Entry: 16: My Sassy Girl

Let me stop your train of thought, before it even leaves the station. This post is not about any particular girl. This post is about one of the most horribly and poorly made films that I have seen to date.

On your left you will see a very unique Korean film that was adapted from this Korean guys blog entries, about his girlfriend who pretty much changed his life. I have had people tell me that the blogs are hysterical and heartfelt. You see, it was a movie made from a blog. The movie is very entertaining. Now lets move to figure 2, the piece of work those foolish American's decided to produce.

To give a little background, the reason why I even watched this straight-to-DVD piece of 똥 is because I thought I was downloading the Korean version, and watch it in only Korean without the subtitles just to gauge my Korean. I opened the file, and to my horror, this started to play. I had already made my 라면 and I was so glad to have finally gotten my desk and bed, that I said "what the heck, why not watch this". Just as a disclaimer, I fast forwarded a good 1/2 of the movie, so this review is based on the beginning and end of the film. Let's just say I know why it was a straight-to-DVD kind of movie.

I think the only way that I will be able to explain to you why the American version is bad, is for me to explain how the Korean version did it first, and then to elaborate how the Americans went and threw up all over it. List format.

1. Korean- The main character was shy, somewhat soft spoken, easily flustered, polite, and had great facial expressions, especially in regards to what his love interest was doing. When he gave that rose to her during her piano recital, you were embarrassed for him, and at the same time, you were glad that he did it. American- He was a complete nerd. Raised by Midwestern farmers whose ONLY goal for their son was to become a mid level manager for some tractor company (no joke). He has a friend who is only interested in getting him some "action", and his innocence was pretty much out the window when his friend reveals that the main character has ONLY had sex with 3 women in the past 4 months. Oh, how terrible his life must be for only having 3 in the last 4 months. Near the end of the movie, he tells his parents "I got the job at the tractor company, but I'm not going to take it." "Why the crap not?" "Because I'm going to LIVE." implying that his time with this girl has made him want to live? I wasn't too sure what he was thinking either... Idiot.
2. Korean- She was rough around the edges, but characteristic of a mean Korean girl. Sassy. She was sassy. American- She was a rich, spoiled, self centered, you know. How can you love someone who acts like a spoiled rich kid who gets wasted all the time? The Korean version was much more lovable, and her drinking problem paralleled closely to the loss of her fiance. The American version quickly portrays the beautiful Elisha Cuthbert as some blonde bimbo who just likes to get wasted.
3. Korean- The write each other letters and vow to meet in one year. The guy comes one year later, finds her letter, but no girl. Years pass, the girl and guy are reunited by chance. But in fact, in real life, the guy who wrote the blog never met his sassy girl again, the whole "years later they met again" was a simply way to end the story on a happy ending. American- They write each other letters and vow to meet in one year. He comes, finds her letter, but no girl. NEXT DAY, she comes she finds the letter, says that because she was not ready to see him A DAY AGO, it was not destiny that they should be together, some old man tells her she is an idiot but she leaves it to destiny. They reunite soon there after, and tada! End of crappy movie.

America royally screwed with this one. They copied all the major scenes, but placed it in New York rather than in Korea, which really detracted from a lot of the meaning of the whole thing. For example, instead of shouting her love for him while he was on the adjacent mountain, the American movie chose to have the same scene in some city park, where they were both surrounded by people but separated by a few hundred yards.

This might sound like a biased review, and in that case, go rent the movie. Just remember. I warned you.

The movie did make me want to write someone a letter and not give it to them for a year or so... I always thought that was a fun idea. Just because so many things change in a year, but sadly this movie will still be 똥 in one year.

Sorry this post was a bit off topic of the whole "Jeremy is in Korea, lets read his blog to find out what he is doing" theme. I really am just sitting in my room watching movies and talking to people on AIM and skype. Things are super chill on my side of the Pacific.