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Film Review: The Classic (2003) by Kwak Jae-yong

Your're always going to be having a magical time.

After directing “My Sassy Girl”, was quick to direct another classic right after. “” is a love story much like anyone has seen before, yet it adds a remarkable amount of charm and weight to a standard story. 

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The film concerns two storylines and two generations. A tale of mother and daughter, and how they find love. When Ji-hae () finds a box full of letters and a diary written by her mother that details her own romance, it engrosses her. In the 1960s, we follow the romantic Joon-ha () and Joo-hee (also played by Son Ye-jin), paralleling the familial story of 2003's Ji-hae and Sang-min (). The audience is taken on a journey through both romances, each in their own time, showing similarities, but being ultimately unique.  

“The Classic” is very dreamy in nature. It's pure romance. A story anyone wants to be the protagonist in. Despite excellent performances by the cast, the characters don't feel real, and neither does the storyline. Yet, this doesn't take anything away from the pure enjoyment this production manages to convey. It doesn't shy away from being melodramatic, but does it in a way that only adds to the overall charm of the film. The movie portrays young love in a truly enjoyable and touching way, with a surprising amount of good humour. Using a lot of unexpected slapstick comedy with excellent timing, the characters end up being much more endearing for it, and it breaks the melodramatic tension that is established throughout. The screenplay plays with themes of innocence, forbidden love, fate, sacrifice and outer influences. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it does what it's trying to do really well.

Editors Kim Sang-bum and Kim Jae-bum craft an easily followable layered story. With the use of flashbacks, the two love stories are interwoven well, and both are given enough time to develop. However, the pacing is probably the weakest part of the movie, and the progression of the story isn´t necessarily fast. Despite it doing a good job at keeping you engaged throughout, it wavers off a bit in the third act, mostly due to the focus on a plot that could've been cut entirely. It is, however, a feat of the screenplay to make it work somehow, without making it dull. The eventual way of resolving the storylines ends up feeling a bit sudden, like this wasn't really what it was supposed to build up to. Although cute, it might be a bit cliché for some. It is a classic after all. 

By far, the most impressive part of “The Classic” is Son Ye-jin, who knocks it out of the park as both Ji-hye and mother Joo-hee. Ye-jin is able to play both characters so convincingly distinct that the only way you could keep them apart is by colour grading and style. Cho Seung-woo also does incredibly well in his role as Joon-ha. Cho adds a lot of charisma to the character and is incredibly strong in making the audience feel for him. This is then also the most endearing pair to watch, with Jo In-Sung as the second male lead being less notable in his role, lacking depth. Additionally, Gwak Jae-young is remarkably funny as the supporting character and friend Tae-su, and delivers a rather short but memorable performance.

Additionally, the cinematography by Lee Jun-gyu stands out by its inventive shots and occasional beautiful framing. Especially imaginative were the shots in 1960s South Korea, showing picturesque landscapes that can only inspire the viewer. Pair this with the traditionally fantastic “classic” soundtrack, including music from Bach and Mozart, and you're always going to be having a magical time. 

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