Honestly, I actually did not like it at all THAT much when it first came out, or when I first saw it. I liked the ending but I found a lot of the middle bit really... off-putting.
Anyways, fast forward to now. Past university, I'm at that point that I've seen "much of life" as you said... and no, I'm not going to say how old I am (which can be a bit more revealing, considering, perhaps). Today, after many and many years since I saw this film; perhaps it was the Director's cut this time, I saw this film again. Honestly, I actually liked it a lot more than I originally did.
Why? True, the standard of its technical aspects when compared to other great South Korean movies (Memories of a Murder, for example) pales. It looks like TV before it became common to shot it like Cinema. But I think that is one of it's charms. Also, on the same breath, technical-wise, soundtrack is not much to speak of, though I do really like Canon.
Anyways, its good because it does not seem "put-on". I think, personally, the way it was shot helps this come across. It's light, it's silly, it's comical, it's exaggerated, and sometimes seems like over the top. But the simple way it comes across leaves the viewers less distracted and more focused on the characters. The characters become the vehicle of the whole film, they carry you across the three stages.
You know what, I really liked the film a lot more than I initially did years back. So, to be fair, I decided to watch the American re-make of the movie, which is what I am doing right now as I type this. Honestly, I like the lead actors, they are not my favourites but I do not pan them. But, I honestly do not like the film and it's not even half-way through. Why???? It's not because its a Hollywood remake... more like, for me, the technical aspects put me off. It's trying to be more stylized than the Korean version (nothing wrong with that) but in this case it does not work. It pulls away from the characters and their relationship and somehow it feels forced. Many of the major scenes from the Korean film has already been placed but hashed over quickly. At this point in the movie, in the remake, I was expecting to be involved with the characters..... I just feel the same way if not a little bit distant.
As for the story itself, it's cute but it's been seen before. The tomboy girl who looks pretty and sweet but has a really bad attitude, acting tough and refusing romanticism to hide her broken heart. The wimpy boy who doesn't know where h's going and who falls for this girl even though she terrifies him. It's funny for about 30 minutes, but then the scenes keep on repeating the same pattern over and over, only getting more exaggerated, which gets boring on the long run.
Many films have done this before so I am not even going to make a comment on that. But I will say it works in this film (the original and not the remake). Why? Again, I will say that it is because it does not feel forced. I think it is down to Tae-hyun Cha and Gianna Jun's acting. I bought them both, I like them both in this film. I have, before even seeing this film again, seen Gianna Jun in other films, she's good but she's not brilliant. She's aweful in Blood. But in romcoms or acting sassy and sexy, she pulls it off really well.
Here's another example. I really like Wong Kar Wai but I hated Blueberry Nights and it's a Wong Kar Wai film. Why? In that film, he just recycled all his works, took the highlights, made a pretty film full of stylized directing, but little substance.
It's like this film, the American remake is stylized (lots of camera panning this way and that and edits, etc.) that it becomes distracting; not to even mention the dialog....... in the Korean version, I hardly even notice the camera shots.
Also, Gianna Jun says this line perfectly:
The Girl: You know why the sky is blue?
Kyun-woo: Because the reflection from the sunshine causes...
The Girl: Wrong! It's to make me happy. I wanted it to be blue, so it's blue. You know why fire is hot? It's all for me. I wanted it to be hot, so it's hot. You know why we have four seasons here in Korea?
Kyun-woo: For you?
The Girl: Correct.
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Behelit
10 years ago
It looks like TV before it became common to shot it like Cinema. But I think that is one of it's charms
I can easily be delighted with a very simple cinematography, but it's got to serve the film. So I agree with you in general, but not on this particular film. That charm you speak of is there at first, but it doesn't last past the first 30 minutes, and in the end that TV look becomes a major weakness, at least that's how I saw it. Also who doesn't like Canon? It's just that it's really been overused, and the rest of the soundtrack is rather poor.
As for the actors, I have said they have undeniable chemistry and mostly do a pretty good job. It's the script and direction that are faulty to me. The whole film just dragged on too much and became way too exaggerated. I kept struggling to find interest in it, but it really bored me (and my girlfriend of that time).
I didn't watch the remake and don't really want to. But I might give this one another try in a few years since that did the trick for you. I doubt I will change my mind but you never know...
Oh and also
I really like Wong Kar Wai but I hated Blueberry Nights
Amen to that
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fun-niji
10 years ago
Haha! You know, all the reasons you stated for not liking it was exactly what I didn't like the first time I watched it.
But several things have happened that have changed my mind during the last couple of years (not, of course that I had any intention to see or thought about My Sassy Girl during this time), so when I saw it again(now), which is, say about 5 years since or something when I first saw it, I really liked this film a lot more!
Also, I don't know if it's got anything to do with understanding a little more the culture, but somehow that played a small part. But anyways, just a thought, where are you from?
Oh, another thing, when I saw it the first time I was a student of film at University. That might have affected my judgement a lot as I was more judgmental (and I can't say it was a better judgement to, say, now because as far as I remembered, most films I saw back then, I didn't enjoy unlike now where I am still selective but I am more relaxed).
P.S. please do not watch the remake, I mean you said you won't but if you thought My Sassy Girl the original was bad, imagine the remake as worst. In this case, the stylized directing didn't serve any purpose at all. In fact, for me, when I was watching it, it alienated me more from the characters.
What other romantic SK films could you recommend, if you saw any? I've been getting into SK films lately (again) since I just love the way they genre-bend (blend). Plus, I am a lot more appreciative as I think I am more relaxed to when I view them. Feels like being back to basics, if you catch my drift? (Anyways, going off topic a bit in this sentence, what I mean is, can you recommend a good to great SK film(s) that are not violent, gruesome, dark, etc.? I mean, I've seen a lot of those, i.e. Old Boy, The Face Reader, The Host, etc. But I'm also looking for something light that's amazing. )
Actually, I'm rediscovering East Asian movies; ranging specifically between Korea, Japan and Philippines. I've seen a few more Chinese films before this sudden re-interest and I find that I prefer Japanese TV Series and more SK Movies.
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Behelit
10 years ago
Romantic SK comedies... I'd go for 3-Iron as my personal favorite! Fantastic film on all levels in my opinion. Also the circumstances in which I watched it made it even more special.
I went to this film with the first girl I ever loved. We arrived a few minutes late to the small theater, and we didn't see any available seats. So we just sat on the floor, in a small corner, and we both loved the film. Best cinema experience of my life!
Also I'd say I'm a cyborg was exceptional. It's got 1 or 2 violent scenes, but they're really meant to be funny more than anything (and they are).
What else? Oasis was also pretty good... and I'd say that's about it from me if we're to stick to South Korea.
What are your romantic SK favorites? You seem to know your subject
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