choryugin gr44
"Always" is just a little bit superior to your regular Asian romance film; on watching the movie, one marvels at the subtle nuances, the low-key expressiveness of the actors. In the hands of an inferior director, the script would have deteriorated into run of the mill mush but Mr. Song Il-gon covers all bases perfectly. I would like to shake this guy's hand personally and thank him for creating this masterpiece.The climax is definitely Jung-hwa's breakdown (near the underpass); to say this scene is one of the most moving pieces of cinema is an understatement. If I was an Oscar jury member, I would hand Han Hyo-joo a Best Actress trophy pronto. That type of unbridled emotion takes a lot of guts and balls to pull off. So Ji-sub is excellent as the hardened ex-boxer, Jang Marcelino/Chul-min. The support cast is also commendable for their individual performances.I'd like to ask a question though: how come Jung-Hwa never figured out Chul-min's face/identity after regaining her sight? She could've done a little investigation; the guy used to be a local boxing champion, surely there's a photo lying around somewhere. In spite of this minor foible in the plot, the superb acting of the cast and the masterful direction of Song Il-gon elevates this from the usual mass of rom-coms and romance dramas. It is such a shame that this was under-appreciated at the box office. "Always" is that rare gem and a definite classic of film drama.
Derek Childs (totalovrdose)
Always is a film that brilliantly captures the ironies and coincidences that life happens to offer, and because of this, could be accused of being structured in such a way as to deliberately push the plot in a particular direction. With this in mind, the feature never feels forced or out of place, and even though, by the conclusion, the film begins to pick up pace, as though hurriedly making its way towards the end, again, the climax and final segments are unhindered, and fit fantastically with the rest of the movie.Occasionally, moreover, the conversations can be predictable, however this adds to the overall beauty of the production, the plot being as logical and understandable as it is fluent and engaging. So Ji-Sub is outstanding as Cheol-Min, a former boxer with a dark past, who is attempting to atone. His awkwardness in social situations is emphasized in his dialogue, sometimes conveying a hurtful comment to hide the honesty beneath. Han Hyo-Joo is equally superb as Jung-Hwa, a young office worker on the verge of completing losing her sight. Although the way she lost her vision is similar to Min Soo-Ah in Blind, I felt a greater degree of sympathy towards Soo-Ah, whereas Jung-Hwa seems to find solace in her condition, and though her life is immeasurably difficult, she appears to acclimatise more efficiently.Despite Cheol-Min's attempts to rid his world of violence, it is this that eventually helps bring he and Jung-Hwa together, and at the same time, has the capacity to irreversibly tear them apart. Acquiring a job as a parking attendant, Cheol-Min replaces the worker that Jung-Hwa used to converse with. She appears one evening, to talk to her friend, and is surprised to meet a new individual, yet continues to stop by every evening to watch a soap opera.Cheol-Min finds himself deliberately adjusting his appearance and life to accommodate Jung-Hwa, who he forms an attachment to, wanting to keep her safe from those who would use her condition to take advantage of her. Ironically, at the same time, he is unable to identify those who attempt to do the same to him.The leads are incredibly likable over the course of the feature, their relationship being as passionate and sweet, as it is enjoyable to watch. At the same time, those who portray antagonistic individuals effectively create characters who are intensely loathsome from the moment they appear on screen, Min Tae-Sik (Yoon Jong-Hwa) being one such character who is as egotistical as he is villainous. Not long after severely beating Jung-Hwa's boss, Choi (Cho Seong-Ha), after he attempts to sexually assault her, Cheol-Min and Jung-Hwa move in together.However, the expenses that are required to maintain their existence forces Cheol-Min to orbit back towards his former occupation, and though his love for Jung-Hwa is undeniable, represented by the sacrifices he is willing to make, the immoral, unsafe actions inevitably lead towards moments, as unavoidable as they are inescapable, which could ruin everything.Though I will not deny the brilliance, not to mention the beauty, which encapsulates the characters and plot, as previously accentuated in a number of other reviews, I personally was disappointed that I didn't find the movie to be as terribly sad as I had initially imagined it to be. This aside, Always is a feature which delves into the reasons as to why we love, and why we are willing to go to such extraordinary lengths to maintain our romantic attachments. In this sense, the film is easy to relate towards, and even when shifting into intensely dramatic, and tragic instances, the feature never loses its capacity to keep the audience vested.
Odessa Jones
The Koreans do melodrama better than anyone else on the planet. I wish I had known about Korean movies years ago. (I saw "Always" four years after its release. When will a Korean movie get released in the US?!?)The plot here is reminiscent of "An Affair to Remember," the quintessential Hollywood romance. But the feeling and cinematography are pure twenty-first century. Though it's a 100% melodrama story- line, the style is low-key and on the naturalistic side. It's never overwrought. So Ji-Sub is a favorite of mine from seeing him in K-drama "The Master's Sun." Here he plays a very different kind of man, but with equal skill and charisma. His character barely talks, but still feels three-dimensional. Han Hyo-Joo is excellent and her character is refreshingly outgoing despite her disability.I had to close my eyes for about 5 minutes when things got violent, but that was inevitable given that So Ji-Sub plays a fighter. If I have any complaints, it's that I wanted to know so much more about the characters, and the denouement is on the quick side. I still have questions. But the emotional aspects of the story were handled perfectly. If you haven't started watching the good Korean stuff yet, you should. It's worth the subtitles.
rightwingisevil
i was so deeply moved and touched by this wonderfully crafted korean movie. i used to love the action packed suspenseful thriller movies, but sometimes, when a rarely find wonderful romantic movie could also melt my stubborn old heart deeply trembled with the ultimate soft feeling of a human being. what i'd like to point out here is that the koreans actually are the most romantic race in the world, it's so contradict to what they usually showed to other people. the formulaic korean national characteristics being cruelly portrayed are obnoxious, stubborn, arrogant, impolite, impatient and sometimes, very illogically unreasonable. but these are actually wrong, because deep down in most korean hearts, they are just so helplessly romantic, otherwise, they won't be able to produce so many wonderful break-your-heart tear-jerking romance dramas in both TV and movies and, if they are good, they are not just commonly good, they are crazily fantastic! i think this special korean tenderness also subtly showed in their beautiful electronic and vehicle products. this movie, again, is a perfect 10. you should get rid of what you've already become and watch this movie with the tenderness that still not die in your heart. and i sincerely believe that after watching this movie, you would feel better and become a nicer person, temporarily, of course.
