The story involves a girl, whose best friend is dating a guy that she secretly likes. She one day finds a diary and letters from the past that belonged to her mother. The story then shifts to the past where the mother is a young woman who falls in love with a guy, but she herself is arranged to be married with the guy's friend. There's a parallel between the past and present and the story shifts back and forth between two romances. I found this movie to be a well-executed Korean melodrama. The cinematography is quite beautiful. However, it is rather cliche in some parts (as some aspects of the director's previous work feels a bit repeated here), yet as a movie itself, it is a well-filmed, nicely delivered piece of work. It is kind of unfortunate, however, given the popularity and the expectations given to the movie due to the director's more accomplished, previous work, "My Sassy Girl," this reviewer couldn't help but feel somewhat disappointed. If I hadn't seen the previous work and saw this movie for the first time, I might've given higher praise. As it is, however, the movie almost accomplishes in being a truly great movie (as opposed to good, which it is). Occasional inventiveness in composition and atmosphere and timing is excellent. The movie does tend to be a bit predictable (particularly if you know what kind of themes the director has presented in his previous work) and admittedly I saw the ending coming sooner than I probably should have (althogh it didn't really distract me from enjoying it either). One can't help whenever one sees a rainy scene or when a certain Pachebel music comes out, one is reminded of a scene directly from "My Sassy Girl" (As "My Sassy Girl" actually pokes fun at melodramas) Without some of those distractions, it may have resonated a lot more strongly as an original piece of work. In terms of characters, they are certainly memorable, and the romantic elements (while, not as multidimensional or as deep as the director's previously mentioned work) are convincing. There are some historical backdrops to go along the romance that gives the film a somewhat a denser, almost epic, if not nostalgic, feel, yet doesn't really go in the way of an epic (which itself might not have been a bad direction to go). Some of the attention to detail are also pretty well done. Overall, though, I enjoyed the film as a romantic melodrama, while being a bit hampered by tough expectations and some cliches, the characters and the romance certainly leaves a nice impression.
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d_art23 September 2003
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jvelasc19 July 2016Director and writer Kwak Jae-yong's film the classic is a melodramatic romance that simultaneously tells the love stories of a mother and daughter. But there is much more to this movie than just a beautiful love story. By examining the political back drop of the movie and understanding a little more about Korean history, a much more complex situation is revealed. The director has done an incredible job of subtlety telling us the political reality of Korea in the 1970's and even has the boldness of suggesting a solution to The Korean Peninsulas most troubling problem, reunification with the north.
When analyzing film or literature, it's important to pay attention to detail. Especially when something seems out of place. It usually means the writer is trying to tell us something. One thing that struck me as odd right away, was the white doves in the opening scene of the film. Why were the birds white doves? And why did Ji-hye have such difficulty swooshing them away? This is a subtle message that will be examined in more detail during the conclusion. First we must understand the historical back drop of the film.
Korea in the 1960's and 70's was a time of change, political and social turmoil, and a time when Korea was struggling with its identity. This was the third republic and the president was Major General Park Chung-hee. Under Park Koreas economy greatly increased, however many Koreans were frustrated with the harsh autocratic ways of the regime. Students and teachers unions led many demonstrations and protests leading to sometimes violent clashes. This is illustrated constantly in the film with repetitive military images and the fact that two of the main characters are doing there mandatory military time. We see that the military is often cruel in its handling with the young men as they are beaten for seemingly no reason at all. Also we see images of the student protests of the autocratic military regime. Despite these images in the movie, some would agree that Park was an effective administrator and did help Korea on the path to what they are today a highly successful liberal democracy. Also it's important to know that Park was a staunch anti-communist and desired for Korean reunification.
So how is this reflected in the film? I believe that Joo-hee and Joon-ha's heartbreaking and traumatic love story is meant to represent the splintering of the Korean peninsula. The two young lovers want desperately to be together, however circumstances beyond their control is preventing this from happening. Just like hundreds of thousands of relatives in North and South Korea were split due to circumstances beyond their control.
Finally let's return to the white doves in the opening scene. As we see in the beginning of the film white doves have rested on Ji-hye's window sill. These presumably wild birds do not seem at all frightened when Ji-hye approaches them, and she actually has to struggle to push them out of the window. Why is this and why did the director choose the bird of peace? I believe that the birds represent the yeaning that Korea has to reunite the peninsula, there is still a strong desire for peace. However Ji-hye represents a younger generation of Koreans that do not have that same desire to reunite with the North, not like their parents and grandparents do. This is why she unwittingly pushes the birds out the window. However, by learning about her mother's love story and the struggles that her mother went through, she is able to compose her own love story. The fact that Joo-hee's daughter and Joon-ha's son have fallen in love, represents the unification of the two Koreas. Therefore I think that the message the director is trying to make is that in order for Korea to unite its imperative that the younger generation understand the struggles that their parents and grandparents went through during those traumatic times. And just like it was Sang-min and Ji-hye's destiny to complete the unfinished love story of their parents, it is the new generation of young Koreans responsibility to help reunite the Korean peninsula before it's too late. -
akash_sebastian10 January 2013An everlasting romance movie. It's a set of two love stories told across two generations; the stories maintain few similarities, and deal with with the themes of love, loss and destiny. The screenplay is quite unique and mesmerizing, switching between the two story lines; it holds your interest throughout the two-hour long movie. The cinematography and background score are exceptionally brilliant; they give the movie it's particular charm and feel.
The acting is terrific; Ye-jin Son is charming and delightful as Ji-hae, as well as her mother. The supporting actors In-seong Jo and Seung-woo Cho are charming as the love interests. Ki-woo Lee is hilarious as Oh Joon-ha's dorky and good-hearted friend, Tae-su.
There are many memorable scenes in the movie; they include the fireflies beside the lake scene, the dance practice scene, the manure collection scene, the running in the rain scene. Coincidentally, all these scenes are in the first half of the movie. The second half may seem a little mushy to some people; it will only appeal to lovers of romance movies. But without the second half, you won't get a perfect romance like this!
The movie is a modern-day romance classic; the music and songs from the movie still linger in my mind. -
minnie_mie15 May 2005What can I say about The Classic, except that I never thought I'd like such a film. Cheesy romances featuring teenagers are really not my usual viewing, but The Classic was just beautiful.
I am not familiar with Korean cinema, and have never seen 'My Sassy Girl' so I cannot comment on how it measures as a follow-up. But as a movie standing on its own, it was a touching, tear-jerking and humorous 2 hour journey for me. The cinematography was outstanding, and paired with an equally impressive soundtrack it created beautiful scenes of the Korean countryside, as well as enhancing the generally poignant, nostalgic mood of the film. The acting was first class all around in my opinion, the movie could've so easily gone overboard with bad-acting considering the general plot of the movie, but never once did I find myself irritated by the lead female. The casting was perfect, and I was absolutely charmed by the characters of Jun-ho and the hilarious Tae-su. There were also a lot of comical elements in the movie which had me laughing off my sofa, making the characters endlessly endearing. The film takes us through a journey of many years in the past from when the characters' parents first meet, and had me bawling my eyes out at the end. The modern day story is just as good too. The film also finishes with what I consider two big surprises which had me thinking about the movie for ages afterwards.
All in all, I am really surprised that I liked this film. After considering why this was so since I really don't like romantic/comedy dramas, I came to the simple conclusion that this was just great filmaking, where the watcher gets utterly lost in the movie. It may not be very realistic, and however long we analyse it and it's clichés at the end all we know is that we were moved and entertained by this movie. -
jims177620 November 2004A multi-layered romantic drama that's a winner on all levels. Blessed with good actors and an equally good story (plus cinemaphotography), you're taken on an emotional roller coaster ride. Granted, there may be an element or two seem unlikely, but nothing is outside the realm of possibility. In that respect, there's a similarily to an earlier film by the same director called "My Sassy Girl." Being a guy who's fond of action films and thrillers, I found myself surprised to find myself enjoy a romance story enough to put it on my list of top 10 films of all time. When I think of Titanic and The Piano, I think of chick flicks. Classic is for everyone. I sure hope that the cast and crew are involved with equally memorable projects in the future.
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Fru_is_Insomniac7 February 2006I love "The Classic". It is one of the best romance ever made. The story is about Ji-Hae, who always write e-mails into Sang-Min, cause her friend is so shy to express her love into him. But soon, she find out that her mother, Joo-hee's love story was surprisingly similar like her's.
From the bright and colorful scenery and nice camera shots, "The Classic" is a true "Classic". The acting of Son ye jin is superb, convincing and great. She manages her emotion, balanced it and finely shaded. Sure, if you've seen this movie and your an avid romantic movie fan, it will remind you some love story classics such as "Love Letter" by Shunji Iwai, and "The Notebook" by Nicholas Sparks. Yes, there are some elements of Love Letter and The Notebook, but the story is completely different. The story is shifting from different time frames, from 1968 to 2002, but still the director balanced the story, so the viewers will not have a bad time on understanding the story.
And, no one can call this a "CLASSIC" without it's beautiful, fantastic and brilliant soundtrack. The song of "Scenery of Bicycle riding" is one of the best OST's I've ever heard.
The scenery is also excellent. The country side setting is amazing and the place is very romantic. The war scene (which is shot, proudly, in my home town, PHILIPPINES!) was also excellent. You'll appreciate the beauty of the place even though the scene was pretty sad. The cameraman's magnificent shots helped!
This Valentine season, if you haven't seen "The Classic", then WATCH IT NOW! And fall in love...
10/10 -
henry32517 January 2007So a lot of people have compared this director's work to his previous work My Sassy Girl which came out about 2 years before this one did. There have been many comparisons between this one and that and while there are similar themes in choice of music and themes I would say it is like comparing apples to oranges. MSG was funny and then got dramatic hence it is a romance/comedy with some drama (if anything, i would call Windstruck MSG 2). This one was mostly a dramatic romance story with a few very classical clichés. There is enough foreshadowing that you can guess what is going to happen if you pay any attention at all and have seen any Korean drama, but the director still does an excellent job in telling the story.
The main characters do an excellent job acting and bringing out the character's emotions. The story is beautiful and so is the music. Enjoy it for what it is, if you have a heart at all you'll be teary eyed. You'll know what is coming and you'll still be floored by it, thats how good it is. Even the ending, which I thought was a bit over the top, is the only way you could have ended a classic.
I am a little hesitant to say that this is a date movie, definitely not for a first date. I would think that any emotionally sensitive human being is not going to be particularly happy throughout most of this movie until the very end. Such is a melodrama. -
no_tone17 October 2003After finding out that the same director for Yupki Girl was directing Classic, I immediately went to watch this movie. And I was glad I did. Classic is a movie that is definately worth watching and it incorporates many of the same themes and styles from Yupki Girl such as great scenery shots and similar music (like Pachabel's Canon).
If this movie had not been called "Classic," I would have given it a lower rating. But because it is, it is definately classic. I'm sure the director wasn't making this movie unique so that it would stand out like his previous movie, but instead wanted to make a movie that makes people remember what cheesy romances were like back in the days. Yes this movie is VERY cliche and VERY cheesy, but that's why it's called a classic. The director's intention was to create a film that reminds people what a perfect romance is and how perfect things will eventually turn out.
I loved this movie and would recommend it to anyone who wants to watch a perfect romance. -
If you are looking for a movie that helps you spend a sweet romantic evening full of hugs and cuddles with your spouse, Classic will fit the bill perfectly.
As the name itself proclaims, its a classic love story full of all the clichés (or as the film says classics). Whichever language or country you belong to, you'd have surely seen numerous movies on similar theme. The beauty though lies in the way the movie connects with the audience at every level with some really cool romantic scenes sure to give goosebumps to people in love.
The background score is good and the locations fantastic. The lead actors may not be the best in business, but what they lack in acting they compensate more then enough through the charm they bring along and the awesome chemistry they share with each other. The director does impress you a lot with the way he turns a perfectly routine clichéd story to a classic (though I think he does go overboard with all those jokes on sh#% which are not that funny). The editing too could have been a bit better- the movie does seems a bit stretched at times.
Go and watch it if you want some good time with your spouse! -
I so wish that the movie spanned forever. One of the finest movies I've ever seen: touching, serene and powerfully moving. I will never be able to get over this movie, and it will be one of the stories I wish had happened to me. I always fancy running in the rain with my girl using my "magic umbrella."
Gwak Jae-Young is a genius when it comes to casting and storymaking. He assigned the right people to do the acting job. Son Ye-Jin was perfect for the timid Ji-hae and her mother. Cho Seung-Woo and Jo In-Sung did great jobs playing father and child. The story developed in slow but exciting progression that when it finally rears its head you'd believe you have actually wet your pants with disbelief at how the movie became that good and moving. -
rooprect23 November 2006The 1st half of this film was so weak that I had to take a break, grab some lunch and seriously consider if it was worthwhile to watch the rest. It seemed to be overly melodramatic, making such a big production over essentially no conflict at all. It reminded me of how I was in high school, thinking the world would end if Susie Derkins didn't dance with me at homecoming. Yeah, pathetic.
But folks, I'm glad I stuck around for the 2nd half. It really gets interesting, complex and ponderous. Whereas the 1st half showed us nothing more than a sappy "boy loves girl but they're too dumb to do anything about it" plot, part 2 is rife with situational & psychological shockers... child abuse, death, suicide, war, protests & political tyranny all figure in, albeit in minute doses but certainly enough to create some real tension & intrigue which had been missing from the first 45 mins. What I thought would be a predictable sappy romance had a few very nice surprises in store, and the ending was powerful on both emotional and philosophical levels.
My only complaint is that it took so long to get there, and when it finally did, it felt a bit rushed. I would have loved for the 2nd half to have been an entire movie by itself.
Overall it was a worthwhile experience, although I sensed just a tinge of budding pretentiousness which is inevitable amongst bright new directors who are following up their 1st smash hit (see also Tom Tykwer, Jean Pierre Jeunet). Yes, I cannot help comparing this to its wonderful predecessor "My Sassy Girl" which was a bit more raw & endearing like an intimate piece of chamber music, while "Classic" is a bit more like a symphonic endeavour. What's wrong with writing chamber music if you're good at it? Why do successful artist have to go diving into a bloody symphony all the time? And why the hell didn't Susie Derkins dance with me at homecoming??? Whoops sorry I got a lil carried away there.
OK and speaking of music, I really liked what they did in this movie. It's a bit odd to feature 18th century Baroque/classical composers (Bach, Mozart, Beethoven) in a 20th century Korean story, but hey it worked. -
jpark-148 June 2006Although many had expected this film to be a sequel, or even a prequel to "My Sassy Girl," there is no real connection between the film besides the fact that it was directed by the same man.
Jae-Young Kwak's "The Classic" is actually the opposite of "My Sassy Girl;" whereas "My Sassy Girl" was a light-hearted comedy based on a couple's unusual meeting and eventual romance, "The Classic" is more of a melodrama, depicting the relationship between Joonha and Joohee (in the past; Korea in the 1960's) in parallel to the current relationship between Jihae and Sangmin (Korea, 2003). However, with a link between the two couples from both the past and the present by means of letters written to Jihae's mom, viewers are able unravel the connection, as the characters are oblivious.
Filmed in various locations reminiscent to Korea in the past, Jae-Young Kwak captures not only the innocence of love between the pair of lovers from the past and the present, but manages to depict the social influences on the characters as well.
This is one of the most excellent Korean movies I have ever seen; nothing else has made me weep as much for such heartfelt characters. -
phd_travel29 March 2020For fans of Son Ye Jin and Crash Landing on You this is an interesting watch to see her in an early role. She acts well and is really pretty. No one acts in love as well as her. It's a cliched melodrama and confusing with the two time frames sometimes. The good points are the love triangle is quite well played out and there is an epic sweep to the story. There is some humor here and there. The story doesn't quite stand the test of time - maybe a twist too much. She plays 2 generations - one with pig tails the other with hair down. Jo In Sung plays her modern day love interest and his acting is very wooden here.
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kee_meister24 February 2005Well I give this movie a six because I expected more from it or I wanted the movie to do more but maybe its just me...anyways I like the characters in the movie...they are convincing actors and good to look at...but its a common type movie given a rich girl or in that case the congressman's daughter who falls in love with a poor guy...they have a cute meet and fall in love...well of course they do...then the love is interfere by a third party...like a lot Korean movies are...no offensive...They then have to choose whats best for their love that won't effect the people they care about...The movie jumps back and forth to the past and the present but it mostly lingers in the past and mostly abandoning the present...but we get a few glimpse of the present...which is where I also want the movie to focus on too...So the characters in the present are broad and not well developed...I enjoyed the performances and some of the comedy but not enough to say I like it...well, this movie will mostly be enjoyed by girls of course if they can say "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked" in Korean then they will enjoy it...and a few guys will too because the girl in there is HOT...haha...but if you like this movie you'll really enjoyed "The Notebook" it has similar formula but has its own story line...which I think is much better...
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I gave this movie 10/10 because it's, beside My Sassy Girl and The Notebook, one of the best love stories I have ever seen. Storytelling is perfect, actors are excellent and music is very nice and ads to the atmosphere.
I highly recommend this to anyone. Not just to people who love romantic movies, but to people who love good movies, regardless of genre.
I just started to explore a wonderful world of Asian cinematography and so far, I'm absolutely amazed! :)
I'll also use the opportunity to recommend: Thirst, My Sassy Girl, The Classic, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy and A Tale of Two Sisters if you haven't watched them already. -
strick009 June 2005A new Cho Seung Woo fan, I had to see this film, and he once again blew me away. This film is wonderful because it really does portray classic love stories; both the past couple and the present couple meet and court in very special and sweet ways. My favorite moment of the film is when the past couple gets stuck in the rain and the boy breaks a watermelon open for them to eat. Without nudity or racy dialogue, it is obvious that these people are in love. The cinematography is breathtaking, the acting is top-notch, and the storyline is as pure and innocent as the main characters. We need more films like this! I'm tired of the "romantic films" that show two teens meeting at a party. This is a truly classic love story that offers a (albeit idealized) version of something we can all relate to: falling in love with that one special person. If you like foreign films, this one is a treasure. If you like romantic films, this one is a must-see. If you want something the entire family can watch together, this one is great.
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MOVIE MAKING DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER. "The Classic" is undoubtedly the most beautiful romantic movie I've ever seen. Such movies are made once in a decade. It has all the ingredients to be termed a Classic- the storyline, the screenplay, the evergreen music, the brilliant acting and what not!!
It turned out to be some sort of a turning point of my life. I was already very much impressed by "My Sassy Girl" & other Korean movies but this gem of Korean cinema by the same director as that of "My Sassy Girl" just made me a die-hard fan of Korean cinema forever.
Although I've seen lots of romantic movies- but I found most of them clichéd and not so appealing. But "The Classic" is a honest & simple movie with unmatched performances by the lead actors esp. by "Son Ye Jin". The parallelism with the 1960's love story exhibited by the director is top-notch.
This is straight at the top of my best romantic movies list along with "Titanic". A Must watch- 10/10. -
I just love this story. This is a beautiful picturesque movie about first love, a touching tale about love, sacrifice, and friendship crossing two generations. The movie begins with the story of the daughter. From the beginning, the movie showcases the stunning Korean scenery and beautiful camera angles. The movie unfolds with the telling of the daughter Chi-hye and her crush Sang-min a boyfriend of her friend Su-kyeong. The movie quickly dives into the heart of the movie when the daughter discovers her mother's diary about her first love. This, my fellow movie aficionado, is the start of the Classic. For sake of brevity and not giving away the plot, I will not go into detail about this wonderfully written and wonderfully acted movie. There are some flaw in the movie but even with that I am blown away by how emotionally gripping and satisfying the story and acting of the main actress Son Yeh-jin and Cho Seun-woo (who play's the mother's love interest). The musical scores and selections are awesome and very fitting to the mood of the story. The movie title suggests a classic Korean love story but in the end, I can't help but wish that I too could have experienced such level of love. For the romantic at heart and those who want to experience the full range of human emotion watch this movie, better yet own this movie.
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valya3218 June 2003I know that "Classic" is cheesy and at times, very cliche. But the film acknowledges this fact when the character of Ji Hae reads the letter that her mother's first love, Jun Ho, had written to her and she states how cheesy it is. And yet, she decides that she'll not call it cheesy, but instead, call it classic.
The intent of this film is not to enlighten or to be original. Love is not original. It is the most common of emotions. The point, rather, I think, is to show how it is possible for love to be like the way it is between the characters in the movie. Through the good and the bad, love is worth it. Yes, saying that love is worth it is very cliche and cheesy. But what the hell. Life is a goddamn cliche in itself and if you're not ready to accept that, then well, what can I say?
I can say, "Go watch 'Classic' and cry or vomit. Either way, you'll feel better."
Oh, by the way, nice acting by Son Ye Jin and Jo Seung Woo. They set up a truly believable dynamic.
8/10 is my score for this pretty love story. Reminded me of the story of how my parents met in Korea. I am glad to see Korean cinema improve. -
KineticSeoul10 February 2012This movie sort of reminded me of "The Notebook" a bit but it has certain elements that makes it better. Although it has a lot of cliché moments it goes in a direction where the romance is slightly bit immersive. The story takes place in the past and the present, but mostly in the past. Although it has two love stories going on in one movie though, it felt like it wasn't all that necessary. Maybe to make it in a way the audiences can relate to when it comes to the present and so the ending can be a bit different. But despite few slight other aspects, it just didn't seem all that necessary. The movie also felt a bit drawn out a bit as it progressed. It had a decent start but felt a bit too sappy at times and drawn out. Despite it having some flaws, it felt like a decent romance movie to watch with a date or as a couple. Personally this was a romance movie for certain parts I could relate with thus during some parts it felt sort of moving. And to some degree it brings about emotion and the melodramatic elements work for the most part, even if it comes off as silly sometimes. I can't really say this is a classic romance movie, but it's a good one that is worth a watch.
7.3/10 -
JuggleG16 June 2003Technically speaking, this film showcased beautiful cinematography, convincing acting, and an overall continuity that brings viewers so deeply into two stories which become one, that it resonates long after viewing the film. This movie takes place in flashback format and the quality of the production is proven in the fact the the movie is seamless and smooth that even watching it without subtitles (which I did!), the story was still so easy to follow. Classic is not strictly just a love story, but a story about humanity and relationships of all kinds: friendship and the bond between children and parents. I am reminded of "Amelie" for it's lightness of spirit and dips into the imaginative and the fanciful. An underlying belief in romance rules the characters in both films. Classic is a complete package, there are no loose ends and instead at the end, you can take a deep breath and feel satisfied. I think that this would be a great foriegn film for someone who doesn't like foreign films to see because the actors portray the characters and their stories so convincingly that you can read the humanity without understanding the language. The quality of the acting and entire composition of the movie make it universal. It's inspiring to know that even in 2003 a film can be created that is truly timeless.
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kleaner8 May 2003Like many romance films, Classic is cheesy. There is a sequence that the director intends to make the audience, especially female, cry. But it is very artificial. Music is very good but it's too much. Cinematography is very well-done and shows the Korean sightings beautifully. Son Ye-Jin is very cute but her performance is not different from any other tear-jerking Korean films, such as the letter, and the gift. Jo In Sung is very stiff and doesn't look that attractive, even though he is pretty handsome. Jo Seung-Woo is the only one who gives a right performance.
If you are a 13~18 year old girl or desperately in love with someone, you will like this film. Otherwise, I do not recommand this film. -
evetan000003 January 2009The original Korean romantic story that spurred on a wave of soppy movies, hail to all die-hard romantics! I have always been a fan of Korean movies, not the TV series but the movies and the first time I watched this movie was with a more fanatic movie-goer than me. Didn't know that I would actually love it so much to watch it endless times cos my friend even gave the vcd to me as a birthday gift.
The director also directed 'My Sassy Girl' the ultra-funny movie and actually one of the stories the female lead from 'My Sassy Girl' wrote is part of 'The Classic': A scene of 2 lovers running in a field raining heavily and they took shelter in a wooden pavilion. Yes, I remember it very clearly as it was a very romantic moment.Photo766_1 The story spans from 2 generations and started with a rural conservative Korean village to a modern day university scene. It has the right mixture of humour, romance, plot, sadness and war, oh and it makes you wanna cry and laugh at the same time. There's especially one character who is really funny and always faints suddenly in the middle of doing something, and I love the plot twist of the modern lovers w the umbrella .so sweet! (always bring a smile to my face) OK, think I can go on and on .
Well, of course every Korean movie director somehow makes it a point in their life to squeeze as many tears as they can evoke from their viewers and this one is no exception. There's a very strong scene in the movie that is so real and sad that it never fails to wrench my heart, it's those sudden type of reality that just breaks you of how a happy-go-lucky guy is actually living in a world of torture without anyone knowing and he would be the last guy to imagine giving up on life itself.
Of course the ending is a little bit too much of a coincidence, but the overall story clearly makes up for it as the constant juxtaposition of the 2 generations love story gives it a classic evergreen feel that I can watch it again and again and it would just produce the same effect every single time. -
jinroh20 February 2003In a way, Classic is probably more "Korean" than most other Korean movies. It starts with coincident and ends with it as applied in most medieval Korean literatures.
Director Kwak throws so many things into this follow up to "My sassy girl," and I feel he almost juggles through. But then again, it would be extremely hard to meet high expectation set by Sassy, and probably that's why Mr. Kwak push himself into this. Plain performance from Jo In-Sung and very poor editing hurt this one though. There are some flaws in screen play as well. Despite all of this, Classic is very much worth it to watch. -
perfect_circle214 December 2008As a big fan of 'My Sassy Girl' I was interested to see what Jae-young Kwak would do next, and 'Classic' in a similar genre should have been just as much of a success.
The movie starts off promisingly enough. Time-shifting to tell the story of Ju-hie's mother and her love-triangle relationship with Ki-woo Lee and Seung-woo Cho. The movie focuses mainly on the 'separated by fate' relationship between Ji-hae and Seung-woo Cho, and for this reason you can't help but pine for his love to win through.
Each scene is handled delicately. In one scene Seung-woo Cho shares an evening with Ji-hae by the river catching firefires. Some time later he catches up with her by accident and hands her flowers, before Ji-hae is whisked away again. But there's only so many years of Seung-woo Cho affections being unforfilled before things start to become tiresome. Why, beside their brief encounters and letters of correspondence do the characters feel so deeply for one another?! More than Ji-hae's status as a congressman's daughter, it's her 'What do I really want?' character that stops her from choosing her man, and effectively breaking both men's hearts.
Several elements are repeated throughout the movie, and all to bad effect. One, being the constant use of the same annoying, indie song throughout the movie ... and the other the use of characters being caught in the rain without an umbrella. This in particular is done so many times, and is so asking for parody that I hope Korean comedians have really had a field day with this one.
While My Sassy Girl shied away from schmaltzy, blubber inducing moments ... Classic overdoses on them. Three quarters of the way through the movie manages to segway one cliché movie moment one after another. The separated at the train platform moment... with Ji-hae pressing her hands against the train window, then running after the train as it leaves. Then the dying comrade army moment... with Seung-woo Cho trying to resuscitate a fellow soldier by punching him in the chest, before being told 'It's too late! He's already dead!' Classic really goes on for too long, and its incessant attempts to tug at the audience's heartstrings just becomes sickening long before the story reaches its conclusion.
My Sassy Girl looks like it was a one off. This movie couldn't be further away from being a Classic, and I certainly won't be watching anything else Jae-young Kwak puts his name to in the future.