In this movie review, film critic Anthony Leong reviews the hit Korean romantic comedy “My Sassy Girl”. A basic summary of the movie revolves around a girl who has just come out of a very emotional relationship when she meets the movie’s main character, a young engineering major named Kyung Wu. She is initially very attracted to him, but is worried because he reminds her of her ex-boyfriend. She, therefore, is not quite sure how exactly to treat him and much of her psycho-pathetic, abusive traits come out in her awkwardness. Kyung Wu is at first just an innocent guy that stumbles into a very aggressive, very sassy girl. He avoids her at all costs, but as he stays with her longer he begins to have feelings for her because he realizes a greater pain and awkwardness that lives inside her.
The rest of the movie revolves around this couple’s rather comical relationship. Kyung Wu is a klutz without much of a future and the main character is a driven girl with a penchant for rough housing her man. Korean girls everywhere found the movie hysterical while Korean men all around the world fell in love with Chun Jee-hyun, the movie’s female lead. In the end, while the comic relief is of great importance it seems that the themes of forgiveness, letting go of the past, and diving into life full strength regardless if you think you’ll drown are overriding themes of the movie.
An emotionally heartfelt yet comically invigorating movie, “My Sassy Girl” has been a hit not only in Korea but also in the United States and in most of Asia. Even in Taiwan and China, places with few Koreans, the movie is an absolute hit as it not only appeals to romantic sensibilities but to Asian cultural sensibilities as well. Perhaps it is the woman strong arming the man or just the romance, “My Sassy Girl” has viewers everywhere laughing, crying, and buying more DVDs.