Synopsis & Review

The haughty heir to a millionaire grandfather is given a task: he must graduate high school or forfeit his inheritance money. Kang Jae-kyung is devastated when he realizes that he must go back to high school, a place where he's always avoided throughout his life, but when he gets there, he meets a girl named Choi Eun-Hwang, and he falls deeply in love. However, since he is a rude and arrogant boy, he misses many chances to be with her, despite the fact that she also seems to love him as well. When he discovers that she has a life-threatening disease, his heart softens and he begins evolving into a new person, but he wonders how long he and Eun-Hwang can love each other before she dies.

This film is embodiment of the stereotypical Korean drama. It takes every cliché of the Korean film world and puts it into one movie: the arrogant, rich son of a gun; the beautiful, dying, and incredibly innocent girl; the heart-felt reunion between mother and daughter; the sad, yet happy ending. The best part, however, is that this movie actually succeeds, despite its clichés.

I'll attribute the success of the film to the actors; whom have the most amazing chemistry and on-screen personas I've ever seen. The film veteran Hyun Bin, as usual, excels in his role, but surprisingly Lee Yeon Hee, the new actress portraying Eun-hwan was gripping in her role as well. I was so captivated by her scenes in particular, that I was literally in tears during many parts.

The love between Jae-Kyung and Eun-hwan was incredibly endearing, and there were so many beautiful parts in this film. Although the ending is kind of ruined by the excessive foreshadowing done in the movie, I was still very impacted by the film's end, and I was extremely moved by the change in Jae Kyung by the film's resolution.

I'll mention again that this movie was a stereotypical Korean movie, but I think this just goes to show how well the formula can work under the right circumstances. Obviously this is a very mushy film, but it is still has plenty of content for both genders. With great actors, an interesting plot, and some humor as well, this movie is definitely worth watching.

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