Superstar Gam Sa-Yong (2004) User Reviews

Well-balanced example of Korean movie

[luke-35 · 7/10 · 7 December 2005]

Too many Korean movies are currently emulating the stereotyped genre production of Holly Wood and HK cinema. However, this title shines among them because of its uniqueness and well-pacedness.

The plot is based on a real story and the hero is a real figure who is currently commanding a minor college squad. The structure and interactions among characters are nothing new, already experienced by many sport movies elsewhere. However, this movie preserves the austerity of exposing emotional fluctuation, and succeeds in drawing a shared opinion toward a commoner who struggles against and negotiates with highly competitive professional sport capitalism.

Nobody is winner or loser in this film and nothing is accomplished or discarded. Just everything is observed and experienced as the state it should and may be; and that is how this movie can have its own value and why this movie is praised by many local audiences and critics for its unheralded achievements.

Great baseball movie

[bluenooky007 · 9/10 · 13 November 2005]

The movie deals with the real life story of Kam Sa Young, a leftie for the Inchon Sammy Superstars, one of the six teams of the nascent Korean Baseball Organization.

The year was 1982 and the Korean Baseball Organization was established with six teams, each owned by a corporate sponsor. Kam Sa Young was actually an employee of the Sammy Group and a pitcher for the office team. His love for baseball leads him to try out for the new professional team. To his surprise and the surprise of his friends and family, he makes the team. The reason being he was the only leftie available.

This is a classic underdog baseball movie. The Superstars were a terrible team during the inaugural season, losing 18 in a row at one point. Kam Sa Young was a terrible pitcher as well, used for long relief and for mop up situations. However, his love of the game keeps him going and motivated, until he gets a chance to pitch the biggest game of his young career.

One a fateful night that season, he gets a surprise start against the best pitcher at that time, Park Chol Won of the OB Bears, who was riding a 19 game winning streak.(!)

I liked this movie for many reasons. First I'm a big baseball fan, and I think the love of the sport transcends all nationalities. It avoids the typical clichés of most underdog sports movies. The team member squabble during hard times, but they remain loyal to each other. The movie has no villains to root against. It tries to tell us that is most situations, we don't fight against a visible enemy but our demons. And ending will surprise many viewers, as it was NOT what I expected.

Overall, this is a heartwarming, well paced, and well acted sports movie. I recommend to everyone.