Haeuhhwa (2016) Reviews

• Vulnerability breaks my heart

  lthan2016-09-19

  I first watched the movie because my favorite actor from DongYi, Han Hyo-joo is one of the leading actress. This movie really has my tears, because it portraits such vulnerability and regret that any human being could go through. The leading actress, Soo Yol, was so innocent and lovable in everything she did. But she was too, a child that never grows up, and she was buried in the thought of revenge. I felt sorry for this character, she lost the love of her life. Her best friend dies, and although she is the one who survives, she suffers more than anyone could know. And sadly, her suffering was caught mostly by herself. She killed her inner-self and became someone that I felt like herself would have disdain greatly, just to desperately gain the acceptance of her beloved, not anyone else. The male leading actor, is someone who you could just see in real life: A person who thought he is in love until he meets someone else. Many people cannot accept him for betraying Soo Yol love and belief, but all I feel is pity for him. He could not understand himself, and hurt all of them three. So I have learned in order not to hurt people, we must learn ourselves and be aware of our illusion.

• Characters swept by the current of colonial history

  crchew2016-12-27

  For me, the enchanting aspect of the movie is that it explores the relationship of arts with the people. The two characters, best friends So-yul and Yeon-hee, start off as young trainees in a house for gisaeng. Gisaengs were like geishas, and the women played the role of (traditional) artists and entertainers for aristocratic events. This movie's setting is in the Japanese occupation era, so the gisaengs are mainly entertaining the Japanese military personnel. So-yul is exceptionally talented in the traditional arts and she could sing the 'jangga' (a type of trad song) very well. However, her boyfriend Yoon-woo is a pop song composer. As much as he respects the Korean traditional arts, he thinks that the entertainment by gisaengs are for the upper class and are unable to provide comfort to the general public suffering under the colonization. He tries to persuade So-yul into singing pop, but she realizes that her interests still lie in the traditional arts. Meanwhile, the gisaengs look down on pop-singers, stating that pop is just an inferior form of art appreciated by those with no refined taste. I was expecting the story to be about So-yul changing her path from a traditional artist to a pop-singer, but that happens to Yeon-hee instead. So-yul watches as her best friend Yeon-hee, is discovered by people as the uprising talent in pop and grows close to Yoon- woo. Eventually, So-yul goes down the road of revenge after she learnt that both her boyfriend and her best friend betrays her. Haeuhhwa itself is not only a personal story about a thrilling triangle romance but it is also a depiction of the greater circumstances that the characters are living in. Sometimes I wonder if So-yul would end up better if she does not take drastic measures to prostitute herself to the highest power in the Japanese military in exchange for the power to take revenge. Given her talents, she would have become a legendary figure in the history of modern gisaeng. However, when one thinks from the perspective of So-yul, it is clear that any accomplishment means nothing because she would only be an object of desire by the colonialists who claimed to have 'fine taste' in traditional arts. The status and dignity of a gisaeng in that era, clearly put, was tainted by the foreign occupation. Towards the end, there was a scene where the Korean people ransack the houses of gisaengs post-liberation. It was so sad to watch because as time changes, a different group of people become the target of criticism. The gisaengs were only trying to make a living under the colonization, but they were perceived as 'traitors of the Korean people' because they entertained the Japanese power. I also want to commend the cast for their acting skills. Han Hyo-joo is good at portraying both the pure side and the vengeful side of Yeon-hee. I have never seen her playing a dark role before (hence the surprise at the plot twist), and I think she did it well.

• Love in the war time

  heniekb2018-12-10

  I watched it mainly to see Yeon-Seok Yoo however i must say i got totally enchanted by the historical set up of the movie. It reveals a Korean struggle in the music industry under Japanese occupation. I thought this is a very original idea to add some light to these unusual historical facts. Also the singing was so very exotic and beautiful. Overall it was unexpectedly a very enjoyable experience. Though the love story wasn't that exceptional it was greatly compensated by the set up.

• Jealousy is dangerous

  h-799732018-07-12

  Of all human feelings, jealousy is one of the most tangled and unending feelings, because other feelings come into being and develop in a particular time and scope. Sometimes it happens only occasionally.