[Movie 2002] Addiction / Addicted 중독

[rubie]

Credit to

http://www.koreancinemahouse.co.uk/content.php?contentid=9

Addicted (a.k.a. The Poisoning)

DIRECTOR:

Park Young-hun

STARRING:

Lee Byung-heon

Lee Mi-yeon

Lee Mi-yeon

Lee Earl

In association with YesAsia.com

Year of Release: 2002

DVD Country: Korea

Certificate: 18

Number of Discs: 2

Soundtracks: Korean 5.1

Subtitles: Korean

English

Special Features:

Audio Commentary

Cast and Crew

Music Video

Trailers

Interviews

Making Of

Synopsis

Production Notes

Photo Gallery

Easter Egg

Having previously starred together in The Harmonium in My Memory, Lee Byung-heon and Lee Mi-yeon reunite for the stylish drama/suspense movie, Addicted. Lee Byung-heon plays Dae-jin, a handsome young man who lives with his older brother Ho-jin (Lee Earl) and his beautiful wife Eun-soo (Lee Mi-yeon). Eun-soo organizes concerts and events in the city while her devoted husband keeps their home and garden in order in between creating beautiful pieces of furniture in his artist's workshop. But younger brother Dae-jin shuns the work, love, and responsibility exhibited by his brother and sister-in-law, preferring to tinker with cars and race on a local track. His life seems carefree, if not exactly happy, as Dae-jin's indifferent demeanour is often frustrating to those around him in his lack of purpose. But fate takes an unexpected turn one day when Dae-jin and his brother experience separate, but simultaneous car crashes, a devastating double tragedy that leaves Dae-jin in coma. When Dae-jin awakes, Eun-soo brings her brother-in-law back home, where she has lived alone for the past year. As Dae-jin recuperates, his behaviour begins to disturb Eun-soo. Dae-jin has now taken on the characteristics and mannerisms of his older brother, her husband Ho-jin. But even more disturbing is Dae-jin's eventual revelation that he is not Dae-jin at all, but in fact Eun-soo's husband Ho-jin, inexplicably existing in Dae-jin’s body. And as far as Dae-jin/Ho-jin is concerned, he is just as much in love with his wife now as he was before the tragic double accident, and he has plenty of intimate details about their marriage to make a convincing case that he is Ho-jin, as he claims. How is Eun-soo to respond to her brother-in-law? Should she accept that he is suffering from a mental illness, or believe that the soul of the husband she loves is alive in Dae-jin's body?

In many films, a suspension of disbelief is necessary to enjoy the narrative without being annoyed. And in lighter dramas and romances, such as Ditto or Il Mare, to name a couple, going along with seemingly impossible details is made easier by the tone of the film. But in Addicted, the movie's central premise of souls switching places if given opportune timing is more difficult to accept, given the more serious feel of the film. Because most viewers know from the film's advertising that this soul-switching will take place, every piece of information that's fed to the viewer before the accidents - every gesture, every character detail, and every phrase - seems forced and unnatural. As a viewer, you can feel the set-up, and the feeling isn't subtle, but more of a poking you on the shoulder to be sure to take notice of what’s going on so you'll "get it" in the second half of the movie. I found these contrived details annoying and distracting, and because of them, I had trouble getting into a flow with the narrative.

Despite problems with the script and pacing of the film, the actors do a fine job with the material they are given. The female lead, Lee Mi-yeon, does a great job of portraying the vivacious Eun-soo, bubbly and distracted to the point of even forgetting her own wedding anniversary. But it's Lee Byung-heon who really gives an outstanding performance, yet again. Although he doesn't reach any new levels of acting in his career (at one point his catatonic expression looked like it could have been from footage in JSA: Joint Security Area.), Lee Byung-heon adds another solid performance to his growing list of impressive performances. Even when the scenes fall into the overly-dramatic, the two leads keep things from getting too sappy by the grace of their screen presences. In what could easily be the most melodramatic scene of the movie, Lee Byung-heon and Lee Mi-yeon deliver a slow, steamy, emotional sex scene. Every touch, every glance, and every movement are portrayed as having the utmost emotional weight attached. But if any male fans of Lee Mi-yeon are hoping to get an eyeful of her, they'll have to contend with the "well-placed arms syndrome," which will likely leave them complaining that the love scenes dragged on far too long. But the ladies who appreciate the sight of Lee Byung-heon's lovely backsides won't be complaining.

Visually, Addicted is a very appealing film, with lots of splashes of bright reds and apple greens in the beautiful sets for the film. The bohemian charm of an artist's house came through quite well, with quirky details painted onto windows and furniture, and unique knickknacks placed throughout the property. Lots of nice touches of colour are added to furniture and food, even if the details go a bit overboard at times. Those bright barn reds of the lawn furniture and the cute little decorations on the drinking glasses often leave the sets looking like ads for Pottery Barn.

Addicted is the latest in a string of Korean films to be slated for a Hollywood remake, yet to me, this film felt like a Hollywood flick to begin with. It had everything going for it except the script. Michael Petroni, scriptwriter for Ann Rice's Queen of the Damned will be adapting and directing the Hollywood version of this film, so it remains to be seen if any improvements are made in the script.

The DVD

This review is taken from the Metro DVD.

Picture

Widescreen, Anamorphic 1.85:1 Beautiful, crisp colours and nice depth. I Can't imagine a DVD having better picture quality than what Metro delivers. Optional subtitles are clear and easy to read, but available for the feature film, only.

Sound

Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround. (Editors note: Bobbi couldn't be arsed to review the sound portion).

Extras

(no subtitles): Director's Audio Commentary, Cast & Crews, Music Video, Trailer, Interviews, Making Of Film (7 Scenes), Synopsis, Production Notes, Photo Gallery, Easter Egg.

Reviewed by Kevin Gilvear on 22-12-2004 17:05

[rubie]

This was posted & shared at the previous Everything Lee Byung Hun thread before the crash.

CAUTION - SPOILER INCLUDED -

Comprehensive review by Shirley,Sep 20 2004, 03:48 AM

oh~~..for some reasons .i thought a more realistic is the way it has ended ..haha maybe i am psycho .but people tend to hide the truth if the truth hurts too much .......some people more or less live a lie or two ..it is the magnitude and the impact ...living a lie is sad ..and being the LIE itself is the most .sorrow of all ....isnt it ..that the sadness of dae jin ...he is not living only a lie ..HE IS THE LIE ................

this was something i wrote .the one rubie kindly repost was a prelude to what i wrote ............. just some thoughts on this movie ..which as some have said can have been better ............i think with the way i think LMY respond ...somehow i felt she can do more ......as an actress of her reputation ..i thought something more stronger from her .but it dont come across as well as i assume .......

if you like addiction ..watch the japan movie SECRET ..that is a beautiful tale .....

==

"She was like the sunshine in September, and took my sadness away ". Love come to Daejin in such a beautiful form .one that took his breathe and sadness away ...and he was the happiest man on earth.but with a twist of fate.... his happiness went well beyond his reach.as she now belong to another, someone he could never betray, his only kin, Hojin

."the world has abandon me , even the sky " ...Daejin was driven from heaven to hell

while the whole world celebrate for his brother and Eunsoo , Daejin know his brother is the happiest man on earth , and he is also a happy man , because Eunsoo will be with him forever , such was his love then , just being with her , seeing her , feeling her , knowing she alive was enough for Daejin ..he was content ...and happy .But he is just an ordinary man , not a saint , no one can understand the agony of Daejin as he lived and witness his brother and Eunsoo loving was driving him crazy , .because his brother clumsiness with woman , Daejin found the way to express his love to Eunsoo ,through the love letters, in the name of hojin , Daejin was able to retain his sanity .hence he feel lucky to have such a brother like Hojin , only then can he still live with them together and remain sane ... .His love was so near yet so far beyond his reach ..such that she will never know his love.

" I should have died then , but I didn’t I could have been gone forever but I couldn’t Because of you."..Daejin had exclaimed to Eunsoo ...seeking for his love to recognize the hojin in him...To me , it was purely Daejin speaking as himself ...yes , the agony of not being with Eunsoo , not feeling her , was so strong that Daejin has to return. Eunsoo was the reason that Daejin had come back ,I never think that he had intended to come back as Hojin then as he awoke.. Only till he return to the house that now seem so lifeless ..that he truly feel and realise that Hojin is gone ...and as he lies in deep sleep , I guess the abrud idea come to his mind of being hojin .to be his brother in spirit , to be with Eunsoo as Hojin ...to let Eunsoo continue the love with Hojin ....and he Daejin can also be happy ...as he wil be the one with Eunsoo forever. And slowly , as he willed himself . as he believe more and more in his own illusion ..Daejin become Hojin ...his actions ,his speech ....except for his heart …he had to remain as Daejin in his heart to love Eunsoo as he want to love her …

Eunsoo was unable to withstand the torment of seeing Daejin while sensing her husband in him ..The way he work in the workshop, the way he water the plants , the way he cooks , the way he look into her eyes ...the way he call her name...it was driving her crazy ...and confuse ...why was she feeling this way ..is it truly possible that Hojin had returned..Daejin ..watch in silence as he see Eunsoo ..struggling with her sanity..and was just waiting for Eunsoo to collapse to come to him and accept him as Hojin. He entered her room ..seeking solace from Eunsoo, as he was too afraid and lonely in his room , perhaps he fear of not waking up knowing who he is anymore .Eunsoo just watch helplessly as this man who claim to be her husband ,walk in and claim the bed, has he already entered her heart as well ..

But then Daejin learnt the truth that his brother was still alive,laying in coma . He watch Hojin.lifeless form, surviving on the machine with eunsoo by his side ...and he know what was holding Eunsoo back from believing in him ...because Hojin is alive...

"if It is so hard for you ..I will be Daejin and live as Daejin " Daejin smash his hands into the windows, .Daejin had felt so full of rage yet so hopeless or exhausted at the same time , at that scene ...that I wonder what was in his mind ... was it with anger , with regrets or with gulit ..trying to hurt himself ..to wake himself from the illusion that he has created .that he had started even to believe....was he saying those words to Eunsoo, giving her a chance to be free of such agony that she is suffering , or to himself as Daejin ...did he feel the guilt of robbing what belong to his brother .as he watch Hojin and remember that he is not Hojin and feel angry at himself ..or did he feel anger that heaven again had abandon him to keep his brother alive and keep eunsoo away from him..

So he had to get away ...away from all this madness .and temptation that was Eunsoo ...he might not be able to control what he might do ...and so he choose to go ....But the lure was too strong for him to stay away ..the rainy day remind him of his love ..As they meet at the station ...there were just silence as they look into each other eyes ... Eunsoo trying to look for Hojin in Daejin , perhaps she was just utterly helpless to think or reject anymore , and together they walk under the rain .

I have no choice but to return ..

For eskimo , when someone they loved died , they gather and talk about him for five days , as they talk they erase their memories of that person .. and they will never talk about the person , if they do , that person soul will not rest in peace

let talk about Hojin and never talk about him again ..”

As the two speak of their memories...Eunsoo trying to forget about Hojin was reminded more of their love as Daejin speak of their memories as if he was there.. as if he was Hojin .secrets no one can know but Hojin will know including the the coin of pleasure .

Eunsoo , whenever you are happy or become upset , I am always there with you , so that why we are the same inside !! you know better !!

I should have died then , but I didn’t I could have been gone forever but I couldn’t Because of you . No one can love you as much as me, that why I returned. Daejin’s words, spoken with such grief and pain, piecering trough one heart as we listen to his soul, how one man desperately cling to life because of one woman, because he live only for her.

All the memories hidden in our home , are proof that we have loved each other till now …

Finally Eunsoo know that it is “Hojin”.standing infront of her .and went into his arms her husband has truly returned for her ..and as Daejin hold her, he cried. Was it tears of joy or grief , joy that finally he had his love in his arms .but not as himself.. but as an another man .how cruel can fate be to him ..to be in hell and heaven at the same time . perhaps he was crying in too with grief and pity at himself …”you are all that I have “..as he had lost himself

As they come together as woman and man. Daejin was worshipping his love ...as he has so yearn to do so , and he forget at that time about everything , he is Daejin loving his woman , being one with her in body and soul …

And henceforth began their happy days together. The idea of how with ease they come to live together as couple.never cease to puzzle me.they appear to live in a isolated world.where there is no outside world they should be answerable for this bizarre relationship between them ...how did Daejin.communicate his changed form to the outside world was never revealed to us.

Why had Eunsoo chosen the decision she had made.... has she really loved the man who she has created a life with ...or she was just purely not strong enough to reveal his lies.. What did she feel as she ramp through Daejin secret,.finding his obsession with her ...did she feel shame or betrayl or simply appalled by his degree of devotion for her and touched .beyond words that love with such strength exist .. we might never know.

She herself might be already addicted to the love.created by Daejin ...that she feel the comfort and security of being loved .by someone ...that she never want to let it go . She been hypothesize by Daejin , only someone who desire to be can be hypotheses, and Eunsoo perhaps wanted so much for Hojin to return . However the parcel of truth , the sight of her necklace , the one and only in the world , had been duplicated , broke her out of her trance. Daejin not only duplicate the necklace , but also her husband memories and love

Sometimes we are so secured and feel love.that we will pretend to be blind .to truth that might be hurting and live the lie that is so safe.and happy.... but while Eunsoo had make her decision. Daejin will forever be locked in his own lie, .I wonder if she will ever tell him.i guess she might ...if she truly love him.

."Hojin .did you know ...I love her first . I love her enough to abondon myself but Enunsoo will never know ....brother , I am no longer in this world , I am the one who really died . I will become you and love Eunsoo from now she will think of you when she with me .and loving only you

.he will always feel the jealously within him as Hojin will always be alive in Eunsoo heart and between them. . One who has given up so much.but will never be accepted as himself by his love? . but always as another ...but in actual fact.there is no another.since Eunsoo had learn the truth ... I never accept the idea that he did it out of pure devotion for Eunsoo .to continue to let her find happiness in Hojin .love .within Daejin.perhaps there this tiny voice inside him.calling him to take what should be his ...no matter the costs .as long as Eunsoo stay by his side ...as she is his life. without her.there is no Daejin....

Hojin.you will not forgive me rite ? don’t forgive.me !! .never ! I am so sorry …

As Daejin bade farewell to Hojin , crying in anguish , perhaps not only over the loss of his only kin.. but also of his betrayal to his kind brother. .Finally we have the only scene where he reveal himself ...should he be forgiven ...did he did it out of pure love or just possession...was he a saint or devil ...i guess in a way he is both at the same time.. he ask not to be forgiven, perhaps he also cannot comprehend his own act , his own madness.his own adandonment., his own betrayal ,not only, to his brother and to his love and to himself.. , he might be mourning the loss of himself ,his sanity

Can we understand his love , and his obsession ....do we need to ? Love was never meant to be judged , there is no right or wrong , as there never will be , but Daejin has already condemned, locking himself within a lie forever perhaps. just purely because he had loved so deeply, so madly that his addiction had driven him to the brink of madness.where there is no turning back , where he had chosen to abandon himself . .by his love .and the key to unlock himself.will be with the woman he loved. his addiction. I wonder by abandoning himself.Daejin not only did not die but also has been reborn. as he had said ...death was not such a scary thing . It is the door to heaven . strangely I feel the ending will be a happy ever after ending

-----------

as for the movie itself ..i guess there are some areas that might have been better if we can see more contrast of the characters of the Hojin and Daejin ..such that we can sense with more strength the impact of the tale of soul exchange..the director did make an attempt at the first half of the moive..but i guess it did not come across as well as expected ..and indirectly the pace of the movie slow down which i thought will pick up after the fatal accident but it went back to the same pace before ...

and the lack of external environment on the relationship of the couple ..left alot of unanswered question of how Daejin adaption to the outside world with his new identity ...and i guess more scenes of him with himself alone or with his brother ...will bring us closer to what he is thinking ( or perhaps we suppose to be kept at a distance for more room to ponder on him..) ..and his sense of losting himself will have been better enforce if there been scenes to tell us his lingering over his past ..which i dont really feel was demonstate ..he appear to have no desire to remember or want any part of his past ..) which goes to shows ..was he better off killing his old self ...as he never been happy then ...

[rubie]

Screencaps by Gigi at Everything Lee Byung Hun~

[rubie]

A must read for those who loved the movie... posted & shared at the previous Everything Lee Byung Hun thread before the crash.

Please highlight to read and CAUTION - SPOILER INCLUDED -

Review by Chris @ tintinbry,Sep 21 2004, 08:25 AM

just a little something i wrote on 'ADDICTION', paiseh, its a little long... got carried away myself... addicted...

1. Some feel that she continues the lie because of the child, the new life that was born during their night of passion . However, if one observes carefully, there is not much emphasis on the child at all, except for the one line where Daejin mentions it as they're shopping in the supermarket. So how can this unborn child be the primary reason why she is willing to continue to share her life and body with a man who is in fact, her brother-in-law? A little perverse, don’t you think? Others argue that she doesn't reveal the ugly truth because she realizes the intensity and depth of Daejin's love for her. However, does the movie really spend a lot of time showing her in reflection about all this? No.

IMO, the overriding reason why Eunsoo holds back her revelation of the truth is less because she feels flattered by his devotion and obsession, nor that she doesn’t want to crack his bubble of happiness, nor that he being Hojin’s brother reminds her of her husband, and less so because of the life they created, but because she herself wants so much, so very much to believe that Hojin is still alive.

The brief moment of reflection at the swing, deliberating back and forth, back and forth, back, forth, back, forth, to tell or not to tell, to tell, not to tell, and finally, not to tell… The lingering of the camera on the empty swing represents perhaps that in the end, she realized she could not or didn’t need to make a decision, but rather to continue floating along in her illusion, her empty lie… far easier to fall back into the embrace of the man who loves her, which she literally does in the next scene... For to decide, would be to acknowledge that Hojin was truly dead in the hospital, to confront the grim realization that because of her own delusion and myopia, she had in his last hours sent off her husband with more haste than she should have, a truth she perhaps would never have the courage to face for the rest of her life…

And in a way, Hojin’s soul does indeed continue to live. In terms of the plot, while Daejin is still the lead character, Hojin’s presence in fact hovers over every part of the movie. Eunsoo is addicted to him and the memory of him, and Daejin is addicted to her. That night in the garage, as Daejin goes through his old car-related stuff and weeps over ‘Daejin’, he is in fact weeping over the ‘death’ of his own self, or rather, his old self. All this is confirmed by the last scene… the movie ends on a note which reminds us that although Daejin is able to live as Eunsoo’s lover, the person she will always love is her ‘dead’ husband Hojin, his memory continues to live on…

As BH fans, emphasis will naturally be on the character of Daejin, as we lament how he had to lose his own soul in order to ‘become’ his brother. We feel indignant that Eunsoo will never love Daejin for who he is, that he can never confess his love for her in his capacity as Daejin. However, what do we really define as ‘Daejin’? This I believe is the key to unlocking a lot of unanswered questions in the show.

2. And so, the movie in fact brings up many questions about the concept of IDENTITY. Why is the movie called 'Addiction'? What we are addicted to is precisely what drives our life, our daily routines, the things that make up our very selves and beings. Although we claim family comes first, we practically live in the office, in pursuance of our first million. Although our lips profess to love a certain person, our minds and actions are crammed with fantasies of another(s), weekly, daily, hourly. Those of us who try to be religious, are often secretly consumed by ravenous hungers and unquenchable thirsts for things of this world.

So back to the movie, in a way, who is to say that Daejin has lost his soul? Is the true 'soul' of Daejin that one that delights in playing with cars all day and racing? Or has Daejin’s soul, before and after the accident, always found true meaning and definition in loving and being around his obsession, Eunsoo? The first time when Daejin saw Eunsoo in the park, it would appear that he was more interested in photography than in cars. Why did he take up racing as a hobby then? Some have mentioned, he wanted to live dangerously, to live on the edge, that his mind may be continuously challenged and not go mad (because of Eunsoo). He wants so badly to win in the automobile race, because all his life, he has always 'lost' to his brother Hojin in terms of winning the heart of the woman he loves so madly. Since his brother married her, he has all along been – indirectly —'loving' her through his brother's love letters, through the squeezing of toothpaste every morning and through the various ideas Hojin did for Eunsoo that actually came from himself. And this he continues to do, sacrificing his life for her happiness, that she may continue the love she had with Hojin.

At the very core of addiction is precisely when that object of obsession takes overwhelming and overriding importance over our selves, sometimes even our own existence. Our own hobbies, happiness and importance all fade away, in the presence of that significant other… And indeed, don't we see Daejin living for Eunsoo, 'dying' for Eunsoo, because it is not his but her happiness that matters; no longer he who lives, but he who lives to be in her presence, whatever it takes…

And thus in this light, has he really 'died'? IMO no, because he is only being allowed to do the things he has been doing all along but in a more 'direct' capacity, in effect be the person he has been dreaming to be for so long. And thus, death is really not that scary after all, because far from being an end in itself, it is rather a passage to a more beautiful life; indeed, the opening of the door to heaven. By allowing Daejin to 'die', he is able to be 'reborn' as someone he has always longed to be – the person loved by Eunsoo.

Notice that the closing scene is being shot upwards from beneath the water surface, there is a reason for that... As the last physical remains of Hojin's being are being scattered, the ashes slowly obliterate Daejin's face, until although the physical is gone, yet the soul and memory of Hojin slowly but surely covers Daejin's image, slowly blurring it, until it is wiped out... the same way Eunsoo will look upon Daejin’s face, but see Hojin's soul...

On a side note however, I feel he was weeping not for his own death, but because in order to be loved by Eunsoo, he had to, in a way, betray the other person he loved, his dear brother Hojin. His sentiments imo are far from that of jealousy but of regret, deepest regret at this act of Judas... And thus, he askes him never to forgive him… and thus, perhaps the 'giving up' of his own life was a adequate sacrifice for this ultimate act of betrayal...

But in the end, who is the one who died and who is the one who lives? Hojin, or rather his memory, continues to ‘live’ through Daejin; while the 'old Daejin' has 'died', nevertheless he still seems even happier than ever before with this new breath of life that has come with 'death'. He takes on Hojin's personality and life with such a seamless continuity, one cannot help but wonder if a part of him has been unconsciously living as his brother all along. As we see him effortlessly delivering the speech he had tailored for his brother with such fluidity and poise that hojin would surely have lacked, injecting just the right blend of hesitation and confidence, we begin to understand more of why he, and Eunsoo, were able to live with their perplexing decisions... And so perhaps there is no need for pinpoint accuracy in our answers. In addiction, it is the object we are addicted to that overrides everything, includes sometimes our very selves. And after all they were blood brothers, the woman they loved the same, their 'death' occurring in uncannily similar ways, perhaps showing us the inseparable bond between them, inseparable in death and in life…

[rubie]

Lee Mi Yeon & Lee Byung Hun

Credit: Cine21

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Movie captures credit to Hyc, casey wong, ylin, Wei Lin, summer0323

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can we look into a singular place and call it our tomorrow?

can we peek in to these singular wishes and call it our eternal dreams"

can we walk past these singular events and call it our destiny?

and when you are out of my singular sight, can i call that as the day i die?

my darling, i cannot imagine life without you.......

credit:

moondance - Timeless Lee Byung Hun

[rubie]

Addicted - aka "Jungdok" (2002)

Dir: Young-hoon Park

Eun-su (Mi-yeon Lee) lives in Marital bliss with her Husband Ho-jin (Eol Lee), who works from home as a carpenter/artist and is the perfect partner.

Living with them is Ho-jin's younger Brother Dae-jin (Byung-hun Lee) who is a flamboyant racing car driver and who spends most of his spare time tinkering with his car.

The three live in harmony, but Eun-su is concerned that Dae-jin spends too much time alone and tries to push him into finding a girlfriend.

Yae-Joo (Seon-yeong Park), who works in Dae-jin's racing team, would like to be that girlfriend, but her love is unrequited as Dae-jin only sees her as a friend.

One fateful day, in different locations, Ho-jin (in a taxi) and Dae-jin (in his racing car) are involved in horrific crashes, at the same time, and both men end up in a coma.

A year later Dae-jin awakens and Eun-su takes him home to care for him while her Husband remains in a coma.

Dae-jin is distant and subdued and somehow not himself. He also starts to do things he never used to do, like cooking for Eun-su, tending the flowers and even taking up carpentry, all things that the still comatose Ho-jin used to do.

A confused Eun-su then has the shock of her life…Dae-jin insists that he is really Ho-jin, and that he has 'possessed' his Brother's body because he could not bare to be separated from his Wife.

Is Dae-jin mad? Is he lying? Or is he really possessed?

Eun-so will soon discover the truth...

Away from the stream of ghosts and guns Korean flicks that have found distribution in the West recently, 'Tai Seng' has released this sedate romantic drama (with a twist) onto the UK market.

And with no blood, scares or real action it's a brave move, and one that will thankfully reward the brave purchaser who hands over their cash.

Won-mi Byun's screenplay is a textbook example of proficient simplicity and delivers four main characters that are rounded and interesting. In fact this type of film lives or dies by its characters and how well the actors portray them.

The main chunk of the story plays out with no flashy gimmicks, no over the top visuals and no sudden changes from the direction it has set itself. It quite simply leads the viewer along until it unleashes its final payoff.

Given that, you would be forgiven for thinking that "Addicted" would be a dull experience, and indeed it could have been if it had not been so effectively realised, directed and above all else, acted.

Mi-yeon Lee was awarded the Best Actress honour at the South Korean 'Grand Bell Awards' in 2003 for her work here and it was well deserved. Eun-so is driven in her career and yet full of fun, life and above all unconditional love where her Husband is concerned. Despite the would-be awkward situation with Dae-jin living with them, Eun-so has nothing but concern and deep friendship for the young man and the three share what seems like a truly warm and close relationship.

Mi-yeon Lee portrays all these aspects of Eun-so's life and personality perfectly, and truly comes into her own during the second half of the film where Eun-so has to face up to the on-going heartache of Ho-jin's coma, the shock of Dae-jins revelation and all the confused emotions that these events heap upon her.

Her scene with Ho-jin as he lies in the hospital, now in a coma for over a year, is achingly sad and Mi-yeon Lee beautifully shows us the love that is still burning in her heart for her lost Husband, and when she says to Ho-jin "I can't remember your voice" the full weight of the tragedy is driven home to the audience in a subtle, carefully written and performed way.

As the lynch pin of the story Mi-yeon Lee is a striking revelation.

But this is a true ensemble piece and Mi-yeon Lee is in great company. Her popular co-star Byung-hun Lee (they worked together with great success in 1998's "The Harmonium in My Memory") is riveting as Dae-jin.

Of all the characters Dae-jin is the most complex and given his part in the story it's vital we are forever unsure about him, yet still retain sympathy and closeness to him. We have to like him for the film to work, and the handsome and charismatic Byung-hun Lee ensures that is indeed the case. The roller coaster ride of emotions that Dae-jin not only experiences himself but projects onto others are played to perfection with subtle facial movements accenting the deeply emotional, but very grounded, delivery of the dialogue.

Given only a relatively short time on screen, Eol Lee has to project Ho-jin into the audience's psyche as quickly as he can because the shadow of his loving and likeable character will be an important presence in the film and to the loved ones he leaves behind. Eol Lee emotes warmth that is vital to the story's success.

The fourth player in this drama may be initially on the sidelines, but Yae-Joo will later become crucial to the plot and the performance by the lovely Seon-yeong Park an important aspect of the movie's charm and hold on the audience. As the lovelorn but optimistic Yae-Joo she is a fun and warm presence that highlights the hope, as well as the heartache, in the confused and tragic relationships the characters lead.

The initial build-up to the crashes does seem overly slow until the final part of the film plays out and we find that in fact it was absolutely essential that we saw and felt the close relationship between the three leads. And there are some genuinely amusing and warm scenes to be savored here, scenes that mix romance and light comedic interaction that build up the affection the audience must feel towards these people if the film is to hold the attention as the slow burning drama unfolds.

The car crashes themselves are superbly realised and crafted and deliver the required punch. Excellent work by the stunt team and the special effects crew.

There is some mild nudity and sex, but it is used very sparingly and is a genuine part of the story and the main love scene is carefully staged and performed so the audience never feels they are a voyeur, but are instead witnessing a physical act of psychological healing for the characters.

Young-hoon Park directs with an assured understanding of the characters and their relationship, pacing the early stages of the movie so as we feel the sudden violence of the car accidents to their fullest and carefully judging the build-up to the devastating twist.

The twist itself is something many viewers would have seen coming, but the way it is revealed (with some fine editing and powerful acting from Mi-yeon Lee) and above all the truly heartbreaking emotional fall-out that follows this revelation is powerful indeed.

But the full consequences of the twist are revealed in a deeply moving final scene (magnificently played by Byung-hun Lee) which ensures that "Addicted" leaves the viewer on a powerfully emotional note.

Wrapping itself around the film is a sombre but beautiful score that drifts around the unfolding drama and becomes an intrinsic part of the perfectly crafted tragi-drama that makes "Addicted" the memorable and moving film it is.

An American re-make is on the cards, but it will be hard pressed to compete with the perfect casting seen in the original.

'Tai Seng Entertainment UK' has released "Addicted" in a slightly soft (but anamorphic) transfer that rather lacks background detail and would seem to be, judging by the motion blur, an NTSC to PAL conversation.

So not as good a looking picture as we would have hoped, but the 5:1 Korean language mix is very nice and clear and has some well used surround effects.

The extras consist of a trailer, a music video (basically a song from the film played over clips), brief interviews with Mi-yeon Lee and Byung-hun Lee, cast/crew info, stills gallery and an interesting 'making of' that shows the actors rehearsing and on set, Byung-hun Lee training for his driving sequences as well as the extensive work needed to pull off the two car crash scenes.

All in all though it's a nice package, let down a bit by the transfer, of an emotionally satisfying and wholely successful film that most definately rewards the adventerous viewer.

Source:

http://www.beardyfreak.com/rvaddict.php

http://www.taiseng.co.uk/

[rubie]

Eun-soo & Ho-jin on their wedding day

credit: Cine21

[rubie]

Addicted DVD - Product Information

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?...vie&PID=6971611

Description

South Korean director Young-hoon Park fashions a darkly twisted tale of love that transcends all boundaries in his romantic thriller ADDICTED. Eun-su (Mi-yeon Lee) and Ho-jin (Eol Lee) are a happily married couple when their idyllic lives are shattered by the dual car accidents of Ho-jin and his brother, Dae-jin (Byung-hun Lee). While Ho-jin dies, Dae-jin emerges from his coma to the realization that his brother's soul has entered his body, leaving Eun-su to wrestle with the possibility of a second chance at love.

Source: http://www.cduniverse.com/images.asp?cart=...1611ℑ=back

[Guest THISx81]

is there any way that i can DL this movie instead of

ed2k://|file|%ED%95%9C%EA%B5%AD%EC%98%81%ED%99%94-%EC%A4%91%EB%8F%85-%EC%9D%B4%EB%B3%91%ED%97%8C,%EC%9D%B4%EB%AF%B8%EC%97%B0.avi|734261248|95FDE2D642DCC2F620C519DB11832D57|

haha thanks again

[rubie]

credit: LBH taiwanese website

Source: cinecine.co.kr & The MagicBox, thanks to Yasmin at LBH thread

[Guest Yasmin]

credit: LBH taiwanese website

[rubie]

Addicted [Lee Byung Hun | Lee Mi Yeon]

"Addicted" is both a story about two brothers and their spiritual journey as well as a lovers' tale. Dae-jin's (Lee Byung-heon) falls into a deep coma and his brother Ho-jin (Lee Eol) dies during tragic car races held at different places. After waking up again, Dae-jin takes on the entire habits as well as the looks of his worshipped brother. Things start to get totally out of hand after he falls into an addictive relationship with Ho-jin's wife Eun-soo (Lee Mi-yeon) who firmly denies that Ho-jin's soul was transferred to Dae-jin's body, until an astonishing revelation causes her to abandon her disbelief ...

source: http://web.tri-isys.com/LayzieG/korean_movies.htm

[rubie]

March 06, 2006

Korean Weekly News - March 6

Four years after her last leading role, Lee Mi-Yeon is returning to the big screen. Although the actress had a small but significant cameo in Kwak Kyung-Taek-s 2005 blockbuster 태풍 (Typhoon), her last full-fledged role was in the 2002 melodrama 중독 (Addicted), alongside Lee Byung-Heon, Lee Eol and Park Sun-Young. She will in fact star in 어깨너머의 연인 (Lovers Over The Shoulders), a Sidus FNH production helmed by Lee Eon-Hee, who directed the excellent 2003 melodrama ...ing. Although Lee received many offers to star in film and TV Dramas, she mostly kept doing what she's become famous for: CFs. The film, an adaptation of Yuikawa Kei's hugely popular novel 肩ごしの戀人 (Lovers. Over The Shoulder) [a sort of Japanese 'Singles' mostly focused on the female perspective. And the writer is quite popular both in Japan and Korea. Could make for a nice film, actually], stars Lee Mi-Yeon and Lee Tae-Ran as two women with completely different personalities, who work together to succeed as women in contemporary society. Shooting will start at the end of the Month, for what should be a late 2006 release.

Credit: X at twitchfilm.net

Source: http://www.twitchfilm.net/archives/005348.html

[rubie]

ADDICTION clips

vod1

http://movie.empas.com/VOD/00/00/68/21_x1_300.asf

vod2

http://movie.empas.com/VOD/00/00/68/21_o1_300.asf

Both are equally nice & memorable clips. The first had bits of the bedscene included but the second one is more poignant. Looking back at the clips, Addiction is truly a beautiful lovestory... a well-executed performance by BH fitting the storyline. Understanding it... there's nothing 'creepy' or strange about anything, any more.

Only LOVE that keeps one going.

Dae-jin loves his brother dearly, he's all he had since they were little... they're as close as brothers could be, each sensing each others' heart. And Dae-jin loves Eun-soo as well, the moment he saw her that September morning, day that changed his world. Because his love for his brother and his love for Eun-soo, Dae-jin chooses to be with them, because his heart said so. He was content with himself, he was ready until....

A sad twist of fate presented a dilemma... Dae-jin at the junction of his life. He loves Ho-jin, his only brother... the only family he had. He loves Eun-soo, the love he secretly & faithfully follow. Ho-jin 'left' him... could Dae-jin bear to let Eun-soo leave him too, now that they're family no more?

He had to do something... he had to convince her to stay... he can't let her go and leave him alone. He can't. He can't let the love of his life go. But will Eun-soo stay for Dae-jin? Probably not likely...

But she will stay for Ho-jin. And Dae-jin knew that all too well.

[Guest yaps]

this film is very good and the story is so good

[rubie]

Artwork ~ DAE-JIN

uploaded from naver.com, artwork credited to the original artist

[Guest Kismile]

Oh man that was such a good movie! He's such a good actor and he's hot too! I got it on Netflix and after I watched it I put it back on the list so I could watch it again! He is one of my favorite actors now!! I just wish that I could get more movies with him in it.

[willenette]

I've seen this movie & he's great in that film.