One Fine Spring Day (2001)

That was an excellent one.

An absolute waste of money

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

.Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

Its not about plot, not about twist nor about something unbelievable. This is a film that concentrate on characters and their different points of view. Dialogues are very modest in expression. Director uses rather non-verbal communication. Shy look there, insecure touch there or actions that tells us more then words. All that accompanied by great cinematography complemented by sensual music or sounds of bamboo. Audience can enjoy that thanks to slow storytelling and long pauses filled with body language. Back to the story. Jin-ho Hur tells a story about 2 individuals and their evolving relationship. Sang-woo is a young sound technician inexperienced with strong feelings. He meets Eun-so recently divorced radio announcer. Director shows the beginning of their relationship with creating overwhelming atmosphere of excitement and happiness that even spreads on the audience. **Spoiler Alert**However just like in life at some moment everything starts to go wrong. Director don't give us clear answer what is going on because just as it happens in those situations you can only insinuate. From this point everyone starts to cheer only for one of the main characters. Those less experienced by love go with Sang-woo. Those that tasted ups and downs of loving stand with Eun-so no matter which sex they're representing. Ending is perfectly directed. As Eun-so and Sang-woo meet up after some time she puts him again at crossroads. As he declined its clear that he finally made peace with it. As she goes away we can clearly see his hesitation. In this moment thanks to film shot without depth of field her going away is like fading of a memory. ** End of Spoilers**As i mentioned before great cinematography is accompanied by amazing music and that builds great background to the story. However at some point this omnipresent music started to get on my nerves. I just think there is a little bit too much of it. As someone before me noted the easiest way to describe this film is to quote Alfred Lord Tennyson: "Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all"

I saw this film at the San Francisco film festival several years ago. I had a ten film pass and this ONE film made sitting through some of the other very boring, tedious films worth the price of the ten pass ticket (note: I am an avid foreign and independent film person). The cinematography, film score, editing and acting are superb. I still have the one of the films amazing images - a bamboo forest waving in the winds engraved in my memory.I hoped to see it on the independent and film circuit after the film festival, so that I could let others know to go see it .... but it never showed up. I have found it for sale online but not with and English subtitle. I hope, that eventually, the films distributors, either release it for a US theatrical run or put out an English dubbed version so that I can but it.

When I finished watching this film, I was reminded of what poet Lord Tennyson said about love: 'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. And I agree with others who have commented here on the film that it s only if you have loved and had been loved that you fully appreciate the film.One aspect of the film that I found most interesting was that Eun-su (Lee Yoeng-Ae) and Sang-woo (Jit-taeYue) met and fell in love because of sound but yet the acting was mostly silent. A simple gesture or a grimace here and there conveyed with clarity the powerful emotions and inner turmoil of these two main characters.I am grateful that I saw the film. It was so refreshing and so different that it was sort of a catharsis and I actually said to myself, "I needed that" when it was over.

This is Damn Good Drama !!!There is no talk about this movie, you know why? I won't let you know. If you want to know what it is. You have to see it for yourself.then you love this movie!