[movie 2006] Lump Sugar 각설탕

[Guest t3n5h1_chu_k015h173]

Im Soo Jeong, Kim Yoo Jeong, Jeong Kyeong Ho

Lump Sugar 각설탕 (2006)

Starring: Im Soo-Jeong, Park Eun-Soo, Jeong Kyeong-Ho, Kim Yoo-Jeong

Director: Lee Hwan-Gyeong

Genre: Drama, Animal

Runtime: 124mins

Production: Sidus

Distribution: CJ Entertainment

Language: Korean

Country: South Korea

"When I first saw you, you were a little girl wearing a violet in your hair…"

As this lyric of "Violet" sung by Cho Dong-jin goes, a horse saw a girl and the girl saw the horse. The horse was the other self of the girl. They grew up together. "Lump sugar", which will be released on August 10, is the first Korean movie to show the friendship between a human and a horse. The movie is a Korean-style horse movie, which is typically Hollywood material.

Si-eun (Im Soo-jeong) who was born at a ranch in Jeju Island, had a special friendship with a horse named Janggun (or "General" in English). Janggun died when she gave birth to Cheondung (or "Thunder" in English), who grows up with Si-eun like real brother and sister. Lump sugar is the horse's favorite snack and a special medium of love between them. Since Cheondung is sold abroad, they are separated. Two years later, Si-eun, who hopes to become a jockey, meets Cheondung again.

Anyone can predict how the story will unfold afterwards.

Like a movie line, "What makes the horse move is not the whip but the jockey's heart", this movie is about a beautiful story with the good girl who always says right words. This is a movie made honestly without playing tricks, but at the same time, it has a self-evident and hackneyed plot. There are villains who bully the heroine, but she adamantly fights against all challenges, dismissing the rule of the game that says, "To dismount competitors is the way to survive".

The story shows a clear good-and-evil contrast and follows clear-cut distress and troubles, which leaves the moviegoers little to think about. Even though its simplicity does not draw favor from every audience, it will force them into weeping eventually. For example, when Si-eun and Cheondung reunite, the coincidence comes as ridiculous to the audience who will end up shedding tears at the scene when they look desperately for each other. Yet, it fails to touch the deepest part of the heart.

The beautiful scenery of Jeju Island is the gift of the film. The screen is full of green and soil colors. When Si-eun leans against the horse, falling asleep with the sea as background, or when she avoids rain under the horse, the scene is quite a picture. Breakneck speed at the horse track against the backdrop of a still landscape also stands out, which makes the efforts made by the movie team who made special trailer and shot just one meter away from a sprinting horse worthwhile. This gave focus to the film, which feels slow overall.

Im Su-jeong acted smoothly a courageous and bright Si-eun. Critics say it is a "one-top" movie, depending solely on an actress, but in fact the movie is "two-top", since the horse is a hero of the movie as well. Cheondung is expert at facial acting, proving his talent as a winner that beat 1,000 competitors. In fact, five similar-looking horses divided the scenes involving Cheondung in the movie. Of course, the horse has slim and shiny long legs, which draws exclamations from people who see them, but the overwhelming part is his always watery eyes.

The last scene of the movie, which shows a close-up of the horse' wet eyes shining like a star reflected by bright lights of the racing track, makes the audience react. Those eyes will never lie. As Si-eun reproaches her competitor who broke the rules, saying, "You are worse than an animal horse", this movie seems to teach us that animals are better than humans too often. Rated for ages 12 and up.

SOURCE : 각설탕

각설탕

각설탕

각설탕

각설탕

[rubie]

July 25, 2006

'Lump of Sugar' Goes Down Well

By Kim Tae-jong

Staff Reporter

Poster of the new movie "Lump Sugar,"

which stars Lim Soo-jung

Coming domestic movie "Lump Sugar" (Kaksoltang) is the first film to feature a dynamic horse race, and its main actress says during the shooting she learned that humans and animals can develop deep friendship, an event that took place in the film's story.

"Of course, it was so hard to act with a horse in the film," Lim Soo-jung said Monday during a news conference followed by the preview screening of "Lump Sugar" at Yongsan CGV multiplex theaters in Seoul.

"But as we shot more and more together, the sensitive and inattentive horse started to look into my eyes just like my mother when I hugged her or cried. I think I and the horse shared each other’s feelings."

Directed by Lee Hwan-kyung, the film revolves around Si-eun (played by Lim) who dreams of becoming a jockey.

She loves a horse named Changgun, but it dies when it gives birth. As she lives with a single father, she feels sympathy for the foal and she takes a good care of her, naming her Chundung, which means thunder in Korean.

But as her father doesn't want his daughter to become a jockey and sells Chundung without telling her.

Two years pass and Si-eun becomes a jockey, but she experiences discrimination because she is a woman. One day, she encounters Chundung on a street where she pulls a wagon to promote a dance club.

The role was challenging for the actress who has played cute characters in hits such as the television drama "Mianhada Saranghanda" (I'm Sorry, I Love You) (2005), an omnibus film about various couples "Sad Movie" (2005) and the horror film "A Tale of Two Sisters" (2003).

For months she had to take an intensive training course in horse riding, and sometimes encountered dangerous moments including accidents in which she was on the verge of being kicked or bitten by her partner.

As Chundung is not a "professional" horse actor trained for movies but a race horse chosen from some 1,000 horses for a more realistic portrayal of the horse races in the film, the acting was more difficult than she expected.

But Lim said that she learned more about how to express her inner feelings tactfully thanks to the film.

"Even if you're ready, you can't shoot if the horse is not ready. It's very tricky. But the experiences from the film gave me a chance to develop my acting skills especially in the control and expression of my inner feelings at the right moment," Lim said.

After "Kaksoltang," Lim will star in director Park Chan-wook's new film "Ssaibogusiman Kwanchana" along with singer Rain. In the romantic drama, whose title is roughly translated "Although I am a Cyborg, it's OK," she plays a peculiar and wacky girl who thinks she is a combat cyborg.

"Lump Sugar" opens at local theaters on Aug. 10.

e3dward@koreatimes.co.kr

07-25-2006 17:19

Source: http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/culture/20...17190511700.htm

[Guest Elee]

another movie of Seo-jeong! i loved her from MISA! and sad movie...and ...ing! i hope this one turns out good

[rubie]

'Sugar' Is Sweet but Not Delicious

By Kim Tae-jong

Staff Reporter

Lim Su-jung stars as a female jockey in a new movie, "Sugar Lump."

After all the domestic movies featuring gangster jokes, pretty couples' romances and violent and rebellious teenagers' school lives, you may be craving for a healthier diet of more diversified films.

If all these reproductions of the same old stories in similar genres have decreased your appetite for Korean films, at first glance, the new movie "Sugar Lump" (Kaksoltang) may seem to be what you have been longing for.

"Sugar Lump" is the first domestic film that features a dynamic horse race, and its main theme _ a friendship between a female jockey and her horse _ seems to promise a touching story.

But the film cannot fully satisfy your appetite due to its predictable story, without any strong dramatic hooks, which will remind you of some mainstream Hollywood films driven by similar themes.

Directed by Lee Hwan-kyung and starring actress Lim Su-jung, the film revolves around Si-eun (played by Lim), who dreams of becoming a famous jockey.

Born on a horse ranch, Si-eun spends most of her time with horses _ she especially loves a horse named Changgun, which her mother loved before she died.

Changgun dies while giving birth and Si-eun, feeling sympathy for the foal, takes care of him, naming him Chundung, which means thunder in Korean.

But as her father doesn't want his daughter to become a jockey, he sells Chundung without telling her and insists that she attend university like other girls.

Two years pass and Si-eun becomes a jockey without her father's approval, but she experiences discrimination because she is a woman.

One day, she encounters Chundung on a street where he is pulling a wagon promoting a dance club. Si-eun takes him to her racing team and trains him for the National Cup.

The story unfolds without many ups and downs, but the audience can easily guess what will happen next.

Everything is so familiar, and you can feel the many hidden tearjerker traps. The horseracing scenes in the movie are also not as dynamically portrayed as those in Hollywood movies.

Sidus FNH, the production company of "Sugar Lump," had announced the release of two moving dramas this year _ but the first project "My Piano" didn't really win the hearts of the audience due to its plain and rather predictable storyline, even though it was an ambitious attempt to make an unusual movie about music.

And, overall, "Sugar Lump" seems to follow its precedent _ it's hard to find big flaws in the film, but due to its plain storyline it ends up being a film with little strength despite a few enjoyable elements.

e3dward@koreatimes.co.kr

08-10-2006 17:11

Source: http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/culture/20...17105510970.htm

[Guest Aoijen]

WOW it's make interesting this new movie

[Guest t3n5h1_chu_k015h173]

The film "Lump sugar" starring Im Soo-jung has been released to compete with The Host, which has drawn more than 7 million viewers in just 12 days after its release on July 27, breaking the record of the most number of viewers drawn in the shortest period of time.

"Lump Sugar" opened in 270 theaters nationwide on Thursday, when the number of theaters showing The Host started to be reduced. Some 700 theaters had wanted to show The Host, but the distributor limited the number to 620 and attached a condition that the movie would be shown for 14 days.

Now "Lump sugar", the story about the racing horse named Cheondung, is overtaking The Host, which deals with a monster in the Han River, in advance ticket sales on the internet movie site MaxMovie.

Another reason for the great interest in the competition between the two films is that their distributors, CJ Entertainment and Show Box, are Korea's biggest film distribution companies.

[Guest StylishAzNx07]

cool im soo jung and jung kyung ho r in the same movie!

[Guest nikkainah]

i would really love to watch this movie and i do hope to be able to watch it soon....i believe in Im Soo Jung's talent---since she had very outstanding performances in her movies and in MISA....

[Guest cholo]

pix from the Lump Sugar

------------------

credits:sunyj01/dcinside

[Guest sonickim]

Thanks for this thread t3n5h1_chu_k015h173!!!

we got to enjoy and learn more about her latest movie!!

getting really excited for this..hope to have a copy as soon as its release.

rubie..what'a article!!! thanks so much!!

cholo..really workin out for all of this huh!! Go Girl!!..hugs*

[Guest sonickim]

[Guest el dia]

Lump Sugar/ Lump of Sugar (DVDrip) Single CD Version

is now avaliable to download @ naynay123

[Guest argarg]

This movie made me cry so much. I love it, it's just really amazing!

[Guest cin]

OMGSH It was a tear jerker! It was very amazing as well as touching

[Guest j-star]

?aish this movies seriously needs more attention!!! I didn't watch it yet but i can seriously tell that it's good. speaking of which, does anyone know where i can watch the movie? i really want to watch it. plus im soo jung is one of my favorite actors. her act is raw emotion!!! O_O ever heard her cry? help? i've been investigating around different sites and this movie is quite difficult to find. >_<

[Guest Greener]

I watched it because played to Im Soo Jung but the film to what more than. i saw to friendship and love of human with animal that to comparable is friend and relatives. i cried to the end. it's so sad but i'm impressive with this film.

[Guest Shin Bi]

Lump Sugar MU Links

are available on Lets Look Forum

PS : You have to register to be able to download the movies ^^

[Guest blue84]

I love Soo Jung's character in this film!!!!!!!!!