Wi-heom-han sang-gyeon-rye (2011)

When cartoonist Hyun-joon (Song, Sae-Byeok) falls in love with Da-hong (Lee, Si-young), one of his fans, it sets up the archetypal battle between their two families, who are from rival ... See full summary »

Director:

Jin-yeong Kim

Writer:

Ha Myeong-mi

Stars:

Sae-byeok Song, Si-young Lee, Yun-shik Baek

Cast

Cast overview:
Sae-byeok Song	...	Hyeon-joon (as Sae-Byeok Song)
Si-young Lee	...	Da-hong
Yun-shik Baek	...	Yeong-gwang
Su-mi Kim	...	Choon-ja
Eung-soo Kim	...	Se-dong
Cheol-min Park	...	Dae-sik
Jeong-Nam Kim	...	Yeong-ja (as Jeong-nan Kim)
Jeong Seong-hwa	...	Woon-bong
Hyo-ju Park	...	Jin-kyeong
Do-yun Kim	...	Yoon-sook
Jeong Mi-Seong	...	Nightclub
Dong-soo Kim	...	Gwangju nightclub reservist 1

Storyline

When cartoonist Hyun-joon (Song, Sae-Byeok) falls in love with Da-hong (Lee, Si-young), one of his fans, it sets up the archetypal battle between their two families, who are from rival regions. Hyun-joon comes from the politically liberal Honam region (North and South Jeolla) while Da-hong comes from the conservative Yeongnam region (North and South Gyeongsang). When the two declare their intention to marry, they are confronted with a seemingly endless number of barriers that threaten their happiness.

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site [South Korea]

Country:

South Korea

Language:

Korean

Release Date:

31 March 2011 (South Korea)

Also Known As:

Clash of the Families

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

User Reviews

Runs out of steam.

Clash Of The Families or Meet The In Laws as it is also known, is a broad comedy that was a big hit at the box office in Korea that has managed to spawn a spin off film that was released earlier this year.

The film is set in the immediate aftermath of the Seoul 1988 Olympics and concerns itself with the blossoming relationship which starts during Hyun Jun's tenure in the army when he receives pen pal letters from Da Jong. The major obstacle in their relationship is that they are from two different regions in Korea; Hyun Jun is from the liberal, laid back Jeollanamdo area and Da Jong is a resident of Busan in Gyeongsangnamdo, renowned for its political conservatism, frankness, fiery tempers and bad driving. The parents of Da Jong and Hyun Jun are staunchly against their union due to their prejudices about their provinces. This is where all of the films humour comes from and as a non-Korean speaker, a lot of the gags surrounding accent and stereotypes may be lost.

The knockabout comedy is flimsy with regards to plot and though the leads are initially very endearing the script does little to keep interest. One of the best things about the film is Song Sae Byeok's portrayal of Hyun Jun, the quiet, romantic writer which is subtle and effective.

There is enough to enjoy in the first hour, the tone is light and playful and there are enough laughs but the second half drags, the plot, or what there is of a plot is overdrawn, the same jokes are rehashed over and over and the conclusion is visible a mile off. Some editing and a few more gags could have elevated the film into something more but as it stands, the film falls rather flat.