`Happiness’ Measures Cost of Love

"Happiness" (행복; Haengbok)
Directed by Hur Jin-ho (허진호)
Starring Hwang Jung-min (황정민), Lim Soo-jung (임수정)

This is one of my favorite movies. It features my favorite actor Hwang, and also beautiful music by violist Richard Yongjae O'Neill.

Love is pain, they say, and countless songs and stories croon about it time over time. Melodrama maestro Hur Jin-ho (``One Fine Spring Day,’’ 2001, ``April Snow,’’ 2005) does not disappoint in his fourth romance ``Happiness,’’ where he depicts love’s fleeting pleasures and lasting sting with poignant tenderness.

Things can’t get any worse for Yeong-jae (Hwang Jung-min), a heavy drinking, chain-smoking playboy: His nightclub goes bankrupt, his girlfriend deserts him and he might die from cirrhosis (point of interest: the club scene was shot in Apgujeong NB, which also closed its doors not too long ago).

He packs up everything and retreats to a rehabilitation center in the middle of nowhere, where he meets the most unexpected: true love. Eun-hi (Lim Soo-jung) suffers from fatally weak lungs, but despite her frail appearance she is stouthearted and takes care of the other patients. Yeong-jae and Eun-hi fall madly in love and move into a small house in the countryside. Each moment is filled with peace and Yeong-jae discovers a sweetness and profundity to life he never knew before.

Yet, ``for each ecstatic instant we must an anguish pay in keen and quivering ration to the ecstasy,’’ as Emily Dickinson wrote: As Yeong-jae regains his strength, he grows bored with country life and feels suffocated by Eun-hi’s devotion. Tempted by his friends and ex-girlfriend to return to the city, he leaves the woman that saved his life.

``Before, I couldn’t live without you, but now, you’re driving me crazy,’’ he tells her bitterly.

Actor Hwang Jung-min completely casts off his much-loved image as a passionately devoted husband in ``You are My Sunshine’’ (2005) as he trades in his boorish farmer clothes and potbelly for a dangerously sexy, chic urban look complete with a six-pack.

Although the film publicizes Hwang’s deterioration into a bad guy, his character, though contemptible at times, is far from being completely loathsome like Jonathan Rhys Meyers in Woody Allen’s ``Match Point’’ (2005) or Cho Jae-hyun in Kim Ki-deok’s ``Bad Guy’’ (2001).

``Happiness’’ is essentially a love story, but, at large, a realistic sketch of the human condition and a testimony of modern man’s dilemma. Weak-willed and lacking self-restraint, Yeong-jae is simply ordinary -- an antihero with completely normal, human flaws. You actually feel sympathetic for the guy who falls prey to the dark seductions of our oversexed, consumption-driven society.

The film is almost biblical in the sense that Eun-hi creates the prefect Garden of Eden for Yeong-jae, who is doomed to escape only to meet his downfall.

Even Su-yeon (Kong Hyo-jin), who leaves her dying boyfriend but later wants him back when he is recovered and with another woman, speaks to the no-strings-attached romance of our generation.

Lim Soo-jung personifies her character with such tenderness that you can never imagine anyone else playing the part. Compared with her previous role as a dying schoolgirl in ``…ing’’ (2003), the baby-faced actress makes a big step toward full-fledged ``womanhood,’’ and the snippet of the film’s love scene in its preview created quite a stir here.

Eun-hi is made of beauty in all its possible forms, with the tenderness of a guardian angel, devotion of a mother and the fervor of a passionate lover. Her almost too perfect character could have stopped short of being allegorical at best, but she becomes instantly terrestrial thanks to minute details that make all the difference. Any woman would be able relate to discreetly checking out one’s face in front of the man she pretends not to fancy.

``Happiness’’ is a memorable film that strikes both sense and sensibility -- leaving you to ruminate the nature of love while leaving a resonating vibe in your heart.

Coming to theaters Oct.3.

Middle-Aged Men Escape, Onscreen

A lineup of heartwarming family movies await audiences with Korea's thanksgiving holiday Chuseok around the corner. Among them, ``Bravo My Life,'' ``The Happy Life'' and ``Wild Hogs,'' show that one can never be too late to rock 'n' roll or hit the road on bikes. The latent spirit of youth awakens in middle-aged men, providing much laughter and tears for audiences of all ages, especially fathers.

White-collar Band Sings `Bravo My Life'

Four veteran actors, Baek Yoon-sik (``Art of Fighting,'' 2000), Park Jun-qu (``My Wife is a Gangster 2,'' 2003) and Ihm Ha-ryong (``Welcome to Dongmakgol,'' 2005) make breakthrough lead performances in ``Bravo My Life,'' now showing in theaters. Inspired by the true story of a group of white-collar rockers Gapgeunse (Grade A Earned Income Tax) Band, the movie traces the depressing retirement of Min-hyuk (Bae Yoon-sik).

Diligent but far from ambitious, 50-year-old Min-hyuk dedicated 30 years to his firm. Awaiting his retirement ``due to old age'' in 30 days, the man sighs deeply, saddened by the ``three tragedies of modern man: Having to retire while still young, breaking one's back to earn children's tuition fees and not even being able to die because of a longer lifespan.''

While Min-hyuk's employees prepare a special farewell gift for him, hidden talents of fellow workers are unveiled: Min-hyuk was once an aspiring rocker, with a flair for drumming, while Seung-jae and Seok-won turn out to be guitarists, and Jong-su is a saxophone player.

These four unlikely white-collar workers form a rock band and relive the glory of their youth, adding color and rhythm to their dull, monotonous lives.

Friends Celebrate `The Happy Life'

``The Happy Life'' thoroughly resembles ``Bravo,'' with four men reliving their youth by forming a rock band. Even one of the characters, Hyeok-su, also a gireogi father like ``Bravo's'' Seung-jae, and also has a pet turtle for company. Here, another set of four veteran actors, including one former child star, give life to colorful characters. ``King and the Clown's'' director Lee Joon-ik and male lead Jung Jin-young get back together in ``Bravo.'' Jung plays the role of an unemployed father, Gi-yeong, who lives on a daily allowance from his working wife while trying hard not to embarrass his teenage daughter. One day, he reunites with members of his college rock band Volcano at the funeral of their lead vocalist Sang-woo.

Former bass play Seong-wook lives a hand-to-mouth existence working two jobs while trying to maintain his upper-middleclass lifestyle. One-time drummer Hyeok-su makes a living selling secondhand cars to support his wife and children in Canada. Gi-yeong is inspired one day to revive Volcano: After much persuasion, the band regroups for the first time in 20 years, with the late vocalist's young son Hyeon-jun, played by grown up child-star Jang Geun-seok.

Although Volcano members manage to escape the mundane while onstage, they must face the anticlimactic moments of reality offstage. If an exciting rock performance is like a much-needed breath of fresh air for ``Bravo,'' it's like a sigh for ``Happy.'' While the drama culminates through the grand finale performance of ``Bravo,'' ``Happy'' shows how these men deal with ordinary life after tasting the sweet sensation of the stage spotlight.

Like ``Bravo,'' ``Happy'' celebrates friendship and family values, and shows that what is often called a mid-life crisis is but a small bump on the road. ``Happy'' will open across theaters Thursday.

Wild Hogs' Hit the Road

Four Hollywood favorites _ John Travolta, Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence and William H. Macy _ shine in the sliver screen as four middle-aged, suburban biker-wannabes.

In Cincinnati, dentist Doug Madsen (Time Allen) is bored with his middle-class life and reminisces his reckless youth when he was known as ``the Golden Biker.'' The aspirant writer Bobby Davis (Martin Lawrence) is miserable with his dead-end job and pressure from his wife. The computer geek Dudley Frank (William H. Macy) is painfully shy and unsuccessful with women. The wealthy Woody Stevens (John Travollta) is married to asupermodel, but his perfect life starts breaking apart unexpectedly.

Equipped with black leather gear and shiny motorcycles, four friends embark on an adventurous road trip, but ``a lot can happen on the road to nowhere.'' The movie provides endless laughter as these ``Wild Hogs'' get more than they bargained for when they encounter a New Mexico gang.

Showing exclusively at Cinus Theaters.

Inspiration of `My Father' Speaks About Family, Love

One of the most formidable people I've ever met.

Korea Times Photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Adopted by a loving American family at the age of six in 1979, Aaron Bates returned to Korea as an American soldier and began a search for his birth family. Years later, Bates was finally able to reunite with his ``biological'' father, who was a death row inmate.

But the fact that his father was a murderer did not bother him. Nor that they may be biologically unrelated.

``Love never fails, love conquers all,'' the adoptee told The Korea Times Tuesday at a Seoul hotel, while visiting for the release of the film inspired by his story ``My Father,'' starring Daniel Henney and Kim Young-chul.

``I try to see everything on the positive side. I couldn't wait to spend time with (my father). I said, well, this could be my last time. I didn't want to waste a golden opportunity,'' said the devout Christian, recalling the time he was about to see his father for the first time in 2000.

In 2003, a KBS documentary entitled ``My Father'' touched the hearts of many as it traced Bates' search. The film version has fictionalized parts ``but it captures the essence of my life,'' he said after watching the film the same evening.

``The only thing I asked (the makers of the film) is that they show the utmost respect to my father, to the victim's family, to my family and to have those positive results like adoption works, family values and love.

``The movie was truly heartfelt; I don't cry often but I choked up,'' he said. ``It was fantastic.'' Bates also met the lead actor, and said ``He's not just a pretty face. He's very emotional in his role, he really thinks about his role and really understands… The two actors (Henney and Kim Young-chul) were exceptional… The other actors are very important too, like the guy who plays So-young (Kim In-kwon).

``I'm still in awe this is really happening. It's a great privilege,'' he said. ``I hope (the movie) does wonders, not so much financially, but transmitting the message about love, forgive and forget, and you don't need to be blood to be part of a family,'' he said.

``Growing up, I was blessed in everything. It was just like being part of a (normal) family... When you love someone so much you don't see what their eyes, skin color are like. I'll never get rid of my skin color, my eyes… But if someone's really that keen about it, it bothers them, then I just don't associate with them. Those people are biased and they have their own prison _ they can't look outside the box,'' he said.

In the movie, James Parker could no longer date his Caucasian girlfriend because her parents thought he was ``different.'' Bates, too, broke up with a girlfriend because she did not want mixed-race children.

While stationed in the Unites States army base here, Bates was assisted by his KATUSA (Korean Augmentation Troops to the U.S. Army) buddy Kim So-young, to search for his family.

Kim also flew in from Canada for the movie premiere, and Bates said the character Joseph, modeled after his friend and played by actor Kim In-kwon, impressed him.

After Bates had left Korea and was undergoing special training in Washington, he received news about his biological father. He had to wait a few months to meet his father, until his training ended and he got special permission from the army to return to Korea.

Before the reunion the two corresponded through letters. Bates knew his father was in prison, but it was en route to the reunion, at the Gwangju train station, that he learned his father was on death row. ``It was shocking. Yes, he is a murderer. But we have a story because of our situation. I want to emphasize, though, that (the movie) is not about him. It's more about the relationship,'' he said.

``When people dwell in the past, it consumes you,'' said Bates, an optimist who does not feel anger about past evils. ``The fact that I could see my dad, that I could hold him, knowing that my search was not in vain, and if he died tomorrow, if he were executed tomorrow, I was very satisfied to know that I was able to hold my father. Not only for my sense of self-gratification, also for (my father).

``(My father) is in prison, he's in despair.'' Bates explained that the man suffers ``two imprisonments'' from his own guilt and physical detention. ``But now he has hope. If I were in that situation, I would love to see my son for the last time, and knowing that everything's OK.''

``My Father'' depicts the reunion, as it was in real life, a hectic affair with incessant camera flashes and reporters asking the bewildered young man to bow to the father in the traditional style, hug him and say I love you.'

``Yes, it was (theatrical)… But looking at the bright side of things, if it weren't for (the media) I wouldn't have been able to hold my dad for the first time; it would have been behind the glass.'' The media attention allowed the two to meet in a special room.

Yet, the KBS documentary also revealed a DNA test that showed Bates was not biologically related to his father. Bates' father Seo was married to Bates' biological mother at the time she gave birth to him. Although they may not be blood-related, he said, ``When you love someone so much, it really doesn't matter.''

``I went to see my father (last Monday), but they wouldn't let me, saying I'm not his real son.'' Fortunately, before leaving Korea in 2001, Bates had listed his name under the family registrar. Only when he presented the paperwork did the prison grant his visit. ``Everything happens for a reason,'' he said.

When asked about what enabled him to share his extraordinary yet very private story, Bates said, it was so that he could ``share with people… My life is beautiful. I'm an adopted kid, I have a loving family, adoption works, to give hope to kids like me. The media is a very powerful tool.''

Bates has been out of the military since 2002, and now works as an insurance agent. His incredible life experience does not end with ``My Father.'' The man stands firmly on two feet despite suffering a disc problem last year, which usually results in one being confined to a wheelchair. He lives in Arizona with his wife and nine-month-old son.

>>Read the movie review of "My Father."

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2007/09/141_9821.html

`My Father’ Paints Many Faces of Love

Among e-mails from readers were those from a Belgian woman whose young son is a Korean adoptee. She wanted to watch the film.... which is highly recommended for everyone, not just people of a certain familial background.

They say here that familial love flows downstream like a river, from parent to child. The depths of parental love for one's own child are universally deemed unconditional and immeasurable. While one cannot quantify love, love can also travel upstream, from child to parent, with great momentum.

``My Father,'' directed by critically acclaimed filmmaker Hwang Dong-hyuk and starring Daniel Henney and Kim Young-cheol, explores the multifaceted meaning of family, love, forgiveness and acceptance.

Inspired by a true story, the ``faction'' film (a combination of fact and fiction) traces the incredible journey of an adoptee searching for his birth family. Adopted by a loving American family at the age of five, the 27-year-old James Parker (Henney) joins the United States army and is stationed in Korea where he searches for his birth family. With the help of his KATUSA (Korean Augmentation Troops to the U.S. Army) roommate and buddy, Joseph (Kim In-kwon), James makes a television appearance and is able to locate traces of his past.

James finally finds his birth father Nam-cheol (Kim), the only surviving member of his biological family. But the highly anticipated reunion is far from touching, as it takes place in a local prison, under the chaotic flashes of cameras and reporters incessantly asking the bewildered young man to hug Nam-cheol and say ``I love you.'' The father is in his 10th year on death row for the murder of two people.

Despite all the odds, James learns to fully accept his father.

``Father'' is like a cup of coffee: The story is deeply rooted in the bitter-sweetness of reality, touching upon heavy, controversial issues from adoption -- Korea, while being a top global economy, is the fourth largest ``exporter of babies'' -- to local troubles with the U.S. army and the death penalty. Yet, the film possesses a deep, smooth aftertaste, filled with the aromatic moments of life as it fathoms the meaning of family and friendship.

The cinematography captures this dual nature, as a soft ray of sunlight fills stark, barren prison cells with warmth. Jo Geun-hyeon, art director of visually striking films like ``A Tale of Two Sisters'' (2003), transforms mundane spaces like the army base and squalid street corners into places resonating with life.

While the most gripping aspect of the film is the father-son love between James and Nam-cheol, the profound love in James' adopted family is equally touching. Families take on many forms, but love transcends all, blood-related or not. The strong, family-like friendship between James and Joseph is also heartfelt.

Henney, dubbed ``Korea's heartthrob'' with his chiseled, modern-day Prince Charming image molded through appearances in ``My Name is Kim Sam-soon'' (MBC, 2005) and ``Seducing Mr. Perfect'' (2005), has found his breakthrough role as an actor.

The model-turned-screec star gives a surprising performance as he delivers the complex emotional state of his character, through jerking tears, frustrated bursts of anger and awkward embraces with his father.

The contemptible yet sympathy-provoking Nam-cheol is brought to life by veteran actor Kim Young-cheol. The star of epic TV dramas like ``Taejo Wanggeon'' (KBS1, 2000) delivers, with much finesse, his first lead role on the big screen. The 54-year-old took off about 22 pounds and even had his teeth ground up to become a prisoner.

Noted in the international film circle through shorts, director Hwang Dong-hyuk makes his feature film debut. In addition to anticipating more three-dimensional roles from Henney, film buffs can expect more full-length movies from the up-and-coming director.

>>Read my interview with Aaron Bates, the inspiration of the true story.