As an avid fan of Asian cinema, I did of course jump at the chance to sit down and watch "Rules For Dating" (aka "Yeonae-ui mokjeok") when I happened to find the DVD movie by sheer luck.
The storyline did have some good and bright moments, however, the overall impression of the movie that I was left with was little more than mediocre. Why? Well, because the story just wasn't outstanding, nor were the events that took place throughout the course of the movie.
"Rules of Dating" is about a young teacher who has transferred to a new school to evade her troubled past. But the teacher who takes her under his wing for tutelage is driven by an insatiable sex drive, and soon starts making his advances on the new teacher. This relationship soon starts to turn troublesome for the new teacher and things from the past start resurfacing.
The acting in the movie was good enough, but it was just hindered by a wobbly storyline which sent the characters off course. And that was one of the reasons why this movie just didn't really rise above mediocrity for me.
But worse of all was the ending; that really was the drop that ultimately kept the movie in the mediocre soup. After all the things that had happened to the characters and the story, then it just made no sense why the woman teacher would do what she did. And it was just one of the more ridiculous movie endings I have seen in a long, long time.
"Rules For Dating" was not an impressive directorial debut for Jae-rim Han, whom later has moved on to make far better movies.
For a South Korean movie, then "Rules For Dating" wasn't outstanding or particularly thrilling. There are far better movies available if you enjoy South Korean movies. And this is hardly a movie that you will watch more than once, because the storyline just doesn't have enough contents to support multiple viewings.
