첫사랑 보관소

Archive First Love (첫사랑 보관소, 初戀保管所) is a 20-min 3-D Korean short film which explores the universal theme of first love. It makes its premier at the Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival (PiFan) 2012.

Synopsis: One day, out of the blue, writer Hyun-woo, started receiving parcels at his doorstep. The parcels contained items and memories of someone else's first love. Initially, he was at a loss of what to do with the stuff. Since he could neither throw away nor return them to their respective owners, he decided to set up an archive and be their keeper. He labelled and arranged each item neatly in his little archive so that their owners, if they want to, are able to retrieve them one day. However, little did he know that his first love's memories would soon occupy a place in his own Archive of First Love. 

 

Short film "Archive First Love (2012)" - 2D version 

First love always comes with inexperience and clumsiness. There will be many minor misunderstandings because everyone is only starting to love. As much as each first love is unique, they have a common point, that is, they give you pain. When first love has to end for the sake of a new-found love, the latter will never be as pure, as passionate and as painful as the former. 

There are a few scenes in the film I like:

Scene 1: Hyun-woo 'listening' to other's memories with a stethoscope

The 'voices' which Hyun-woo seems to hear:

M: Do you mean, all the things I did for you are meaningless?
F: You didn't do anything for me. You're only doing them for yourself.

F: I don't want to see you anymore.
M: Can't you think it over again?

M: You're right, it seems like you were not happy when you were with me.
F: I'm sorry, I was rash. I want to restart over again. I miss you.

These are conversations which we would also likely to hear prior to a break-off. 


Scene 2: Hyun-woo talking to his grandma about her first love

Hyun-woo: Grandma, that's nice music you're listening to.

Grandma: It's the music I listen to whenever I think of my first love.

Hyun-woo: I didn't know grandma also has first love. It seems like grandpa is not the one.

Grandma: Where do you find someone who doesn't have first love? Even now, when I think of that person, my heart aches... and... I miss him.

Hyun-woo: You still think of that person... even after all these years?

Grandma: I have never for once forgotten about him, although it's natural that with time, things fade away and people grow old. Do you know what is the hardest thing to endure with the passage of time? Your body ages but your heart doesn't. There is no way you can erase away those memories that are in your heart. Especially, those that were already there at the beginning.


Scene 3: Hyun-woo talking to his girlfriend prior to their break-off

Hyun-woo:  A man would just focus on the things he does for his woman. A woman could decide to leave her man without even knowing his feeling for her. Why is it that woman can't sense a man's feeling without him saying it out?

So-ri: Oppa, a woman cannot sense everything by just "I love you" alone. If you don't say it, there are many things that will not be known.

If you can't get enough of first love's story in this short film, you can enjoy more of it in "Introduction to Architecture" (건축학 개론, 建築學 槪論). But do take note, the pain in the movie may resonate in you even though you are just an audience. It seems, people are more alike than different when it concerns matter of the heart.

영화 해운대

In the movie "Haeundae", it took one and a half hour of movie time before the mega tsunami hit the beach. At the moment of disaster, for no reason, I felt a sense of lost despite knowing that all were just CGI effects. I have probably formed some kind of attachment to the buildings at Haeundae and I just can't bear to see them being smashed and destroyed.

The light beacon at Haeundae where much of the story in "Haeundae" took place. It's early in morning and everything looks so calm.

Western end of Haeundae Beach in the evening. If you have once been enchanted by this place, it will be 'hard' to witness it being destroyed in the movie.

All these buildings are also not spared from the mega tsunami. It was not easy to see them being laid to waste.

A giant container ship, brought in by the mega tsunami hit Gwangan Bridge in the movie. I felt sorry when such a beautiful bridge has to collapse at the end.

After watching "Haeundae", it seems like tsunami is approaching in this picture. Could it be calmness before the storm? My imagination is running wild. Anyway, my impression of Haeundae is still a resort and not a tsunami-stricken beach. First impression always last.

희망과 기적

I watched 2 Korean movies on my flight back to Singapore.

'Castaway On the Moon' (김씨 표류기) is about hope. The movie says, "Hope is to be able to cook a bowl of Jjajangmyeon when all you have left in life is only a packet of seasoning."

'Why Did You Come to My House?' (집에 왜 왔니?) is about miracle. The movie says, "When someone you love, love you back, it is not just a miracle between two of you, it is real miracle."

국가대표

I watch the movie, "국가대표" (國家代表, translated as National Representative), two Saturdays ago at Yongsan CGV (because there is English subtitles). I am reluctant to use its English's title "Take Off" because the word "국가대표" has a lot more weight on the storyline.

This is one movie which ticket sales actually increases after the number of screens started to decrease. What this means is the movie actually gains popularity as it goes along. I must say that the movie's trailer is not really compelling enough to make it a must-watch movie. The best effect you can get from it is a 'feel good' sensation and that's all. It is thus left to word of mouth to bring up its 'in-gi' (인기, popularity).

After watching the movie, I think it is hard to keep your eyes dry until the end. It is not because someone has died or the underdogs finally won against all odds. The movie has a way of making you relate to it. Deep inside us, we have this desire to make people who matter to us proud. We can all imagine how emotional it will be if we are national representative returning home with our proud parents and friends waiting at the arrival gate. At that moment, win or lose is totally irrelevant. The movie captures movie-goers' emotion and imagination along this line.

Besides the touching plot, what I like most about the movie is the ski-jumping part. Whenever the ski jumpers jump off the platform into the open sky, I also feel like I am 'flying' with them. My feeling has a lot to do with the uplifting OST 'Butterfly' which is played during all the significant jumps in the movie. The song is good enough to be a theme song for Winter Olympics.

My final word is the movie is highly recommended even if you don't understand Korean. I believe you can still feel the emotions. Last but not least, all the best to Pyeongchang's bid for 2018 Winter Olympics. For Korea to host a Winter Olympics will make this movie even more special.

소강상태

The monsoon rain took a 'rest' today so I went out before I start to get 'mouldy'. I spent my afternoon at Hollys Coffee somewhere in Seodaemun.

An Ice-blended Caramel Hollycino to beat the heat.

I am going for my field trip to Nami Island on Tuesday. Let's hope that the monsoon rain can also take a 'rest' on Tuesday.

I saw this movie poster of "Haeundae" outside the cafe. The movie is going to open this coming Thursday. The only thing that can go wrong with this movie is its plot. It is difficult to rise above cliched plot especially when disaster movie is concern. I don't wish to see "Haeundae" sinks below the 'tsunami' it created. After all, this is Korea's first attempt on making disaster movie. I am looking forward to Thursday to see if an imminent 'disaster' can be averted.

A disaster movie is quite likely to turn out a 'disaster' itself. Let's hope Haeundae doesn't disappoint.

부산에 갈건데

Coming July, a 'mega tsunami' is going to going to hit 'Haeundae'. But before it releases it 'massive destructive force', I will be on a summer escape to Haeundae this weekend. Among others, I have made plan to visit the world's largest department store - Shinsegae Centum City and the world's largest musical fountain at Dadaepo Beach (다대포해수욕장, 多大浦海水浴場). I am also looking forward to spending an evening at Gwangalli Beach watching the beautiful Gwangan Bridge. It seems like Gwangan Bridge is not going to be spared when the 'tsunami' hit Busan this July. Anyway, I shall be back in Seoul just in time to catch the first Korea's disaster blockbuster in history.

슬퍼도 행복합니다

I watched 슬픔보다 더 슬픈 이야기 at Megabox Dongdaemun yesterday. I must say I went into the cinema with a lot of bias. There was so much publicity and hype surrounding this movie before it was even open and usually such movie disappoint more than impress because of heightened expectation. It didn't help when we all knew that it is going to be a sad movie and someone is going to die in the end - a theme that is cliched by many other Korean movies and dramas of similar theme. I was predicting that I would feel cheated of my 7,000won but even that, I was ready to find out how much more sad can sadness be. I have a simple litmus test for this movie - make me cry. If my tears don't flow, it is a flop.

Singer, 이승철, made a cameo appearance in the movie. At the start of the movie, he played himself - a singer, trying to record the song - 그런 사람 또 없습니다 (the movie's title track) but somehow he felt he fell short of conveying the sadness in the song. That provided the stage for the sad love story between K and Cream to be told to him. Touched by their story, he returned at the end to sing the song again but this time with the right sadness that befits the sad story behind the song.

I would hesitate to call this movie a classic because it has nothing new to offer. Its plot about love and separation offers no surprises. However, the movie can still be considered a better movie because of the acting and more importantly, the way the story is told. Kwon Sang Woo should be credited for acting out his role convincingly with his pair of soulful but yet melancholic eyes. Word is a luxury for a person like K because there are so much things which he could not say. As for the story-telling, I like the part on time stop and time reversal. Imagine yourself losing everything you have in this world, it is almost like time has come to a standstill. It is like saying the time has stopped since the day you left. The movie presented this part quite well. And when the time starts reversing, you would be made to realise why this is a sad movie because all the details that were not previously shown or emphasised would be flashed.

What the movie or the director wants to say is in the song "슬픔보다 더 슬픈 이야기". The music video below has a lot of scenes that are not shown in the actual movie unless what I saw was an abridged version. The dying scene is downplayed in the actual movie probably because it is a known fact. Even that, the sad part is not about dying but the feeling of separation and the deep sense of regret. Just like the lyrics of song says, "Because love is giving. Because love is just giving. Even though I am sad, I am happy.". The lyrics totally make sense. Love comes with happiness and sadness. They are inseparable. For people who want love because of happiness don't understand love. You can only understand happiness if there is sadness and vice-versa. So what can be sadder than sadness? It can only be happiness. I think I feel so much happier after watching a sad movie.

한국영화축제

When I saw the list of flims to be screened for the coming Korean Film Festival, I was kinda disappointed. Among the 7 films selected, there are probably only three that are worth watching and I have already watched two of them. Between the two, I think "Forever The Moment" is the better one, even though "The Good, The Bad & The Weird" may be the highest-grossing Korean film in 2008. If I have to say something about "The Good, The Bad & The Weird", it would be that it is neither good nor bad but it is "weird". I can't figure out why it is so popular in Korea. The plot is quite lame in my opinion. All I can remember is that the film is packed with actions, with lotsa gun-shots, explosions and mindless blood-shedding. I must say that the 3 hunks in the film display great acting skills though. In particular, the 이상한 놈 (weird guy) is very comical. Without him, I think the film will be less watchable. With no other better choices, I guess I am left with only "Crossing" to watch.

인생 철학이 담긴 영화

If I am able to recall correctly, my first three Korean movies are Il Mare (2000), My Sassy Girl (2001) and The Way Home (2002). I was once told that people tend to experience difficulty when they have to remember more than three things. Maybe there is some truth to it because I can't remember what is my fourth Korean movie until two Sunday ago.

Now that I recall, my fourth Korean movie is Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter ... And Spring (2003). A very long movie title that has a touch of Zen Buddhism. I don't quite understand the movie when I first watch it in the cinema. Perhaps I have gone through a lot in the last four years and have since grown wiser, I am able to appreciate the movie much better when I watch it again recently on the TV.

In the movie, the four seasons indicate four phases of life. Spring is a season of ignorance. The child sins because he is unaware that his action, which he thinks is fun, actually causes harm to others. Summer is a season of greed and lust. The adult sins because he develops greed and lust and these flame his desire to possess. He will go to the extent of harming others to keep his possession. Autumn is a season of repentance. When enough harm is done, suffering also reaches its peak. The desire to release himself from suffering leads him to go into repentance. Winter is a season of enlightenment. A man tends to grow wiser after coming out from his suffering. When the next Spring arrives the same cycle will repeat itself on other people. So can I begrudge against those people who cause hurt to me? Maybe not, because this is just a natural progression of their lives towards "enlightenment".

My first four Korean movies are really good movies. I cannot remember the subsequent Korean movies which I have watched. Perhaps they are just meant to be forgotten. In the early days of the Korean film industry, I only get to watch one good Korean movie a year. Today, more Korean movies are shown every year but hardly comparable to my first four Korean movies.

믿을 수 있어요?

Will you ever believe someone who walks up smiling to you and says, "지금부터 긴 이야기를 시작할 텐데 믿어 줄 수 있어요?" (From this moment onwards, I will start a long story. Will you believe me?). It really depends on whether you believe in miracle. I like "Il Mare" because it plays with miracle and yet makes it almost believable.

I like seeing the effect of love on time and space in this movie. At the movie's ending, love manages to break them all down. In reality, we are never really separated by time and space but rather by the lack of love for one another. I recall one story. Why do people shout at each other when they are unhappy? They need to shout because their hearts are separated by a long distance. The further the separation, the louder the shouting will be. So love does break down time and space and conversely the lack of it creates time and space.

Till today, seven years after, the movie continues to bring me inspiration. It doesn't matter where you are in the time spectrum or where you are physically located, if you do like the movie like I do, the time and space between us will break down. And if we do meet, I will be curious to know "who" meets "who". Is it the future-me meeting the past-you or the past-me meeting the future-you?

My Kwangsoo's Thought of the day: We are separated by heart and not by time and space.

The attached video clip is the last 9 mins of the movie "Il Mare". If you have not seen the movie you may not want to watch this.

영화 - 황진이

The left poster, meant for the local market, describes Hwang Jin Yi as "16세기에 살았던 21세기의 여인" or "A 21st century woman who lived in the 16th century". The right poster, meant for the international market, describes her as "Queen at her heart, Humble in her spirit". I thought the left poster's tagline summarises the movie better.

The Korean movie "Hwang Jin Yi" (황진이-黃眞伊) was released in Korea on the 6th of this month. This movie, which cost US$10 million and 4 years to produce, is starred by Song Hye Kyo (송혜교-宋慧橋) and Yu Ji-tae (유지태-劉智泰) . Given the popularity of Song Hye Kyo in Singapore, the likelihood of this movie being shown in Singapore is quite high but it will probably take another 3 months or more for the movie to reach our shore.

Hwang Jin Yi is a famous courtesan of the 16th century Joseon Dynasty. The movie is about her transformation from a noble to a servant at a time when social class determines almost everything. In the movie, Hwang Jin Yi's love interest is Nom Yi, the only man whom she holds in her heart throughout her life. Nom Yi is a servant by birth while Hwang Jin Yi is born a noble. Their love does not seem to be blessed from the start. This is probably a forewarning of a sad ending.

The original sound track of Hwang Jin Yi, "If you were me" (그대가 나라면-如果你是我), is sung by "Due", a duo which is new to the Korean music scene. The mixture of contemporary and musical singing style in the song is well executed and refreshing. The infusion of Tenor vocal gives the song a majestic feel. I think it will do equally well as a theme song for the Olympic Games or the World Cup. There is an Italian version of the song which is called "Se Tu Fossi Io" I guess it also means "If you were me" since "Se", "Tu" and "Io" means "If", "You" and "I" respectively in Italian . Happy listening.

별처럼 반짝반짝

The post-advanced Korean language class at NUS Extension has finally started yesterday. As the class was in the afternoon, I managed to catch a morning show at Cathay Cinema. I have long to watch the movie "200 Pounds Beauty" since I was introduced to the song "Maria" during our Korean song lesson in KHU. The movie review in the Straits Time gave it a 2 stars out of 5. But that didn't really bother me. Even if that reporter has given it a 1 out of 5, I will still watch it. The storyline is simple, entertaining and touching. The movie's climax has all the ingredients to move one to tears. The most potent tear-causing factor was perhaps the song "Byeol" (별-Star). This song was played during the climax amidst the confession made by Kang Hanna. Kim A-Jung, as Kang Hanna, sang this song in the movie. There is in fact another version of the song. The music video below belongs to the SBS Korean Drama "Lovers" (연인-戀人) and the soundtrack "Byeol" is sung by Yumi (유미). Without seeing the lyrics, I can already feel the heartache in the song. Ouch.



미녀는 괴로워 OST 별(김아중,유미)

바람결이 창을 흔들고 내키만한
작은 나의방 위로 아름답게 별빛들을 가득 채워주네요

셀 수없이 많은 별들은 지쳐있는
나를어루만지며 내맘속에 가득담은 눈물 닦아주네요

많이 아파하지마 날 꼭 안은채 다독여주며
잘자라 위로해주네요
걷지 못할만큼 힘이 겨워아파와도
눈물이 앞을 가려와도
갖지못할내 사랑앞에도 나 웃을래요
잠시라도 곁에 행복했던 기억들을
가슴에 간직할게요
두눈에 수놓아진 저 별들처럼 영원히.

꿈을 꾸듯 다가오네요 유난히도 밝은 나의 별 하나
눈부시게 반짝이며 어깨 위로 내려와

자꾸 슬퍼하지마 손 꼭 잡은채 날 만져주며
따스히 날 감싸주네요

걷지 못할만큼 힘이 겨워 아파와도
눈물이 앞을 가려와도
갖지못할내 사랑앞에도 나 웃을래요
잠시라도 곁에 행복했던 기억들을
가슴 속에 간직할게요
두눈에 수놓아진 저 별들처럼 Oh-

나 오늘만은 안 울어요
눈물이 가득 차와도
저기 저 별들처럼 나 웃을래요.....

행복했던 기억들을
가슴 속에 간직할게요
두눈에 수놓아진 저 별들처럼 영원히......

야래향

李香兰唱的《夜来香》这一曲从小陪我长大。因为爸爱听，所以很小的时候我就耳熟能详。最近无意间发现原来还有韩文版的《夜来香》。韩文版的《夜来香》是文根英唱的。如果你有看过《秋天的童话》，文根英就是演小恩熙的小演员。

韩文版的《夜来香》收入在《舞者的纯情》的电影原声带。文根英唱的《夜来香》当然不可能翻译原来的中文歌词。21世纪的人类对爱的表现不可能象当年那样含蓄。歌词里没有 “那南风吹来清凉，那夜莺啼声凄怆”只有 “我一直等待着你，为你一个人等待”。没有“我为你歌唱，我为你思量”只有“你全不知道，我对你的爱”。单听韩文版的歌词就很现代。歌的节奏也很轻快很入流，完全不会感觉到那是一首旧歌。怎么说，好歌就是耐听。

请注意文根英的最后一个动作。那是韩国人表示“我爱你”的招牌动作。

영화 - 가을로

Kim Hyeon Cheol(김현철), who sang the soundtrack "Must Say Goodbye" in Il Mare, is back again. He has just released a duet with Gummy(거미) "우리 이제 어떻게 하나요?" (What should we do now?) for the Korean movie "Traces of Love"(가을로-literal translation "Into the Autumn").



"Traces of Love" premiered at the 11th Pusan International Film Festival on October 12 and is slated for nationwide release in Korea this weekend. On the first look, I thought it is just another run-of-the-mill Korean melodrama but as I read on, I was captivated by the storyline.

The movie is supposed to begin with the male lead, Hyeon-Wu acted by Yu Ji Tae(유지태), losing his fiancee, Min-Ju acted by Kim Ji Su(김지수), to a disaster which is an re-enactment of the collapse of the Sampung Department Store(삼풍박화전) on the fateful day of June 29, 1995. The Sampung disaster ended with 502 lives lost and about 900 people wounded.

[Picture from <가을로> Official Website]

Love stopped for Hyeon-Wu on the day of collapse. For the next 10 years, he has to contend with living his life in sorrow. His reprieve came when Min-Ju's father handed him the long-lost diary written by Min-Ju.

In the diary, Min-Ju meticulously recorded those scenic spots she had travelled to with the intention to re-visit them on her honeymoon. The diary came with detailed travel routes, maps, comments, anecdotes and stories associated with those forests, temples and villages she had visited.

Based on travel routes scripted in the diary, Hyeon-Wu went on a journey to re-track in traces the love he had lost. Coincidentally, Hyeon-Wu kept meeting Se-Jin, acted by Eon Ji Won(언지원), in those places mentioned in Min-Ju's diary. Se-Jin almost became a real-life double for Min-Ju. The appearance of Se-Jin in Hyeon-Wu's life created a dilemma for him. He had a choice to either continue loving his lost love or lived up to reality and love someone else.

The emotional struggle between living in the past and leaving sorrow behind to carry on with one's life will likely to struck a chord with many people. Singapore also has its own share of similar disaster as in the collapse of the Hotel New World. Dust may have long settled but we will never know or feel the sorrow of those people who have lost their loves to the disaster.

Love is painful not because it has ended but because it continues.

시월애 - 동영상

[Pictures from Hancinema]

'Il Mare' has until now been my number one Korea movie. 'The Host', while hugely popular in Korea, has not been able to make the same impact on me. In fact, I dozed off while watching it. It was not a boring movie but it just did not get me excited enough.

Perhaps there are better Korean movies but I have yet to watch them. One of these movies recommended to me was 'A Moment to Remember'. Friends were saying that they cried like a baby while watching this movie. It may have been one of those good Korean movies that I have missed.

I am not too sure if 'Il Mare' can be categorised as a love story. As far as I can understand, no one actually uttered "사랑합니다!" in the movie. But as an audience, I can feel that love was in the air. There was a lot of 'feel' of love in the movie but nothing explicit. The movie gained depth because of its subtle portrayal of love.

To put the icing on the cake, the movie soundtrack 'Must Say Goodbye' by 김현철 did a great job in bringing up the right mood for the movie. The soundtrack is one of those things that makes this movie memorable. Many years may have passed but the soundtrack always makes me thinks fondly of the movie.

린의 '날 위한 이별'

While browsing through the CDs at a shop in Myeongdong subway station , I came across Lyn's "Misty Memories" album. I don't know much about Lyn but I knew that she can sing very well as I was told by a friend. I never regretted buying her album. Her soulful voice accentuates her R&B numbers almost to perfection. I especially like the track '날 위한 이별'.


'날 위한 이별' was made into a music video for the movie '연리지'(連理枝). '연리지' has a sad story behind it and I mean the actual story. In the past, two lovers were stopped from being together. The heart-broken couple ended their lives. A tree grew up from each of their graves. To show their determination to be together after death, the leaves and branches of the two trees wrapped around one another closely. The roots of the trees were also intertwined tightly until they were inseparable. Hence, '연리지' is a noun used to describe a strong desire to be together.

Back to the movie '연리지'. I did not watch it when it was screened in Singapore a few months back. Here I am watching the snippets of the movie for the first time through Lyn's music video '날 위한 이별'. It seems quite a touching movie although the storyline can be a bit of a cliche.

연분을 믿어요?

生命所能赋予的幸福不在于一个人信不信缘，而是一个人懂不懂得惜缘。有时候，当任何抉择的后果都是痛苦的，放弃不代表不珍惜，而是要让彼此和他人的痛苦能减到最低点。

信缘是希望得到幸福。惜缘就不可能为了“缘”而选择最痛苦的结局。面对一辈子的遗憾或内疚，或许选择一辈子的遗憾是比较“幸福”的。

所以人生不是每一个遗憾都是因为自己或别人不懂得珍惜而造成的。或许这些遗憾已经是最好的结局了。要惜福了。

우연히, 우연히, 우연히 . . . 그러나 . . . 반드시

싱가폴에 괴물이 올 거야

한국에서 가장 인기 있는 괴물이 곧 싱가포르에서 나다날 거예요. 이주 후에 9월7일부터 극장에서 볼 수 있어요. 이 영화가 재미있을 것 같아서 보기를 너무 기대해요. 언제나 괴물이 있는 영화를 좋아해요. 나는 괴물도 좋아하겠어요.

《怪物》快要登陆新加坡了！韩国有史以来人气最高的电影，两个星期后就要在本地戏院上映。不过《怪物》来到本地就要变种了-变成《异种》。真受不了影片厂商，又《异形》又《异种》存心想混淆我们观众。看惯了美国和日本的怪兽，很期待看到韩国的怪物。

All these years, we have gotten quite used to Hollywood monster movies and those american beefcakes, marines or special forces who go around slaughtering monsters mindlessly. It will be refreshing to see how a simple Korean family turn themselves into monster-busters in Gway-Mool (The Host). In two weeks time, this movie could well create a new "korean monster wave" in Singapore.

비디어

- Trailer
- Trailer
- Interview
- On the set
- On the set
- On the set
- Interview

머나지 않게 해주세요

韩国映畵《時越愛》来到新加坡时被翻成《穿越爱情海》。其实我觉得《時越愛》这片名在意境上已经相当完美了。再把它翻成《穿越爱情海》无疑是画蛇添足。可是我也明白，新加坡人的中文程度并不是很好。如果沿用《時越愛》，也许会有很多人不知所云。不过这些年来，我大概也只记得它的意大利文片名-Il Mare. Il Mare 是我看的第一部韩语片。影片播映时，韩国连续剧还没在本地盛行。韩国连续剧真在本地风靡起来，也是三四年后的事了。当时，半句韩语都听不懂的我，还是很欣赏这部朴实无华却能引人深思的影片。时间和爱到底有什么关系呢？

我喜欢影片对爱的剖析。例如，这世上有三样东西是不能压抑的。它们是咳嗽，贫穷和爱。你越想压抑，它们就越要表露出来。或，爱是痛苦的，不是因为它已经停止了，而是因为它还在延续 。。。。。

我喜欢影片对爱含蓄的表现。这世上不是能说出来的才算爱。政宰和剧中的父亲因为误解而无法沟通。但是父亲还是通过为儿子设计的海边屋，以另一种方式来表达出他对儿子的爱。政宰也同样通过为智贤设计的海边屋，来传达一份不能面对面说出来的爱。

However, the most intriguing part of this movie is in the playing out of the relationship between time and love. It kinda set me thinking about the possibility in real life for two persons to be separated in time and yet able to communicate and know each other well enough to want to meet in the future. I thought that it may afterall be possible if we can accept that time is relative in a way that different people can have different perception about the length of time.

If you can imagine this. You have been reading my blog for two years. Even though we have not met, to you, it may seem that you have "known" me for two years. You will know the cafe which I like to visit on a free afternoon. The time and station where I took the last train home. The people whom I like and the things which I dislike. But to me, I will not know of your existence. The time that I "know" you has yet to start. There is a different between the time you "know" me and the time I "know" you. This "time-lapse" between us is two years.

If you so decide to drop me a comment in my blog after two years, the time that I "know" you will only start to tick after that. We could have enjoyed chatting with each other online to the extent that we agree to meet each other one week later. To me, the time to the meeting will be exactly one week later. While for you, you have been thinking about meeting me since reading my blog two years ago, it will seem to you that you have "waited" two years to meet me. Due to our different in time (as in the time we know each other) perception, "time" has effectively "separated" us. In a certain sense, the cyberworld has become that magical mailbox in the movie that relayed messages across "time".

How then do love "survive" in a "time-warped" zone? The movie may have given the answer. When Ji-Hyun was still unable to let go of her love for her ex-boyfriend, Jung-Jae was killed in an accident and never made it for their appointment. But when Ji-Hyun's heart finally fell for Jung-Jae, the time was turned back and Jung-Jae "survived" to meet her in the future (this was the movie-ending scene). It strikes me that love can transcend a "time-warped" zone only if two hearts are connected. But If one of them does not love the other, the "future" will kinda "die" and there will not be any future for them to meet.

Do you believe in miracle? 要能欣赏这部电影，你必须也要能相信奇迹。