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This 'Scent of Love' Is a Bit Stifling
review by Joon Soh
March 07, 2003
Read: 1183
The new film ``Kukhwakkot Hyanggi’’ (Scent of Love) is the latest manifestation of the domestic novel of the same name that seems to have struck a chord with romantics here. A steady best seller since being published in 2000, the story was the basis for the popular television series ``Kaul Tonghwa’’ (Autumn Tales) on KBS, and is now being made into another series in China.
Seo In-ha (Park Hae-il), is a shy, awkward college freshman who, in order to make new friends, joins a book readers’ club. There he meets Min Hui-je (Jang Jin-yeong(a)), a beautiful, brash upperclassman he falls hard for, but because of their age difference and because she’s involved with someone else she rejects his advances.
But then, life takes a horrible turn for Hui-je when a car accident kills her fiance and her parents. Traumatized, Hui-je becomes a recluse and completely devotes herself to her job, designing book covers.
Time passes and In-ha, still in love with Hui-je, is now a producer for a radio show that he uses to send to her anonymous messages of love. Then, with the help of a friend, he manages to convince Hui-je to forgive herself for her losses and marry him.
With a baby on the way, life seems perfect for the two lovers, except what In-ha doesn’t realize is that his wife is actually slowly dying from cancer.
Given all the plot twists, ``Scent’’ does end up feeling more suited for the small screen, but it does a fair job compressing the potentially convoluted storyline. While the film won’t win many points for originality, it gives enough attention to details, particularly lighting and color, to keep things from getting bogged down.
The subject of cancer has, of course, been dealt with by television and film innumerable times, one of the more recent and demanding examples being the French film ``Tout Les Coeurs.’’ But whereas that film, based on director Solveig Anspach’s real-life struggle with cancer and pregnancy is numbingly harrowing, ``Scent’’ is pure melodrama, intent on squeezing every last drop of the audience’s tears. Just be sure to bring a couple of handkerchiefs to this one.
(courtesy of KoreaTimes)
[ Last edited by flora9803 on 2004-8-14 at 02:52 AM ] |
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发表于 2004-3-21 20:03
