I have long heard of the very well-loved 2001 Korean film called "My Sassy Girl". But since I never really liked rom-coms, I have not seen it before. This summer though, with the release of its official sequel (yes, 15 years later!) "My New Sassy Girl", I thought this was the best time to check the original film out as well, before I watch the sequel.
MY SASSY GIRL (2001)
A homely young man Gyeon-woo saves an unnamed drunk Girl from falling into the subway track. From there begins a bizarre relationship where the Girl would swing wildly from loving to hurting Gyeon-woo, but he simply could not help but bear it all and fall in love with her. On the girl's suggestion, they leave letters in a time capsule under a tree on a hill and will meet each other again after two years. On that set day, confessions and revelations will redefine what they mean to each other.
I am not surprised that this film has achieved iconic status among Korean film fans, achieving box office records not only in Korea, but all over Asia as well. This was really a very well-written, perfectly casted and wonderfully-acted film. The chemistry between the lead actors Cha Tae-hyun (as Gyeon-woo) and Jun Ji-hyun (as The Girl) was so charmingly and quirkily vital. The ending is one of the best rom-com endings I had ever seen. Anyone who had followed their journey together up to that point of the film will definitely be very emotionally engaged with what happens, and perhaps even tear up. The musical score and songs were beautifully fit to the scenes where they were heard. The direction of Kwak Jae-yong was faultless with the way he created romantic thrill. 9/10.
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MY NEW SASSY GIRL (2016)
Gyeon-woo is back, but without the original Girl anymore. This situation opened up the opportunity for him to meet and hook up with another "sassy" (also unnamed) girl. (He is really a masochistic sort, isn't he?) Anyhow, this girl is Chinese this time, knows her marital arts and her cameras, They actually get married here in a charming indigenous ceremony. Conflict arises when Gyeon-woo gets a job at a tech company with an abusive boss. His Wife will not take that abuse sitting down, but will Gyeon-woo appreciate her for it?
Sad to say, watching "The New Sassy Girl" right after watching "My Sassy Girl" just emphasized just how bad this sequel by director Jo Geun-sik is. The comedy was terribly flat all the way, with nothing memorable that sticks at all. Even the romantic conflict is very lame, practically just tacked on without any emotional impact. The age of Cha Tae-hyun (already 40 years old now) shows, and his attempt to recapture his 2001 charm was largely ineffective. While she is pretty, Victoria Song (as the new Sassy) could not really measure up to the high level set by Jun Ji-hyun in the first film, in both charm and performance. Her role was very poorly developed. I thought this sequel did not really need to happen. It was but an insult to the former's memory. 2/10.
Sequels tend to work well if any change is organic, or a plot was built up in the previous installments. But here, reading your post, I think the sequel is not that good. Need not to be confused with New Sassy, where the first one is "way better" compare with the sequel wasn't all that good.
ReplyDeleteWe saw the trailer last month and felt very excited to watch this movie. My Sassy Girl is one of my most favorite films of all time!
ReplyDeleteIt's sad when a sequel is not as good as the first one. Kind of like the season two of Avatar the legend of Korra. The first sequel was way more better
ReplyDeleteJust curious for this film; I'll try to watch this weekend with my wife. Unfortunately, I do not like this kind of movie at all...Thanks for the review that I have the advance screening inside my head.
ReplyDeleteThese are such cute movies that every romcom addict needs to watch. Haha! Hope to catch these soon :D
ReplyDeleteIt's really a nice movie.. I'm gonna watch the new version..
ReplyDeleteThe 1st my sassy girl was a big hit here in the PH. I think i was in college back then and i can still remem the story. It was a funny yet dramatic film
ReplyDeleteThat's too bad, I like Victoria as a part of Kpop group F(x), so I had high hopes for this one. I loved the original movie too!
ReplyDeleteI haven't watched both films, but I can understand why the second one has a lower rating. Films like this shouldn't have a sequel. Might as well just remake the whole thing.
ReplyDeleteI haven't watched either of them. However I did read a review already that this sequel is just bad esp after the 1st movie. Esp when the first movie is fabulous, the pressure on sequels is so high to perform. Sadly many a times they don't!
ReplyDeleteI've watched the first one and it has a really nice story. It got even adopted to have a hollywood version. Too bad the new sassy girl didn't measure up to the first film.
ReplyDeleteWow, this is great. Though I am yet to watch both movies but I think the sequel made one has a good rating than the other.
ReplyDeleteHaha... Oh well, I'm glad you reviewed the film... but I think because there has been too many sassy girlfriend plots, the film is no longer unique! they should have done it within 5 years!
ReplyDeleteAiyoh! why the rating so low, hmmm... now I m thinking should watch it in the cinema or not? But I like romantic comedy the story. I just watched Me Before You few days ago, omg it was superb and i cried so much, so shy.
ReplyDeleteI have not watched even the original. Looking at your review, I think I will skip the sequel too.
ReplyDeleteI've heard of the original, it was very popular here. Awww, sequels aren't always so good but...the plot when the wife doesn't take things with the abusive boss sitting down, and her knowing her martial arts sounds very interesting to me. :) Maybe it's preference? Or maybe it's easier to appreciate the sequel if there was no prequel?
ReplyDeleteI was able to watch the original film but it was a long time ago, I've already forgotten the details. The sequel looks promising, hopefully we can catch it in our local cinema.
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