and another country. The place is Korea and the story follows 5 friends that just having finished school must learn to make it in the real world. The transitions in their relationships and closeness with each other as they each go their separate way and through their own dilemmas is realistic enough to sometimes make one feel depressed as to how childhood friends grow apart and how adulthood changes the chemistry and makeup of the magic that once was. As an westerner, I must say that I have found a real love of Korean film - it's fresh and different and seems to be in a renaissance period at the moment. When I think of some of these films having their scripts translated directly to English and played by English speaking actors, I find there probably wouldn't be anything special about them. But in their native form, with the backdrop of Seoul and the culture, they are a refreshing and mind provoking break from the drudgery of American cinema. The story is quite a simple layout but the issues that they each deal with, no matter how 'everyday life' they appear are complex to each character, just as life truly is.
I really enjoyed this film. I especially liked the innovative way that the director used the cell phone usage between the girls graphically. The way when they were texting each other, he would incorporate it in writing on the side of a building, or across a table. It fit perfectly with the film and didn't jar it or seem out of place. He also incorporated this for when one of the girls scenes when she is typing for a poet with cerebal palsy. A really unique use of how to truly convey the daily use of text messaging in Korean society.
Like I said, I really enjoyed this film. A stimulating break from most of the choices I find myself having to watch in this country and a great coming of age/dealing with the pressures of identity and the grown up world film.
I really enjoyed this film. I especially liked the innovative way that the director used the cell phone usage between the girls graphically. The way when they were texting each other, he would incorporate it in writing on the side of a building, or across a table. It fit perfectly with the film and didn't jar it or seem out of place. He also incorporated this for when one of the girls scenes when she is typing for a poet with cerebal palsy. A really unique use of how to truly convey the daily use of text messaging in Korean society.
Like I said, I really enjoyed this film. A stimulating break from most of the choices I find myself having to watch in this country and a great coming of age/dealing with the pressures of identity and the grown up world film.