South of the Border (Gukgyeong-ui namjjok / 국경의 남쪽 -2006)

Starring:
Seung-won Cha - Kim Sun-ho
Yi-jin Jo - Yeon-hwa
Ah-Hyeon Lee
Hye-jin Shim - Kyung-ju
Jae-ho Song
Hae-jin Yu
Sang-ho Kim

Sun-ho, a horn player for the Mansoodae Art Company, Pyongyang’s state propaganda troupe, is a man who has everything: he’s from a well-to-do family and has a beautiful fiancée, Yeon-hwa. However, his world turns upside-down when authorities discover a letter from his grandfather in Seoul. His family has to flee North Korea and they take refuge in Seoul. Now with no money or friends, Sun-ho’s only hope is to make enough money to bring Yeon-hwa from North Korea.

This movie was really good. But the romance was a little messed up.

The story was strong. The actors were good. The movie was focused. But something wasn't quite right. I can't put my finger on it.

I was really into the movie as it went along. But once Sun-ho's girlfriend from years past shows up, Yeon-hwa, the story gets messy. All of a sudden Sun-ho's wife disappears (not literally from the story) but it was like she was forgotten. All of sudden we just see her getting confused, waiting, or helping the family. Was there any love between his wife and himself? There had to be something. Maybe it wasn't that first kind of love between he and Seon-wha but still..............

I didn't really like the ending. I got the feelings, yet again, that even after they (Seon-hwa and Sun-ho) dissolved their relationship...it wasn't over. He shouldn't be yearning for something that can never be. Ehhh. That is just me.