My Sassy Girl ranks as the highest grossing Korean comedy film until present. In 2001 it was the second highest selling Korean film with about four million tickets sold nationwide for over a span of 10 weeks. Its fame is proven by a number of remakes in several countries including America, Japan, India, China, and Nepal. Just recently its sequel entitled “My New Sassy Girl,” which is a co-production between China and South Korea, has been released on April 22 and May 5 in two countries consequently.
My Sassy Girl ranks as the highest grossing Korean comedy film until present.
My Sassy Girl, being one of the most highly-acclaimed Korean films worldwide, is directed by Kwak Jae Yong and starred in by Cha Tae Hyun and Jun Ji Hyun. It features the love story of a college student named Gyeon Woo and an unnamed girl. The apparent mood swings and seemingly abusive behavior of the girl catches most of the viewers’ attention at the first half of the movie. However the film’s progression that contained nonconventional symbolisms, elements and sentiments makes it worthy of further analysis.
The film not only follows the love story of the two characters, but also their growth as individuals and as part of the Korean society. The film was divided into three parts: First Half, Second Half, and Overtime. The first half of the movie is dominated by typical romantic comedy elements found in Korean films. Gyeon Woo and the girl first met at the train station wherein Gyeon Woo was forced to take care of the drunk girl after she called him “honey”. In many instances during their subsequent meetings, the girl enforced her values to anyone else such as when she scolded a guy in the train to let an old man sit down, when she scolded minors for prostitution, and when she scolded a man for throwing cigarette butts in the park. The girl is seen as a violent and aggressive woman who strongly believes in herself without much consideration for others. The first half also delves into how Gyeon Woo’s and the girl’s backgrounds were very different. For instance, Gyeon Woo’s mother is also quite violent and loud that she’s used to scolding and hitting her son. On the other hand, the girl’s mother is quite reserved and tends to keep things private within the family such as when she scolded her daughter for going out with a guy who is “not good enough” for her. Gyeon Woo is also an engineering major which is dominated by men; meanwhile the girl studies in a women’s university that is quite wary of male trespassers. The first half is full of different sentiments. While most parts can be deemed humorous or amusing, glimpse of pain and sorrow were expressed in some scenes when the girl is faced with sudden realizations about issues she could not express well.
The second half of the story appeals to be more sentimental, proven by the more solemn and gloomier scenes. At the beginning of the second half, Gyeon Woo talks about how he understands that the girl only tries to look cheerful but is in reality full of sorrow. This sets the mood for the rest of the second part. The two characters have learned to compromise for each other’s actions and thoughts, such as when Gyeon Woo agreed to exchange shoes with the girl during their date. The parents have also learned to know Gyeon Woo better, instead of judging him right away physically. They did many things together such as playing games in the subway train, playing tennis and Kendo, and even went romantic on their 100th day. Their 100th day celebration was distinct from their other dates and meetings in such a way that this time, they acted like normal Korean couples who went more sentimental by giving roses, and doing things they both like such as partying. The latter part of the second half was anti-climax as they have started to part ways. They went to blind dates, started to learn to let go of each other, and even went to the mountains to formally separate. It is also during this part when it was finally revealed that the girl has been undergoing difficulties and inner conflicts that she still could not resolve despite trying. The last part ends with the scene wherein they failed to ride the train together. They promised to see each other two years later at the same spot where they have buried their time capsule containing letters for each other.
While most parts can be deemed humorous or amusing, glimpse of pain and sorrow were expressed in some scenes when the girl is faced with sudden realizations about issues she could not express well.
The last part, which was called as “Overtime”, was full of major twists and turns as the film concludes. Gyeon Woo has channeled out his loneliness by writing their story in the internet. He did the activities they used to do together alone, such as playing tennis and practicing Kendo. He kept himself busy while waiting for the two years to pass. However the girl did not arrive at their meeting day; and Gyeon Woo proceeded with reading the letter the girl wrote for him. With the letter, everything that happened in the first and second parts of the movie, especially the behavior of the girl, was finally understood. Somehow her peculiar behavior and glimpse of sadness and sorrow was caused by the death of her lover a year before Gyeon Woo and her met. “You came from the future while I live in the past.” This statement makes sense of everything the girl has done, her difficulty of letting the past go, and her desperation to move forward to the future, as shown in the scripts with futuristic themes she used to write. Instead of crying and lamenting over a lost lover, the girl had expressed her sadness in eccentric ways. The writer of the film may have also intentionally caused confusion and excitement when the girl met an old man at the time she came back a year late from their original meeting. Viewers might have thought that this old man was Gyeon Woo, and that the girl must have time-travelled into the future. However this misleading scene has revealed that the original tree has actually died and has been replaced with an identical one. This tree symbolizes the promise made between Gyeon Woo and the girl. The death of the old tree might have meant that the past has already gone, and that a new opportunity for them to meet again, just like what have happened in the past might come (as symbolized by the replacement of the dead tree by a very identical one). After that meeting the girl tried calling Gyeon Woo once again but ended up failing. Meanwhile, Gyeon Woo spotted the girl at the train station but failed to catch the train she rode on. The film ended with the two characters meeting once again through Gyeon Woo’s aunt who also happened to be the mother of the girl’s ex-boyfriend. Eventually the aunt intended for them to meet three years ago but both have successfully made excuses not to attend the blind date. Quoting from what the girl has said, “If we’re really destined to meet each other, then we’ll eventually meet again someday.”
Just like in the film Peppermint Candy, the train has significant symbolisms throughout the movie. The three parts of the movie involved scenes wherein Gyeon Woo and the girl met or parted ways in the train station. At the first half, it was at the train when the two characters met. The train meant that this meeting is a start of a long journey ahead of them. At the second half, the train signified the separation of Gyeon Woo and the girl. The train either meant the girl is moving forward to a new life, or going back to what she was years ago. The train lastly appeared at the Overtime and this time, Gyeon Woo failed to catch the same train the girl was riding in. It might have meant that they will never be meeting again; however as the film concluded, we realize that the train actually meant that they are finally moving forward for a better future, leaving the past behind of them.
While the film mainly features the love story of Gyeon Woo and the girl, several elements involving the history, culture, and society are embedded in the film. In terms of history, remnants of the Joseon dynasty is shown in scenes wherein Gyeon Woo had to take responsibility over the girl’s actions such as when she accidently puked over an old man at the train. During the Joseon dynasty, society was patriarchal and men are expected to be responsible for women. As a result, although Gyeon Woo didn’t know the girl, he was expected and forced to take responsibility over her just because the girl called him “honey” before passing out. Additionally, the Joseon influence can also be shown in the girl’s family. The girl’s parents, being quite traditional, was at first very strict of who their daughter goes out with. The mother also tried to be modest by keeping the issue within their family. However as the movie was filmed in 2001, which was the commencement of the 21st century, it also shows how Korean society was able to adapt to contemporary culture. This is clearly shown in the scripts written by the girl. She successfully (although not seamlessly) integrated elements of pop culture into her stories wherein her main themes involved action scenes, futuristic scenes, and even melodramatic scenes from then recent Korean and Western movies.
Instead of crying and lamenting over a lost lover, the girl had expressed her sadness in eccentric ways.
As the period of the movie proves to be very dynamic in such a way that it was a time when Korea was opening up their horizons to the outside society, a lot of new elements were introduced. The change in the image of women in the 21st century was shown through the girl and Gyeon Woo’s mother, having images of dominant, aggressive, abusive, and self-imposing attitudes of women. The dynamics between men and women have also slightly changed as women were given more rights and responsibilities, just as in the later part of the film, Gyeon Woo has learned to compromise over the girl’s attitudes. Men were also shown with weakness against women. These aforementioned denote the interrelations between Korean culture and society, hinting the shifts made by the Korean society from traditional to contemporary culture.
In terms of the contemporary society, the characters have shown how they belong to the 21st century by celebrating their 100th day together as a couple. They also went to romantic dates, just like teenagers or young adults in the 21st century. The film also shows conflicts felt by most young adults in terms of having relationships and studying in universities. The runaway soldier during the girl’s birthday signifies common problems in Korean and other Asian societies of having young people who readily commit suicide for petty reasons such as broken-heartedness. The university setting of Korea was also shown. Gyeon Woo was an engineering student who reveals to violate some rules such as lying in saying present for friends who are absent in class, cutting classes, and sleeping in class. The girl on the other hand attends a women’s university which is quite strict with trespassers and is quite firm with values imposed, as reflected in the girl’s personality.
The film portrays some similar patterns with Philippine culture and society, as shown with the girl’s attitudes and family. Just like in the Philippines, women were once expected to be modest and be “Maria Clara”-like by behaving and dressing well. However as the 21st century commenced, there is a drastic shift in the image of women as it has become a norm that women possess different kinds of personalities, no longer strictly embodying a Maria Clara personality. Sometimes, women are even more violent and abusive than men. Additionally, the girl’s family also followed the same customs as traditional Filipino families, by being strict and protective with daughters.
In conclusion, I can say that My Sassy Girl is like a bibimbap. Through its quirky scenes, it seamlessly and unconsciously portrays everything in Korean society and culture. It harmoniously mixes different elements in Korean culture by integrating the Joseon-age tradition and contemporary pop culture. While its genre is considered to be romantic comedy, it does not fail to appeal to the audience by giving melodramatic sentiments to the love story of Gyeon Woo and the girl. My Sassy Girl is a movie perfect for those who are looking for romantic comedy movies, and at the same time for those who want to start knowing about Korean culture and society.
Bibliography
[1] Kwak, J. (Director). (2001). My Sassy Girl [Motion picture]. South Korea: Shin Cine Communications.
[2] My New Sassy Girl. (n.d.). Retrieved May 18, 2016, from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4080594/
[3] Pacquet, D. (December 23, 2004). 2001. Retrieved May 14, 2016, from http://www.koreanfilm.org/kfilm01.html#yupki
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