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

[quteacho]

AS is showing in malaysia today.. and guess where I'm right now.. :'(

and Thanks guys for all the AOS pics + the music score.. she looks so cute.. When will it be out??

The latest review on AS from Cinema online, Malaysia

Posted by delinnia l BYJ thread

Friday 28th October

April Snow (korean)

Classification: U

Genre:

Drama

Running Time

1 Hour 45 Minutes

General Release:

27 October 2005

Distributed by:

United International Pictures

Starring:

Bae Yong-Joon

Son Ye-Jin

Ryu Seung-su

Lim Sang-hyo

Director:

Hur Jin-Ho

Synopsis:

In-soo (played by Bae Yong-joon) rushes to Samcheok upon learning that his wife Su-jin (played by Lim Sang-hyo), who was on a business trip, has been in a car accident. There he finds Su-jin who is still unconscious in the hospital in an unfamiliar provincial town. In the process of dealing with the aftermath of the accident, he finds out that Su-jin was in the car with a man named Gyeong-ho (played by Ryu Seung-su), who is also unconscious and lingering between life and death. The injured man’s wife, Seo-young (played by Son Ye-jin), also rushed to Samcheok upon hearing the news. In-soo and Seo-young both feel angered and betrayed when they learn of the relationship between Su-jin and Gyeong-ho. As they nurse the spouses they had trusted, In-soo and Seo-young feel a chemistry developing between them. How will their tender, yet sad love unfold in the unfamiliar town of Samcheok?

Give us your rating: [ click here ]

Review by Sharon Chu

Star Ratings:

Overall 2 stars

Cast 2 stars

Plot 1.5 stars

Effects 2 stars

Cinematography 3 stars

Watch this if you liked: “Sleeping With The Enemy”

Click here for pictures

The promising “April Snow” turns out to be a catastrophe. In the beginning, things look quite promising, but later the slow movie simply breeds boredom. Everybody loves a scandal, yet this Korean movie about betrayal is incredulously poor at keeping one’s interest focused on the tale of big lies.

In-Soo (played by Bae Yong-Joon), has just discovered that his wife is the victim of a brutal car accident. By coincidence, he meets a young woman, Seo-Young (played by Son Ye-Jin) whose husband was involved in the same car accident as In-Soo’s wife.

Later, both discover that their spouses actually know each other - in fact, they’ve been very naughty. In-Soo and Seo-Young decide to get even with their cheating spouses. Beyond both their expectations, In-Soo and Seo Young fall in love despite just having a casual affair at first.

Instead of feeling mellow, I’m instead indifferent at the end of watching “April Snow”. One can walk out of the cinema for a bit and return to find that he or she has not missed anything important at all. The story’s a bit dodgy. While you may expect a solid film, “April Snow” is pretty colourless and dull.

On the big screen, the bespectacled Bae Yong-Joon is nothing out of the ordinary. Sadly, both his acting and his movie is just BAD news. The chemistry between Bae and his leading lady Son Ye-Jin is lukewarm as the pair doesn’t appear to be lovey-dovey at all.

The only thing that I remember being impressed about in this movie is the sorrowful piano tunes as the symphony brings more warmth to “April Snow” than Bae and Son’s chilling chemistry. Although it is hard to face the painful truth, hardly anything in “April Snow” is worth keeping.

In a few words, “April Snow” is blunder made for tears of regret over two hours wasted rather than tears of being moved by a touching drama.

http://www.jaffa.com.my/movie/movie.asp?search=aprilsnow

...in addition to those who didn't appreaciate da movie. Whadda?!!

[Guest cheelam]

gosh-- its a stab to the heart

[yuta_rule]

Hi hi yuta_rule,

Welcome back, haven't seen you in a while ^^

Howdy Syjfan!!!! Yup, I'm back!! School's been keeping me reeeeaal busy so I only come when I really can...but as always, temptation of Yehjin's too big sometimes for me to resist this thread...hehe...

ANyways, a big HI to everyone here!!!

[Guest Syjfan]

The latest review on AS from Cinema online, Malaysia

Posted by delinnia l BYJ thread

Friday 28th October

April Snow (korean)

Review by Sharon Chu

Star Ratings:

Overall 2 stars

Cast 2 stars

Plot 1.5 stars

Effects 2 stars

Cinematography 3 stars

Watch this if you liked: “Sleeping With The Enemy”

Click here for pictures

The promising “April Snow” turns out to be a catastrophe. In the beginning, things look quite promising, but later the slow movie simply breeds boredom. Everybody loves a scandal, yet this Korean movie about betrayal is incredulously poor at keeping one’s interest focused on the tale of big lies.

Actually this view is common among many viewers of April Snow.

Remember this...AS is an art movie. It is much slower than most movies. There were little dialogue.

Those who want to just go into the cinema, relaxed and be entertained would find it hard to appreciate the movie.

I have learnt that the typical TV drama viewer tend to go for dramatic storyline and twisting plots versus good acting. After all, how much acting can you see from a 20" or 30" TV? And I wonder how many TV viewers actually bother to re-watch a good TV drama? So there you go, April Snow is not like the typical Korean drama. On the surface, nothing seems to be happening but lots of things are going on in the minds of In soo and Seo young. You have to make an attempt to feel for In soo or Seo young in order to enjoy the movie.

An average viewer wants to feel and enjoy a movie within that 2 hours in the cinema. He doesn't bother to read up beforehand what the movie is all about. This makes it very difficult for the mass to appreciate April Snow.

But I have a feeling that if you like Ye jin's acting, you will find April Snow bearable and may even enjoy it.

Watch it and judge for yourself.

[Guest Syjfan]

28 Oct Video on BIGLODE still showing AMTR to be no. 1. But I am not sure if it is reporting the weekly box office ending 28 Oct or reporting the box office of 22 - 23 Oct weekend.

Tomorrow, there is a debut screening of a blockbuster Japanese melodrama 春の雪 featuring Tsumabuki Satoshi. So will be a tough fight for AMTR to retain no.1 spot. We will know how much the Japanese love AMTR by this weekend!

Incidentally, Tsumabuki Satoshi is also the male actor that was rumoured to be the male lead for a Japanese movie project offered to Ye jin as reported by the press and confirmed by the management company.

[quteacho]

Repostin'...

[quteacho]

from Chosunilbo (JP site)

Lookz more like JWS vs BYJ, as leadin' man... hehehe...

[SaNine]

Hehe.. I'm looking forward to the "Sad Movie" in the 1st poster as well.. Its starring many famous actors/actress... JWS, Cha Tae Hyun(My Sassy Girl), Im Soo Jeong(..Ing) , yeom jeong ah(Lovely rivals), Sim Min ah(bittersweet life)..

And don't blame the Malaysian critics on AS.. thats because they saw the heavily censored version I'm pretty sure even the kissing scenes are censored.. so that'll be alot of missing links in that version.. lol

[Guest Syjfan]

Pictures from interviews with Ye jin in Japan from 19 to 21 Oct

How can anyone resist such beauty?

(nose bleeding)

reposted from www.iyejin.com

Very good collection by Frances.

yo gina, these past few days were trying times for us coz we got to read some negative reviews on AS, & one in particular that was really out of line, no thanks to ms. taugeh

to lift up ur mood for even a little bit, & to see the other side of the coin, i compiled a portion of the positive reviews/remarks AS got from some critics & ordinary moviegoers. let's give these wonderful comments a chance to shine this time [ there are lots more but i'll be posting these in the meantime; i also did this kind of compilation to Untold Scandal ]

Chicago filmfest

Matt Pais of metromix.chicagotribune.com ~~

With incredible subtlety and patience, "April Snow" explores the deepest, quietest scars of grief and betrayal. A gentle, elegant meditation on pain and recovery that just might break your heart

Steve Prokopy of Gapersblock.com ~~

I'm also giving high marks to South Korea's elegant April Snow…. This film surprised me at every turn, and if I actually possessed a heart, I might have cried more than once during this lovely work.

Toronto Filmfest

James Berardinelli of ReelViews ~~

The Asian film I liked the best, and the one I am hoping gets U.S. distribution, is another South Korean entry. From Hur Jin-ho, April Snow.

April Snow is a swirl of deeply-realized emotions that escape from the screen to grab the viewer. It's a touching love story about the ways in which people can find comfort in seemingly impossible circumstances.The acting is fantastic and, while the director doesn't saddle us with an improbable happily-ever-after ending, he concludes the film on a note of hope. When I am asked about the films I will remember most from the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival, April Snow will be one of the first titles I mention

Kurt Halfyard of Twitch.com ~~

April Snow works as a film at every possible level. It defies the obvious trap of melodrama inherent in the situation. The acting and chemistry of the two leads is impeccable, as is the distanced and silent tone of the film. Director Hur Jin Ho and actors Bae Yong Joon and Son Ye Jin scripted the film as they were shooting it. This often ends in a messy muddled film , but here, the film is flawless in its storytelling. Admittedly, a mainstream audience may have trouble with the very, very slow pace, but it is perfectly in line with the story, situation and isolated and uneasy tone of the film. I cannot think of a single wrong note in the film.

Dan Fainaru of Screendaily.com ~~

Sweepingly romantic, April Snow has everything in place to touch the strings of sensitive hearts. Great looking performers, soft lights, sweet music, unhurried pace and few distractions all create a soft rosy cocoon of a story whose conclusion everyone can easily guess, but which is still a joy when it finally arrives - even if it is as impossible as the April Snow of the title.

This may sound like jeering. It’s not. Inside this smoothly concocted genre picture, Hur manages to introduce a degree of sensitivity and allows the story to develop with such tender grace that it is difficult not to be touched.

Qiu-Li-Ben 邱立本 of World Daily [Toronto] 世界日报 ( translated by happiebb) ~~

The storyline is both simple and yet complex. …

Director Hur Jin Ho started the story

with an exquisitely delicate and rather slow tune.

The story that unfolds is surprising but yet logical,

the cinematography and music first-class,

demonstrating the very strength of Korean movies

that have started to emerge this year.

The movie does not borrow strength from demons and spirits,

neither does it engage computer technology to attract eyeballs.

It uses the very conditions in life as its selling point.

It discovers and unearths the not-so-ordinary in ordinary lives.

In the spring season in the month of April,

it brings a biting cold that chills the bones;

and yet, when we face wintry months in life,

it also unravels the spring of life that promises never to give up.

Jason (blog entry)- TIFF enthusiast/moviegoer ~~

The dialogue was sparce, but that didn’t hinder these characters from being totally believeable and affecting. The actors’ body language and facial expressions communicated more than words could have. They exuded a brilliant blend of love, hope, sadness, compassion, anger, resentment and relief.

The film was very pleasing to look at: nice perspectives, sensitive photography, warm textures. It felt very intimate. There was a good combination of close and far shots. The music was very pretty and complimented the various moods. I think it’s safe to say that although I may not watch it a second time, I loved it.

humby (blog entry) - TIFF enthusiast/moviegoer ~~

The performances by the two leads are both fantastic and the filmmaking is just brilliant. It is not ‘beautiful’ or flashy, but it is real. You really understand these people and the guilt, fear and anger that they are going through…..This is not just also a great love story, but a great story ABOUT love… easily one of the best of the fest.

browneyed girl (blog entry)- TIFF enthusiast/moviegoer

April Snow was great. It uses silence and gestures to convey the same message. What I mean is that the actors actually act. The film is deliberate, every word is significant and every gesture laden with emotion. For a film in which not very much happened and very little was said – I came away with a lot. I felt invested in the story and in each of the characters and found myself rooting for them in the end. A really beautiful film and if you enjoy this type of thing, it’s a MUST SEE.

Korea

Joon Soh from Korea Times

With films like ``Christmas in August'' and ``One Fine Spring Day,'' Hur has become one of the masters of the drama genre, and he certainly doesn't disappoint here. Known for weaving tightly choreographed love stories that are slightly off-kilter, Hur decides this time to push his characters far over the edge. The result is his darkest and most emotionally elusive film yet.

``April Snow'' is as uncomfortable and fascinating a film to come out of the domestic movie scene this year as any, and very different from what might have been expected from the combination of the star actors and director.

Despite the draw of Bae and Son, however, ``Snow'' might end up being too grim to have longstanding mainstream appeal. That would be a shame because the level and complexity of emotions Hur succeeds in bringing out here is some of the best that the drama genre has to offer

Kim Gyuhwan of Maxmovie.com korea(translated by Joanne) ~~

The virtue which makes the most fine show is that it does not make judgement on the values. The film does not either condone or denies love by these. It just watches them from the eyes of the third person. The man & woman met by chance. The enchanting is like being captured in one moment. The love, they cannot disobey as if it is revelation of incidence, is pretty sharp. The appearance of those standing in the center of love which seems to cut hearts the more they come closer to it looks dangerous.

The things that give the ‘Oe Chool(April Snow)’ luster are actors. Director Hur Jinho completed three dimensional characters as he dressed raw characters with original diverse appearances possessed by two actors, BYJ & SYJ. BYJ, having obtained favorable reviews from the circle of critics with ‘Scandal-The Love Story of Men Women in Chosun, shows acting power of blowing in tension into ordinary scenes while he controls himself not to immerse too much in emotional actings. SYJ, who might be well-experienced in melodramas by now, also nicely expressed appearance of feverish lover. More than any, the harmony of the two actors is more than expected.

The ‘Oe Chool(April Snow)’ , clearly showing difference between man and woman handling the adulltery, does not offer stimulating entertainment. Instead of that, it would like to give inspiration to audience and make audience mature. The fact that the ‘Oe Chool(April Snow)’ is shaking our heart like this is not because this film is not about admonition of “Do not commit adultery’, but exactly opposite, that is fact of binding that admonition inside cause and effect rules no one can escape. The ‘Oe Chool(April Snow)’ is a film which naturally contemplates daily routine lives of adultery which is flowing like water

Singapore

First Magazine ~~

Unexpectedly affecting. Quite a powerful story of betrayal, revenge and most of all , love. April Snow is graceful and tasteful. Dir Hur Jinho has aimed for a sort of understated elegance in term’s of the story’s construction and the film’s look. In the end, honestly, it does feel like something more than a mere romance. We know this sounds so uncool, but it almost strikes as, like, deep.

Hong Ming Hwa from Lian He Zao Bao ~~

Normally, movies with affair as the theme would focus on the triangle relationship. <April Snow> cleverly transfer this focus to the victims, and from this common pain that they shared, began an adulterous relationship. From there, it looks at fate and the mystery of love and relationship.

Hur Jin Ho is a genius, hehas only directed 3 movies but each one had won awards. <April Snow> should also bring back some awards in the coming Korean movie festivals.

In <April Snow>, you will discover that the story gets increasingly alive, full of ignition. It is not longer purely beautiful for the sake of being beautiful.

Some said that he is good at using pictures and sound to describe the impending of love’s heartbeat. No doubt, the pace of the movie is not fast, there are not many characters, but through the beautiful images, it is able to bring out sharply the many emotions of the characters’ feelings.

The Business Times ~~

One has to admire how the director keeps the restrained pace throughout the movie without succumbing to the pressure to add in a twist here or more lines there. And for a plot like this - melodramatic, but yet not implausible - the pacing works.

It works because the movie draws the viewer in through all the classic stages of emotions, from shock to anger and finally growing self-confidence as the surviving spouses deal with betrayal and loss of love.

Funkygrad.com ~~

Director Hur Jin-ho, a perfectionist and talented story teller, spun a gripping depth of emotion in this film. There are no scenes of furious yelling, shattering vases or terrorizing violence. Instead, the quiet exchange of glances or caesuras in slow conversations could have possibly drawn more audience closer to the theme of lost love. This is so because we are so convinced that this is how we would deal with the problem in the face of a busy, empty lifestyle; often plagued with sleepless nights and pointless anxiety.

Hong Kong

HK Filmsweb

The most spectacular aesthetic feature of the film is that director Hur Jin-ho resorts to discontinuous editing in narrating the story. He adopts a linear and unrestricted narrative but presents the sober psychological status and the aberrant extra-marital affairs of the key characters, In-su (Bae Yong-joon) and Seo-young (Son Ye-jin), in the form of clips of shots without reducing the causality of events. This narrative structure forces the audience to associate the spatial and temporal relations of the sequences and thereby strengthens the involvement of the audience in digesting the diegesis.

Benny Lau / talkshow host ( translated by happiebb) ~~

The pace of the movie is on the slower side,

but it allows much space and freedom for people

to think and contemplate about things and issues.

There is not much dialogue and lines in the movie; most of the time,

the characters needed to use their facial expressions and body language

to convey their inner thoughts and emotions.

As the relationship between the main characters in the movie

involves the element of moral values, revenge, true love and other values,

therefore the play of feelings and emotions of the main characters

very much brings out the difficult journey of people and human nature in general.

Benny Lau also feels that the development of the story is commendable

and rather non-mainstream,

and the movie is able to trigger the audience to think about things.

At the end of his commentary, Benny Lau said it again,

“April Snow is a movie that’s worth my sincere recommendation.”

Harry - imdb.com user ~~

The key to the success of the movie is the development of the relationship between these two people, which takes time and patience to render believable. With this director Hur has done a splendid job. For the critical turning point, he cleverly utilizes a situation where the two attend together the funeral of a third victim of the accident, a young chap. As the spouses of the careless drivers (it could not be established which one was driving), they obviously are met with extreme hostility from the family of the deceased. This incident creates the necessary empathy which breaks the ice between them.

There are some lovemaking scenes, which are more sensual than erotic. Very palpable together with the pleasure is also a sense of agony and pain. And those who think that these scenes are daring for a Korean movie have obviously not seen "Happy End" (1999).

Japan

Noboru Akiyama of Asahi Shimbun (translated by Myonne)~~

This film which depicts an impossible love, however, is not a sweet drama in a way some stars just brighten the story.

It is a work whose director’s skills we should highly praise. In other words, it is a melodrama for the adults who have expert eyes for films.

A calm and stoic narrative style is Director Hur Jinho’s card. Here again, he eliminates words and explanation as much as possible, gathers delicate emotion meticulously, and weaves a quiet, composed love story.

Director Hur Jinho, thus, convinces the audience of the thirst of love which lurks in the inner body of these two who have faithless wife and husband. In so doing, he brings the reality to a form of fatal love where this thirst draws them together, while asking us if it is a truth in life.

It is an excellent work with fragrance of poetry.

According to Japanese fan in www.iyejin.com. and from BIGCLOBE website, AMTR was no. 1 in box office from 24 Oct to 27 Oct (weekdays ranking).

This is good news and hopefully the momentum will carry over to the weekend of 29 -30 Oct too.

AMTR = new korean wave is my wish

http://broadband.biglobe.ne.jp/index_ranking.html

(from the video dated 28 Oct)

[Guest Syjfan]

Behind-the-scenes of AMTR

mms://bpsw00.goo.ne.jp/entame/special/keshigomu/making_300k.wmv

Found this on a Japanese website and don't think I have seen this video before.

Enjoy!

[DarlingOTPsLoVe]

Btw we are past the 20 pages already, just want to say congrats!

[Guest vic_taebin]

omg.....im such a new fan of SonYeJin! i watched A Moment to Remember and she was soo awesome. I love her acting and she's soo beautiful.

[DarlingOTPsLoVe]

omg.....im such a new fan of SonYeJin! i watched A Moment to Remember and she was soo awesome. I love her acting and she's soo beautiful.

Oh cool then another YJ and AMTR lover here. ^^ That's my fav work of hers to date btw, her performance there was the best too I thought.

[Guest cheelam]

lol.. im sure everyone here is a AMTR lover.. who can resist?

[Guest acestro]

I love it when she crys, shes so cute!!

[Guest hazel_witch]

really want to see AoS already!!!

[Guest cheelam]

haha.. me too,.cant wait for AoS to come out!!its a long wait though..

[Guest hazel_witch]

yah i know!! but patience is a virtue.. hehehehe

[tracycutie]

thanks for the news Apple sis...can't wait for November 23...i hope ABS promotes it thoroughly..

[Guest Zi Yan]

I wish tomorrow's November 23 already