Hwang In-ho

South Korea has owned romance in film since the mid-nineties, creating a lovely genre of tender romanticism untouched by Hollywood or any other country producing films. It has also created a unique genre in horror films and action films, both often remade by Hollywood but not nearly as well-done. With South Korea's romance genre, both the tender and poignant films, and the romantic comedies, Hollywood doesn't even try, and that's just as well, because the sensitivity and romanticism so deftly displayed in South Korean films no longer exists within Hollywood's film industry.

In this tremendously charming and engaging offering starring the marvelous Son Ye-jin, romantic comedy is surprisingly melded with supernatural horror, and the results are both hilarious and tender. This is a testament to just how entertaining and well-made South Korea's films are — that two diametrically opposed genres could be so wonderfully blended together and produce such a lovely afterimage for those lucky enough to view this film.

A nerdy, struggling magician becomes a huge success after being entranced by a morbid girl attending one of his shows. She proves the key to his success, his otherworldly stage act fueled by her very real struggles in seeing the dead. But as with all South Korean films, her story is much more involved, and much more poignant than the viewer or the young magician initially understands. It is this haunting of her that makes it nearly impossible for her to be close to anyone, including her family, and especially the young magician, who although he has a girlfriend, finds himself attracted to her.

Son Ye-jin's terrific performance as a girl forced to live like a ghost gives this film its tenderness, most prominently in a very poignant scene on the phone where she breaks down and admits just how terribly lonely she truly is. Not to be outdone, however, Min-ki Lee has an almost equally moving breakdown across the phone in a last-second attempt to keep his love from leaving him. One does not expect from these descriptions of the film for it to be so truly and utterly hilarious, but it is. This is also a romantic comedy, a light and playful tone sustained all the way through. The belly-laughs extend all the way through the closing credits. Most of the humor revolves around reactions to very horrific situations, which eventually threaten both halves of the romantic-bound duo.

There is as much warmth as there is charm in this marvelous confection from South Korea, and just as many laughs. This is just about as perfect as a light romance can get, but it is the uniquely South Korean ingredients of romanticism and longing for love that make it an unmissable film for those who enjoy romantic comedies with a heart, and a few creepy scares. A must-see for romantics.… (mehr)