Modern Boy (2008)

Period Movie about Love and Patriotism

This is a pretty good movie and not what i expected. It is a story of Korea's struggle for independence weaved into a love story.

The music is very nice and soothing. Although they could have showed the cabaret/moulin rouge number of Kim Hye Soo a lot longer in the beginning to establish more impact since she could actually sing and dance anyhow. It could highlight how dazzled the hero was that resulted his behaviour in the movie.

Plot is very solid and the characters well developed You will not find any behaviour or scene that would deviate from the storyline or character developement.

The love story is very realistic and you could actually sympathize with the hero who's beliefs and principles were changed by love, and the heroine who was willing to sacrifice everything for her love for her country.

The hero started off as carefree and easygoing, being affluent and on the elite side due to his family's alliance with the Japanese regime. He totally didn't expect to fall head over heels in love with a mysteriously lovely night club singer whose principles are far different from his.

She first saw him as an opportunity and means to fulfill her duty for the country that was trying to leave the Japanese regime but his continued pursuit in love and his persistence in wooing her made her fall in love with him as well.

There was a pivotal scene where she asked him what was his dream as a child and he smiled and replied to be a Japanese so he would be rich and successful like his father and uncles. You could see the pained expression in her face as she realized they were different and he would not understand her dream of indepence for Korea and so she kept trying to run away from him as she fulfills her plan to instigate a coup against the Japanese government, while he in turn kept chasing her to convince her to forget her plans and marry him and live a good, quiet life in the country.
The climax of the movie provided a good arch before the final outcome.

Good for the young generation to see a glimpse of the past.

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