Son Ye-Jin 손예진 [Drama “Thirty-Nine” (JTBC/NETFLIX)]

[wmn81]

@ILSYJSG you describe SYJ's character in MITH perfectly. I still laugh so hard even after watching the episode more than 3 times.

 

I regret not knowing SYJ earlier. maybe because she's more focused on the movie. My first Kdrama was a Winter Sonata when I was in university. The series was so famous beside Autumn In My Heart (which I only watch a few episodes ) . Me and housemates shared money in buying Winter Sonata VCD boxset to marathon it.. I just couldn’t remember whether Summer Scent being aired on Malaysian TV at that time... 
 

2 hours ago, ILSYJSG said:

However I plodded to the end, just to admire and fangirl over SYJ. Similarly, I wasn't inspired to watch any of JHI or HB's other shows. 

I just finished Prison Playbook. Surprised that JHI also in that series. The character is quite hilarious. 

 

1 hour ago, SYJfanclub said:

Now, its time to relax and live your life sometimes. Do whatever make you feel happy.

I will always support you whatever, whoever, wherever choices you pick in your life.

Yes, very true

[complicated]

Hi. Can someone help me confirm that this young lady in this photo isn't SYJ? She is just a double younger version of Son Ye Jin but sadly I really forgot which project that was.  Thanks!

 

[cybertron]

5 hours ago, wmn81 said:

@ILSYJSG 

I just couldn’t remember whether Summer Scent being aired on Malaysian TV at that time...

 

 

Its aired in Malaysia but i forgot on what year.

I remember my mom keep telling me to watch it with her because it was good.

I refuse to watch it because i can’t stand SSH’s hairstyle and his sleeveless shirt.

That time i only know him as a smart man after watch Autumn In My Heart.

So his style in SS kinda weird for me..

[slowpoked]

14 hours ago, ILSYJSG said:

I watched SITR after CLOY (because of SYJ) and was very frustrated by all office politics and the overbearing mother. However I plodded to the end, just to admire and fangirl over SYJ.

 

Oh gosh, I think of SITR as what could have been. If SITR had knocked it out of the park, SYJ would have two huge dramas back-to-back, but while the first half of SITR was glorious, it floundered badly in the 2nd half, right around the time that for some reason, they decided to make her mom the mom from hell. The difference was so stark it was like watching two separate dramas.

 

And while I'm not pleased with the resolution of the sexual harassment issue at the office, I don't think I have a problem with it objectively because the MeToo movement doesn't always have a happy ending, especially in places not as publicized as the entertainment industry. I thought that is as realistic as it could get.

 

But I had other problems with the show. While I understand they want to portray more real-life drama than fantastical romance, the writing of Jin-ah's character just got poorer towards the end. I didn't understand why they had to break-up just because he had to go to the US for 3 years for work. Then, I wasn't amused how arrogant JHI's character was to think YJA is just going to drop everything just because he's going to the US, thinking he's actually doing her a favor and saving her. The reason why YJA said she won't go with SJH to the US was because for the first time in her life, she's grown and learned to value her self more instead of being the people-pleaser that she was in the past. 

 

Then fast forward 3 years later, YJA is back to where she was before SJH left - doormat to her family, friends, job and to her new boyfriend. Where was this growth that she was talking about? And of course, you throw in the plot contrivance there of YJA having a bad boyfriend just so there's a reason to root for her to get back together with SJH. 

 

And then of course, they got back together in the end. But did they resolve all of their past issues in the first place? Are they going to just hermit it off in Jeju Island and not tell their families they're back together? Sure, she worked things out with mom in the end, but that didn't include her eventually understanding it was OK for her daughter to be with SJH, or any man that YJA pleases, inspite of whatever background that man has. What about their own personal issues - YJA being a people pleaser, and SJH thinking the world revolves around him, and his overbearing attitude. What if his job asks him to go somewhere else again? What if her mom finds out about them?

 

I read on another site that this drama should have been the "noona slayer to end all noona slayers, but it failed." I agree. I think you couldn't get a more perfect noona than SYJ at this point in her career. Just such a wasted opportunity all around. 

 

This is why I'm glad she passed on doing that drama from the same SITR team. Imagine a Sliding Doors scenario of this - we wouldn't have the iconic Yoon Seri and her epic love story with Captain Ri. CLOY wouldn't have been the epic Kdrama that it is. Many people wouldn't have discovered SYJ, like me.

 

I guess, as Yoon Seri says "Sometimes, the wrong train takes you to the right station."

[wmn81]

13 hours ago, cybertron said:

Its aired in Malaysia but i forgot on what year.

I remember my mom keep telling me to watch it with her because it was good.

I refuse to watch it because i can’t stand SSH’s hairstyle and his sleeveless shirt.

That time i only know him as a smart man after watch Autumn In My Heart.

So his style in SS kinda weird for me..

OMG !!!    @cybertron respond to my comment ... am I dreaming??  you are the one who created the Binjin thread ... it has been a long time since you didnt post anything at that thread... why sister?... i follow it since from page 44 you know.....

For Summer Scent I'm still stuck in episode 2 .. as you said, i also cant stand SSH's hairstyle and the sleeveless hahaha. ...and the plot too slow ...sometimes i fall asleep .. . i remember before Winter Sonata, Malaysian TV more to Japanese Drama like Beautiful Life, GTO... its look like i only completely finish Personal Taste and CLOY for SYJ's drama and for her movies ...6 movies to go... the latest i watched was Lovers Concerto...SYJ looks very innocent in that movie...at the end of the story made me cry until my 4 year kid came  hug me .. well most of SJY movies made me cry so hard........which is why sometimes I have to watch when my kids are asleep hehehe 

 

 

Edited July 3, 2020 by wmn81
wrong spelling

[Peony]

1 hour ago, wmn81 said:

OMG !!!    @cybertron respond to my comment ... am I dreaming??  you are the one who created the Binjin thread ... it has been a long time since you didnt post anything at that thread... why sister?... i follow it since from page 44 you know.

 

I,too, miss @cybertron. Thank you for creating the BinJin Thread in Soompi.

 

On 7/1/2020 at 12:05 AM, slowpoked said:

On 6/30/2020 at 10:59 AM, ILSYJSG said:

It is funny that most females will swoon over Capt Ri (HB), but to me, YSR (SYJ) is so much more awesome.

 

I chose the BinJin thread because i love these two beautiful people. But , i want to say that my admiration for SYJ is the same as most of you state here. I find her humble, sincere and independent. However, what most attracts me to her is her FAITH . Because she uses it in her language, to me, i read her as believing what her Faith teaches her. She uses the words.. " I am ordinary"... I am Blessed....My dog went to heaven".  Her status right now is quite a challenge to reach for actresses in Korea but as you have also known already, many admire he and many describe her as hard working and very modest of her attainment.

 

I wish her happiness and love .

[ILSYJSG]

Found this old interview, but I only understand "Ye-jin-ssi". 

Does anyone have a subbed version pls? 

https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV15E411H7cN/

 

Really love SYJ in AMTR. 

https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1N7411a7N2/

 

Many fans feel that SYJ is especially pretty in Summer Scent.

https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV13E41147MJ/

 

 

[mulberry9]

Has it been shared here? From last year November.. the 3, 21st century actresses. Kim Hye Soo, Jeon Do Yeon and Yejin

 

https://extmovie.com/movietalk/51080072

[Lmangla]

alert ~ in case chingus haven't noticed, there is a son ye jin theme badge available in the members shop!!!! check it out! buy it using your soompi points to proudly display on your profile!

[ILSYJSG]

On 7/2/2020 at 9:50 PM, complicated said:

Hi. Can someone help me confirm that this young lady in this photo isn't SYJ? She is just a double younger version of Son Ye Jin but sadly I really forgot which project that was.  Thanks!

 

 

Yes. The pic is SYJ in Lover's Concerto.

 

 

[Helena]

On 7/3/2020 at 10:22 AM, ILSYJSG said:

Does anyone have a subbed version pls? 

https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV15E411H7cN/

 

https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV19i4y1G7A7/

[EnglishSubbed] Movie ‘The Art of Seduction’ (2005)

https://tubitv.com/movies/11225/art_of_seduction

 

13 hours ago, mulberry9 said:

Has it been shared here? From last year November.. the 3, 21st century actresses. Kim Hye Soo, Jeon Do Yeon and Yejin

https://extmovie.com/movietalk/51080072

 

posted a translation a while back:
 

[2019-10-xx] Culture & Art Magazine (volume 64) - ‘Korean Cinema 100 Years‘

 

100 famous cultural artists chose Top 3 Best Film/Director/Actor/Actress of 20th and 21st Century

***Best of 20th Century***

Best Work/Film: 

Best Director:  

Best Actor:

Best Actress:

 

***Best of 21st Century***

Best Film: 

1. Parasite 기생충  (director: Bong Joon-ho; cast: Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jung, Choi Woo-shik, Park So-dam, Jang Hye-jin)
2. Memories of Murder 살인의 추억  (director: Bong Joon-ho; cast: Song Kang-ho, Kim Sang-kyung, Kim Roi-ha, Byun Hee-bong, Park Hae-il, Jeon Mi-seon)

3. Old Boy 올드보이 (director: Park Chan-wook; cast: Choi Min-shik, Yoo Ji-tae, Kang Hye-jung, Oh Dal-su, Kim Byung-ok)

 

Best Director:  

1. Bong Joon-ho (Memories of Murder, The Host, Mother, Parasite)
2. Park Chan-wook (JSA, Vengeance Trilogy, Thirst, The Handmaiden)
3. Lee Chang-dong (Green Fish, Peppermint Candy, Oasis, Secret Sunshine, Poetry, Burning)

 

Best Actor:

1. Song Kang-ho (Memories of Murder, The Host, Secret Sunshine, The Attorney, Parasite)
2. Choi Min-shik (Failan, Painted Fire, Old Boy, I Saw the Devil, Nameless Gangster, Roaring Currents)
3. Lee Byung-hun (Harmonium in My Memory, Bungee Jumping of Their Own, A Bittersweet Life, I Saw the Devil, Masquerade, Inside Men)

 

Best Actress:

1. Jeon Do-yeon (The Contact, Happy End, My Mother the Mermaid, Secret Sunshine, The Housemaid, Shameless)
2. Kim Hye-soo (First Love, Dr. Bong, Tazza, The Thieves, The Face Reader, Coin Locker Girl)
3. Son Ye-jin (Painted Fire, The Classic, A Moment to Remember, April Snow, The Truth Beneath, The Last Princess)

[slowpoked]

2 hours ago, Helena said:

 

https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV19i4y1G7A7/

[EnglishSubbed] Movie ‘The Art of Seduction’ (2005)

https://tubitv.com/movies/11225/art_of_seduction

 

 

posted a translation a while back:
 

[2019-10-xx] Culture & Art Magazine (volume 64) - ‘Korean Cinema 100 Years‘

 

100 famous cultural artists chose Top 3 Best Film/Director/Actor/Actress of 20th and 21st Century

 

 

Best Actress:

1. Jeon Do-yeon (The Contact, Happy End, My Mother the Mermaid, Secret Sunshine, The Housemaid, Shameless)
2. Kim Hye-soo (First Love, Dr. Bong, Tazza, The Thieves, The Face Reader, Coin Locker Girl)
3. Son Ye-jin (Painted Fire, The Classic, A Moment to Remember, April Snow, The Truth Beneath, The Last Princess)

 

This is pretty 'effin AMAZING!!!! I only became a fan after finishing CLOY last March and I had no idea I would be following and stanning a LEGEND. 

[Helena]

5 hours ago, Teeners said:

The Tower: This is a disaster movie that takes place in a skyscraper. I hate to say it, but I was a little disappointed with the amount of screen time she had.

 

Source: KOFIC nterview with Sol Kyung-gu (considered one of Korean cinema’s greatest actors) and Son Ye-jin 

 

THE TOWER's SOL Kyung-gu & SON Ye-jin

December 21, 2012 

by KIM Hyun-min LEE Eun-sun

 

Actors' Experience from the Desperate Survival Drama

 

 

The Tower, a movie that contains Koreanized story telling combined with a Hollywood-like scale, is coming to theaters on Christmas Day. SOL Kyung-gu and SON Ye-jin who have struggled with fire talk to us about the movie.

 

Sol Kyung-gu

- The Tower is being compared with Haeundae. Especially because the main character from Haeundae is there. (me: Haeundae sold more than 10 million tickets in 2009)

I don’t like hearing that. There are a lot of people that think The Tower is directed by JK YOUN. Is it JK YOUN’s film because KIM In-kwon and I are in the movie? (laughs)

 

- What's your reason for starring in another disaster movie?

I didn’t film this movie because it was a disaster movie. I heard about The Tower from KIM Ji-hoon. He said when he shoots a film, he always thinks about how to make the actors funny. As soon as I heard that I told him to give me the script of The Tower. I do it when I feel both the movie and the people that make the film seem fun. There is no reason not to do a disaster movie either. I didn't think too much about it.

 

- Your fans have a certain expectation. To be honest, we miss movies like Peppermint Candy. (me: Peppermint Candy was director Lee Chang-dong‘s 2nd film, it won Sol Kyung-gu acting awards from Baeksang, Grand Bell, Blue Dragon in 2000)

You want me to go back to the past? No way, I am too old. A second A Peppermint Candy? I hear that a lot these days. Maybe it's about time, if the fans want it.

 

- For one of your next films, you decided on Surveillance because JUNG Woo-sung was in it.

Yes, I said yes because JUNG Woo-sung was in it. I wanted to do somework with him and what matters is to be in a movie with people that you have fun with. And if the result is good, that's what matters. This kind of movie is also needed. and this kind of movie needs a reliable director. How many directors are there that can do a cinematic film and attract sponsors at the same time?

 

- Do you have any plans to do a film with LEE Chang-dong? (me: LEE directed him in ‘Peppermint Candy’ & ‘Oasis’)

There has been a film that's been talked about since last year. Anything will be okay if it's with LEE Chang-dong. I decided to go back to the beginning of my career and do it right but the director wrapped up the production because he didn't like it. That's three in a row. and I was in all three. I was disappointed but can't wait forever.

 

- What's your plan for next year?

I want to film more movies and hope The Tower achieves a good result. I don’t have the urge to do many movies though. But my thought is that if there is a good film, actors should never stop acting. This needs to be done in order fo the industry to survive.

Son Ye-jin 

- You must have had a hard time realizing that you were acting because of all the computer graphics.

I saw how The Tower looked from the trailer. I had a hard time adjusting to the set but got used to it soon. You didn’t have to worry about the weather and it was a special experience. I have acted sick and dying but it was my first time acting with such despair in a life-threatening situation.

 

- This role is more like a supporting role. Why is this?

Not many different characters are seen in a disaster movie. They are all kind, charismatic, quiet and heartful, that's it, isn't it? (laughs) I didn't want to be in a blockbuster movie, I just wanted to be in a movie with the people I liked. And The Tower was that movie. In the past, I was very sensitive and mean. I was not used to expressing my true self. But now I’ve changed and can express what I really feel and people are surprised by this change. They say it's too dramatic. (laugh)

 

- At the end of last year, there was Spellbound and this year there is The Tower. You seem very consistent.

I am very greedy when it comes to films. They are all I have and looking back at my 20s, all I remember is working. in the last 12-13 years, I filmed 16 movies. There were times when I thought everything was meaningless, but the movies last forever and that comforts me. I should be doing some films that I can really recommend to others but I think I have not met 'the film' for myself.

 

- What about The Classic and A Moment to Remember?

Hahaha. It’s no fun if ‘the film’ for me already exists. Scenario, director, actor and the perfect character for me, I haven’t had a film that met all these condition yet. It should show the deep inner self of a person and people should sympathize with the character. I’ve done many good melodrama movies already so it’s kind of uncomfortable, but I do want to do another one these days, maybe I could show a different kind of melodrama.

photography by HAN Young-shin

 

‘The Tower’ stage greeting on 12-25-2012

Spoiler

 

^ she posted on her me2day account back then

 

 

Cine21 magazine Issue #885 (2012.12.25 - 2013.01.01)

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

‘The Tower’ team got along really well 

Spoiler

 

 

 

Sol Kyung-gu revealed many funny things during the filming of The Tower:

- director Kim Ji-hoon really took care of the cast especially Son Ye-jin, he would do whatever she said. Hehe. If she mentioned wanting chicken soup, he would stop filming right away (so she could rest/eat) . When she’s about to appear, all the lighting props (not available) would be ready.
- He’s most grateful to Son Ye-jin during filming. When she’s around, she often warmed the atmosphere of the set making the filming process very pleasant and smooth 
Son Ye-jin said 
- even though filming was very difficult, there were always lots of laughter on the set. Didn’t want it to end.

- cast and crew gathered together every day after filming to chat, eat, and drink (soju, beer). Kim Sang-kyung said it seemed like something’s wrong if there was no drinking (cause the team’s so used to drinking together). Sol Kyung-gu said Son Ye-Jin sometimes disappeared during drinking sessions (she went singing. Hehe).

‘The Tower’ posters

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

3 hours ago, Intuition1 said:

 I believe she will become the number one actress in Korea very soon.

 

For me, Jeon Do-yeon’s acting is always on another level.  Even 15 years ago, she’s already widely considered the best actress from Korea.

[mulberry9]

1 hour ago, Intuition1 said:

 

@Helena The two actresses who are number 1 and 2 are around 10 years older than Son Ye Jin and have been in the industry over 10 years before her. This makes her achievement even greater. She is in the leagues with seniors in the industry. I believe she will become the number one actress in Korea very soon.

 

Not to mention, look at the top 3 actors. Yejin is the youngest among all of them

 

Hope we won't have to wait for too long to hear a new movie project from her. 

 

Thank you @Helena for the translations. Always love to read articles about her achivements. 

[ElectricHearts]

Love that there is so much talk in here lately and more people watching her films/projects. Thanks @Helena for bringing back old interviews and information about the projects. This is helpful as I also get to read them too  I just have her earlier dramas to watch/finish up. Summer Scent and Alone In Love. I realize I probably can't watch the following as I live in Canada:

 

Yobi, the Five Tailed Fox  (2006)  - I know this is animation

Great Ambition  (2002)

Painted Fire  (2002)

Delicious Proposal (2001)

Sun-hee and Jin-hee (2001)

Secret Tears (2000)

[yssec]

3 hours ago, Teeners said:

 

 

Same. CLOY made me realize what an amazing actress she is, and I've been binging SYJ content ever since.

• Personal Taste
  • She's so adorable in this. She really captured the essence of someone who's outwardly happy go lucky but is also dealing with emotional trauma.
• Something in the Rain
  • Like some others have said in previous posts, the office politics made this a difficult watch for me. I had to fast forward certain parts, but I really enjoyed SYJ in this role. As a 30-something woman myself, I really identified with Yoon Jin-Ah.
• The Last Princess
  • This movie really made me bawl my eyes out. Knowing it was based on a real person made the movie all the more enjoyable. I thought the plot was very tight, and there were even some good action scenes. My husband enjoyed the movie as well.
• The Truth Beneath
  • I believe this came out the same year as The Last Princess which is too bad because SYJ really deserved award recognition for both films. She really immersed herself in this role as an angst-ridden mother. There's absolutely no trace of SYJ's bubbly self, and that's why I thought her performance was just amazing.
• Pirates
  • I kind of think of this as a Korean Pirates of the Caribbean. The movie is a fluffy, easy watch. Not a bad way to spend 2 hours.
• The Tower
  • This is a disaster movie that takes place in a skyscraper. I hate to say it, but I was a little disappointed with the amount of screen time she had.
• Spellbound
  • She plays a girl who can see ghosts (this is not a spoiler ). I like the way the movie deals with how this ability complicates her life as well as how she came to possess this ability. The mean sister-in-law from CLOY is in this movie.
• Spotlight
  • Just started watching. Kind of reminds of an older kdrama about broadcasting, All About Eve.

 

I know there are plenty of long-time SYJ fans here, and what I've shared seem like old news. I just wanted to put in my two cents because she has taken on such diverse roles. I'm looking forward to see what she chooses for her next project!

 

 

You will love her even more If you watch  "The Classic",  "A Moment To Remember" and " April Snow"... These 3 movies are my best movies of SYJ... 

 

best movies by in order
1. A moment to remember

2. The Classic

3. April Snow

 

[ILSYJSG]

2 hours ago, Helena said:

 

- director Kim Ji-hoon really takes care of the cast especially Son Ye-jin, he’ll do whatever she says. Hehe. If she mentions wanting chicken soup, ‘rest time’ starts right away and everyone will have chicken soup together. When she’s about to appear, all the lighting props (not available) will be ready.
- He’s most grateful to Son Ye-jin during filming. When she’s around, she often warms the atmosphere of the set  making the filming process very pleasant and smooth 
 

 

For me, Jeon Do-yeon’s acting is always on another level.  Even 15 years ago, she’s already widely considered the best actress from Korea.

 

I read that SYJ initially rejected The Tower as she feels that anyone could have played her character. However she wanted "a rest" (acting-wise not so demanding for her) and wanted to act with the many veteran actors in the show, hence she decided to accept the role.

 

JDY is very daring when acting intimate scenes - I was very shocked when I saw "Happy End' and "The Housemaid".

To date, she is the only Korean actress to win the best actress award at the Cannes Film Festival.

I really hope that SYJ will gain such international recognition soon! 

 

 

2 hours ago, mulberry9 said:

Thank you @Helena for the translations. Always love to read articles about her achivements. 

 

Yes! Love reading everything about SYJ.

@Helena - you are really a walking dictionary on SYJ. Thank you so much! (cue: SYJ on Baeksang stage 2020)

 

 

1 hour ago, ElectricHearts said:

Yobi, the Five Tailed Fox  (2006)  - I know this is animation

Great Ambition  (2002)

Painted Fire  (2002)

Delicious Proposal (2001)

Sun-hee and Jin-hee (2001)

Secret Tears (2000)

 

You can watch a poor quality version of Yobi on YouTube. I strained my eyes watching this just for SYJ. LOL

I have not watched the rest though.

 

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, yssec said:

You will love her even more If you watch  "The Classic",  "A Moment To Remember" and " April Snow"... These 3 movies are my best movies of SYJ... 

 

Totally agree! The Classic and AMTR are such iconic SYJ movies (to me) that no other recent movies come close. 

The closest one may be The Last Princess. 

 

1 hour ago, Intuition1 said:

I watched several episodes of Great Ambition when it was available online. It is very long and SYJ is not part of the lead. She plays a female disguised as a male. I was only interested in it because SYJ was in it. I always wanted to watch Painted Fire, but never had the chance. I watched Delicious Proposal and Sun-hee and Jin-hee a few years ago.

 

Where did you watch Delicious Proposal and Sunhee/Jinhee? Nice? Worth watching?

 

 

 

 

4 minutes ago, Teeners said:

I definitely plan on watching them! I feel I can't quite call myself a fan without watching the movie that made her Nation's First Love!  I need to figure out a reputable source to watch them from. I may have the same problem as @ElectricHearts. The streaming services I checked say the movies are not available in my location. Grr. 

 

I signed up for VIU PREMIUM to watch The World Of The Married and Parasite. 

BUT.... I ended up rewatching SYJ's movies! Cried over The Classic, AMTR and Be With You all over again. 

 

[Lily Beth]

@Helena thanks for the Info.

 

@ILSYJSG

 

I watched delicious proposal. I enjoyed it a lot and So looked for her another work after that which was classic and afterwards I watched pretty much almost all SYJ work ever since. She was rookie then , the acting was a bit rough but she was lovely in there. There were a lot food because it was about the competition between two Chinese restaurants. lol.    For some reason, i even remembered her character name , her white phone and car in there though I watched it 17 years ago ( I phone did not even  exist then Lol )  drama is so old now.,I don’t know people would like it if they watch it in 2020. For me there are certain drama i have to watch in certain period of time. It is one of them for me. I don’t think I will like it if I watch it now. I hope you can find it somewhere to watch. 

[slowpoked]

15 hours ago, Teeners said:

The Tower

• This is a disaster movie that takes place in a skyscraper. I hate to say it, but I was a little disappointed with the amount of screen time she had.

 

I think The Tower is more of an ensemble piece rather than a clear female-male lead, so I wasn't surprised by her amount of screen time I mean, in promos, it looked like they treated her as the main star anyway. I was just happy she didn't die in the end.

 

15 hours ago, Teeners said:

Spellbound

• She plays a girl who can see ghosts (this is not a spoiler ). I like the way the movie deals with how this ability complicates her life as well as how she came to possess this ability. The mean sister-in-law from CLOY is in this movie.

 

 

I really wanted to enjoy this movie, but I can't. It's one of those rare movies that for some reason SYJ didn't have chemistry with the male lead, and I don't think it was SYJ's fault. She gave everything she had. It's just that the male lead was so wooden and almost lifeless. The movie did give  one of SYJ's memorable lines though: "I want to experience an orgasm for the first time". That had me 

 

For me, I enjoy  SYJ's movies much, much more than her dramas. Her dramas could be a hit-or-miss, but her movies, mostly I have enjoyed, even the fluff ones. I could list of a lot of movies that I enjoyed, while for her dramas, it was only CLOY that I truly enjoyed from start to finish, far and away her best drama. From the ones I watched, it's either it started strong but floundered at the end (SITR, Shark), writing was so-so (Spotlight), personally no emotional connection to it (AIL), or just downright bad (Personal Taste). I didn't find her earlier dramas than AIL.

 

10 hours ago, ILSYJSG said:

The Classic and AMTR are such iconic SYJ movies (to me) that no other recent movies come close. 

 

I really love her in AMTR. I love the progression of their love story. It's rare to see a love story progress like that in modern movies nowadays. For some reason, I didn't enjoy The Classic that much, but I think because the quality was bad on the file I got, and so it was hard to watch. Hopefully, I can find a better file and I will re-watch again.

 

On her more recent movies, the one I liked best was Be With You. I love the story and it was just one of those feel-good movies that I can watch over and over again.

[slowpoked]

5 hours ago, Teeners said:

Did you manage to finish Spotlight in light of the so-so writing? I finished the first episode and am wondering if I should plow on or save it for later.

 

I plowed on because I usually finish anything I started, even the bad ones. Unless it's so horrible. I mean, I even finished Personal Taste and I already didn't like it at the first episode. I'm the type of person that gets curious when someone says a show/movie is very good AND a show/movie is very bad. LOL.

 

For me, the writing on Spotlight felt disjointed. I feel like, because they decided from the start it would not involve any romance story (which was totally fine by me), the drama had to fill itself with stories that the writing didn't know how to resolve. There was that early story about the serial killer, then there was SYJ's rivalry between another journalist in their department, then that government corruption story that was dropped and picked up, and dropped and picked up again. I love a good show about journalists, but to me, this drama just felt like it didn't know what to do with itself.

 

5 hours ago, Teeners said:

Your preference for her movies over dramas is interesting (she is the reigning box office queen though, right? ). I find that generally, movies only have 2 hours to tell the story, so they need to have concise story lines. On the other hand, dramas have more time to fill and tend to involve multiple characters and side plots. This can be good or bad depending on the quality of the writing.

 

Yes, this is a good point. And why we're lucky SYJ is the Queen of Chungmuro because we have a lot of her movies to enjoy. I think the reason why dramas can be hit-or-miss is because of the different way of filming in K-Ent. Here in the US, for new shows, usually the entire series has been filmed already when the show premieres (except for those regular series that are steady and strong and going on for years like i.e. Modern Family, Friends, etc). So when a show gets cancelled, the viewers are usually left hanging because it stops right in the middle of the story. In K-Ent, filming goes as the drama is on TV, so it reacts to the ratings and viewers' opinions, which can affect the drama in both ways good and bad. But this is where a strong writer becomes really important, because in some cases, despite viewer opinions or other factors, focus on the eventual end game of the story should still not be lost.