Scout (스카우트 -2007)

Starring:
Chang Jung Lim - Ho Chang
Ji-won Uhm - Se-Young
Dae-yeon Lee
Cheol-min Park - Gon-Tae
Il-seob Baek
Hie-kyeong Yang
Hui-won Kim
Won-yeong Jang
Kook-huan Chun
Won-yeong Jang
Cheol-min Park

Set In 1980, Ho Chang works as a staff member for a college baseball team. He’s planning a dream vacation but his plans get derailed by a new assignment. He’s ordered to scout Sun Dong Eul, the most sought after high school baseball player in Korea.
Ho Chang goes to Kwang-Ju to scout Sun Dong. He finds it more difficult than expected as rival scouts from other universities are hindering his plans. Furthermore, he meets his ex girlfriend and her low-life boyfriend who starts threatening Ho Chang.
To make things worse, the baseball player’s parents do not appear to be on Ho Chang’s side. Rumors also say that Sun Dong was already scouted by rival teams. Ho Chang is unable to even get a meeting with Sun Dong, so Ho Chang takes matters into his own hands. He decides to kidnap him! -- Lunapark6


Hmm? Not so sure about this movie. Yeah, it had some comedic moments. Yeah, there were some tears. Yeah, some action too. But there was just too much going on. I didn't realize this film would have historic moments in Korean history. I'm still learning this stuff myself. But I haven't read anything about the Korean Martial Law enforcement in any review yet. I'm sure there are some out there but I just like the short and sweet ones because some of those reviews give out toooooooo much and the movie then becomes ruined.

In this case, though, I thought I would be seeing a typical Korean comedy and that wasn't so. All of the sub stories within the main story were falling apart. The "love" story, well, that was messed up. Did she love him or not?

Anyway, it was alright but I was looking for the typical comedy, romance thing and got a history lesson instead. Damn! This wasn't a dud like the previous movie I've already mentioned but I was looking for a happy and bright...not reminiscent and meloncholy. Errrgh.

When Romance Meets Destiny (Gwangshiki dongsaeng gwangtae / 광식이 동생 광태 -2005)

Starring:
Tae-gyu Bong - Yu Gwang-tae
Kyeong-ho Jeong - Kim Il-wung
Ah-jung Kim - Lee Kyung-jae
Ju-hyuk Kim - Yu Gwang-shik
Yo-won Lee - Ko Yun-kyung
Cheol-min Park

Roughly divided into three equal parts, film kicks off with the decade-long inability of mild-mannered photographer Gwang-shik (Kim Ju-hyeok) to express his love for high-school sweetheart Yun-gyeong (Lee Yo-weon). When Yun-gyeong is ready to make her affections plain, Gwang-shik's drunken brother, Gwang-tae (Bong Tae-gyu), accidentally foils their romantic progress. Second chapter discloses Gwang-tae has little problem bedding babes, but his pursuit of sexy and intellectual marathon runner Gyeong-jae (Kim Ah-jung) reveals he's emotionally stunted. Final section blends the two strands. Helming is inventive and astute, though the script lags slightly as meller elements gain ascendancy. Performances all ring true, and tech package is up to the usual Korean high standard. -- Variety


This movie started out with a bang and ended with a "WTH?" I'm so dissappointed with this movie. I watched this in the hopes of some sweet romance and comedy. Oh yeah, it had that in abundance but I didn't quite like the feeling of being betrayed at the end.

Viewers in movies go in hopes of trading their lives for hope, peace, and enjoyment while spent in a theater lost in the new world of cinema. Okay, so I wasn't in a theater but in my living room lounged on my sofa while my kids run amok and my mother lies on the other sofa reading a book. But I'm still lost in the world of cinema via my high-speed internet computer.

So I'm laying there, anticipation abound. I enjoyed the first half of the movie and my hopes are leaping and my heart is pounding waiting for Gwang-shik to finally confess his love. We are almost there....almost....almost....he's at the alter....arm outstretched....palm is up....reaching....reaching......he grabs the microphone??????? WTF!??!

I won't give away the rest of the end of the movie but lets just say that both brothers got screwed in the end and so did the viewers. Romance my ass!!!!

Why can't the Korean romance/drama writers give us a happy ending? Is that tooooo much to ask for? I'd say that 1 out of every 20 movies, Korean movies, have happy endings. Why do I even watch? It's like the lottery....you hope you get the winning ticket........................