KDrama: My Sassy Girl

There is a dearth of English-subtitled Korean drama available to me right now. I was forced to watch a couple of movies. I found a lovely one. It's called "My Sassy Girl". My Sassy Girl (엽기적인 그녀; literally, That Bizarre Girl) is a 2001 South Korean romantic comedy that became a mega blockbuster in throughout East Asia drawing comparisons to Titanic. Or so Wikipedia would have me believe. The movie is based on an on-line serial written by Kim Ho-sik that detailed his relationship with his off-the-wall college girlfriend. This was eventually compiled into a best-selling book.

In short, regular college guy (Gyeon Woo played by Cha Tae hun) gets all mixed up with really crazy drunk girl (The Girl played by Jun Ji Hyun. Seriously, no character name is ever mentioned).

I was pretty disturbed and didn't identify at all with the girl in the beginning. We first meet her on a train completely wasted. Like alcohol poisoning wasted. She proceeds to rid herself of her ramen all over an old man's head. Our hero does not find this attractive either, but he winds up being forced to take care of her in this state and so their relationship begins.

I'm really not sure what captivated me. Maybe it was Gyeon Woo's eventual gentle and endearing affection for the Girl. He came to understand her more completely than she understood herself. We know the girl is flawed, we eventually find the cause and are sad for her. We ache as their fates do not seem to be made to be together.

As with most of the Korean movies and/or series I have seen, the sex was subdued. I have learned to appreciate the Korean character and soul through these glimpses. The ending was simple and sweet and I admit that I've gone back a few times to watch the ending again and I find myself tearing up each time. It's just quiet and happy and sweet.

Wikipedia also tells me that an American remake of the movie is to be released in the US some time in 2008. I'm looking forward to it. I remember watching The Lakehouse (an American remake of South Korea's Il Mare, also starring Jun Ji Hyun) and loving the American Keanu Reeves / Sandra Bullock version much more. But I found My Sassy Girl to be so charming that I don't know that any remake will be able to top it for me.

If you get a chance, watch it.