Windstruck
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| Windstruck | |
 Movie poster for Windstruck |
|
|---|---|
| Directed by | Kwak Jae-yong |
| Produced by | Jeong Hun-tak |
| Starring | Jun Ji-hyun Jang Hyeok |
| Music by | Choi Seung-hyeon |
| Cinematography | Jeong Han-cheol |
| Editing by | Kim Sang-beom |
| Distributed by | CJ Entertainment |
| Release date(s) | June 3, 2004 (South Korea) |
| Running time | 123 min. |
| Language | Korean |
| IMDb profile | |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul: | 내 여자친구를 소개합니다 |
| Hanja: | |
| Revised Romanization: | Nae yeojachingureul sogae habnida |
| McCune-Reischauer: | |
Windstruck (내 여자친구를 소개합니다 Nae yeojachingureul sogae habnida, literally "Let me introduce you to my girlfriend") is a 2004 South Korean fantasy-romantic comedy directed by Kwak Jae-yong. The film was a major success, ranking as the 8th-highest grossing Korean film of 2004.[1]
[edit] Plot summary
The film stars Jun Ji-hyun as Officer Kyung-jin Yeo, an ambitious young female police officer serving on the Seoul police department. One day while chasing a purse snatcher, she accidentally captures Myung-woo Ko (played by Jang Hyeok), a physics teacher at an all-girls school, who was actually trying to catch the thief. Later, Myung-woo discovers the stolen purse, but just as he picks it up, Kyung-jin spots him and tries to arrest him again. Kyung-jin is then given the job of escorting Myung-woo through a dangerous district, only to be distracted when she tries to break up a meeting between Russian Mafia and Korean gangsters. With Myung-woo handcuffed to her, Kyung-jin almost single-handedly brings down the two rival gangs (although she is helped when she accidentally causes the groups to start shooting at each other).
The first half of the film, told from Myung-woo's point of view, details the couple's growing attraction and love for each other, which climaxes with a trip to the countryside where Myung-woo tells Kyung-jin that if he were to ever to die, he wanted to come back to earth as the wind. Soon after, he is almost killed in a freak automobile accident, but Kyung-jin saves his life.
The film takes a turn into the fantasy genre in its second half, after Myung-woo is accidentally shot to death as Kyung-jin chases an insane criminal. Kyung-jin falls into a suicidal depression over his death and attempts to kill herself several times, finally almost succeeding when she throws herself off a building, only to be saved when a giant balloon floats under her. Soon after, she experiences visitations from Myung-woo, who appears as the wind, sending her messages and, at one point, he even appears in her dreams in order to give her the will to live after she is nearly shot to death by a criminal.
Ultimately the film follows a similar path set out by the American film Ghost with Myung-woo and Kyung-jin communicating and sharing one final gesture of love before he moves on to the afterlife.
[edit] Connections to My Sassy Girl
Windstruck shares the same leading actress and director as an earlier popular South Korean film, My Sassy Girl. As a result, Windstruck contains several subtle references to the previous film. For example, a photo of Jun Ji-hyun from My Sassy Girl is visible on Kyung-jin's piano(while playing the piano). Plus the final scene of Windstruck, in which Kyung-jin meets her new soul mate (played by Cha Tae-hyun, the male lead from My Sassy Girl) on a train platform, is similar to the beginning of My Sassy Girl and her character from My Sassy Girl is distraught over the death of her true love (which leads fans to believe Windstruck is sort of an unofficial prequel to My Sassy Girl)
Also, at the end of Windstruck, Myung-woo said the name of Kyung-jin to her soulmate, in contradiction or maybe as an answer for My Sassy Girl, where the girl's name is unknown.
[edit] Soundtrack listing
- Knockin' on Heaven's Door (Youme)
- BK Love (MC Sniper)
- Tears (X Japan)
- BK Love (MC Sniper)
- The Passion Of Myungwoo
- Cafe Eh Suh (At the Cafe)
- Da Sut Bun Jjae Chung Hon Ja (The Fifth Suitor)
- Jae Hwe Eh Theme (Reunion Theme)
- Jae Hwe Eh Theme (Reunion Theme) (Fast Ver.)
- Wind of Soul (I Will Stay For You) (Youme)
- Guh Gi Uh Di Ya? (Where are you?)
- Gang Mool Sok Eu Ro (Into The River)
- Youme - Parangeerato Chopta
In addition to the above, the first half of the film makes frequent use of the 1960s classic "Stay", both in vocal and instrumental form.
