You can find much worst on google.

Koreans eat cats too(Kittens are considered delicacies too) http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/news/080604_p14_korean.jpg The woman in the middle is dressed in cat fur. The pic is from a web site that describes this as "art of living".

Have a look at this:
http://www.animalpeoplenews.org/01/6/koreaShame0601.html

Sign:
A nature loving atheist

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] samsblood 15 years ago

Yes, I agree you're a jerk and a troll. And Korea is a beautiful country! I vacationed there last year and had a wonderful time. I can't wait to visit it again!

[–] samsblood 11 years ago

Oh, here we go again, another one from the Brigitte Bardot crazy fringe. If you're truly trying to inform people, why post such outdated and misleading information -- O.K., lies? Koreans as a whole do not "love to eat dogs". Most Koreans have never tasted dog meat; eating it has never been mainstream practice, and the number of its adherents is shrinking all the time from what was a minority of the population anyway. Today's younger Koreans, born into an affluent society and never having known extreme poverty and deprivation, do not consider dogs to be anything but pets and watchdogs. And that bit about tender puppies made me both laugh and get angry, as it's obviously a lie intended purely to arouse hatred. As for eating cats, that is simply a myth. Folk medicine prescribes cat soup as a treatment for patients who are wasting away from chronic diseases, but nobody thinks of cats as food. And if your intention is to inform and enlighten, why are you silent about the much greater numbers of dogs slaughtered for food each year in China? -- and I understand there are people there who do consider cat meat to be normal food, so what about them? Do you think those dogs and cats are well-treated? And what about the dog-eating in Switzerland, France, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, Africa, etc., etc.? Your selective criticism makes one suspect your motive is mixed up with a personal agenda.

[–] skimrn 12 years ago

I exactly know how you feel. I left Korea when I was 10 years old. Being American I RARELY watch Korean movies. As a home theater/movie nut I own about 1000 movies and this is one of my favorite movies of all time.

Being Korean, everytime when I watch movie, it touches me deeply, being I know Korean culture very well. Life is hard in Korea. Small country, everyone's heavily educated. Dog eat dog world.

I feel so blessed to know such a movie which takes me back to me being a Korean. And I am proud to be one!

I realized that life is hard being a 1st gen Korean in USA. Just do your best. God is with all of us. :)

[–] keep-flying 11 years ago

You know, you can miss someone without actually still being in love with them, right?

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] tnrcooper 10 years ago

Thanks for sharing your reminiscences. The movie has a wonderful innocence. I'm a westerner but have lived in Korea four years and have come to love the language and the country. I can't say I understand everything and I never will, but that's part of the charm, the magic of Korea, to me.