After nearly having dancing career destroyed when his leg is stomped upon at a dance competition, Na Young-sae is given another chance by his manager when he is paired with an ethnic Korean girl from China Jang Chae-min. In order to keep the girl in South Korea Young-sae's manager informs him that he will also have to marry her. This situation causes Young-sae little grief and he soon goes through the formalities of marrying the girl. However, things quickly turn for the worse when it is discovered that Jang Chae-min is really not Jang Chae-min but is instead Jang Chae-rin, Chae-min's little sister. It seems that Chae-min has a fiancé who is unwilling to marry her if she travels to the decadent land of South Korea. Angered by this situation, Young-sae's manager beats Chae-rin and apologizes to Young-sae. Chae-rin, played by Mun Geun-yeong, however, is determined to learn how to dance so she gets a job at a less than reputable location. After she informs Young-sae of this, he comes to pick up the young girl and bring her back to his home.
In Young-sae's flat Chae-rin begins a rigorous study of dance. At first very stiff, Chae-rin soon loosens up and becomes a bit more comfortable with Young-sae. Also Young-sae, whose heart was broken when his former dance partner left him for his rival and South Korea's best dancer Jung Hyun-soo, begins to feel affection for the young girl. However, right when the fruits of their labor near the ripening point, the duo's little world falls apart when Hyun-soo enters into Young-sae's life once more.
In the tradition of other dance films such as Murakami Ryu's Because of You, Suo Masayuki's Shall We Dance?, and the like, Park's film Innocent Steps displays how the passionate art form of dancing, especially the samba and the cha cha which are the primary dances in this film, can bring people closer together, however, in this film I think the subject matter is handed rather heavy handedly. A bit of the problem might be with the actress Mun Geun-yeong whose young age and inexperience, she is only eighteen, might act as a bit of a hindrance to being able to portray true romantic love. However, her teary, sniffly performance when she is looking for Park Kyun-hyeong's character is well done and will probably turn on the waterworks for more sensitive viewers. She is also a great crier a skill that is readily displayed in this film.
While definitely not a great movie Innocent Steps will make a good edition to the collections of those who enjoy Korean romantic film.
In Young-sae's flat Chae-rin begins a rigorous study of dance. At first very stiff, Chae-rin soon loosens up and becomes a bit more comfortable with Young-sae. Also Young-sae, whose heart was broken when his former dance partner left him for his rival and South Korea's best dancer Jung Hyun-soo, begins to feel affection for the young girl. However, right when the fruits of their labor near the ripening point, the duo's little world falls apart when Hyun-soo enters into Young-sae's life once more.
In the tradition of other dance films such as Murakami Ryu's Because of You, Suo Masayuki's Shall We Dance?, and the like, Park's film Innocent Steps displays how the passionate art form of dancing, especially the samba and the cha cha which are the primary dances in this film, can bring people closer together, however, in this film I think the subject matter is handed rather heavy handedly. A bit of the problem might be with the actress Mun Geun-yeong whose young age and inexperience, she is only eighteen, might act as a bit of a hindrance to being able to portray true romantic love. However, her teary, sniffly performance when she is looking for Park Kyun-hyeong's character is well done and will probably turn on the waterworks for more sensitive viewers. She is also a great crier a skill that is readily displayed in this film.
While definitely not a great movie Innocent Steps will make a good edition to the collections of those who enjoy Korean romantic film.