Bungee Jumping of Their Own

Have just arrived home from seeing this movie and felt I had to add my words of praise to a 'gentle' film about the most important thing in life - love and our relationship with that one 'true love' that some of us are lucky to meet during out life time.

For those like me, who were touched by a first true love this film is for you. As I watched it was like replaying a most awesome part in my life when I encountered that soul mate who I knew from the first second, was going to be the only one for me.

Others have done justice to the story and construction of the movie in their comments. For my part, I would simply say that if you have had that mystical encounter with that one true love for you then you 'must' seem this film if you see nothing else.

This is certainly - one of out the box!

This film is about a young man falling in love with a girl he meets on the street. She then disappeared without a trace. 17 years later, he is convinced that his girl reincarnated as his male student.

I did not know a thing about the film before I watched it, and I was completely blown away. The plot is amazingly well written. It is a very well told love story. The past and present are intertwined, and the past is revealed only when it is relevant to the present. The relationship between the young couple is well built, setting a great scene for subsequent developments.

The second part of the film portrays a forbidden relationship. They face a lot of self doubt and pressure from others. It exemplifies how hard it is to live an alternative life. And to think In-woo is doing so because he "knows" Hyeon-bin is special makes me wonder what price people would pay to love, and to honour previous promises. The little signs that In-woo uses to make up his conclusion is well planned and well placed throughout the film. I was amazed by it, as every scene shows its significance later on in the film.

Hyeon-bin and In-woo's relationship is a double taboo, and I congratulate the filmmakers for having the courage and determination to make this film. "Bungee Jumping of Their Own" is captivating and touching. It is like no other film. and I certainly recommend it.

Shy Korean boy meets pretty Korean girl when they share an umbrella in the rain. They finally get together only to have the boy leaving for military service. She's on her way to see him off when she's killed by a bus.

Skip ahead a few years and the boy is now a man teaching in a high school. He becomes convinced that his love has been reincarnated into the body of a 17 year old boy that is his student. What are they to do?

This love story is quite engaging. It portrays relatively simple, but very touching characters. There is an aura of innocence and naive charm that transpires.

The story itself is sweet. It deals with the themes of typical teenage romance (teasing, awkwardness, tension, comfort, confusion, initial steps into sexuality) and of deeper love (transcendence, bond, implicit connection, sharing, understanding).

The begging is excellent and shows Seo In-woo and In Tae-hee fall in love and figuratively leap together towards the uncertainties of life. They form a bond of heart-felt love, trust and appreciation. The cinematography and the dialogue of their sequences in the rain are magnificent. The right mixture of simple and grand. They're intimacy is also very well expressed and we feel like we almost fell in love anew as a viewer. Quite marvellously done.

After this exquisite prelude, the story then fast-forwards to a few years in the future, when Seo In-woo is now a professor. Little by little, we start to understand what has happened during the time gap and how the professor's inner world is resurfacing. It slowly comes back in a very interesting, non-conventional and unpredictable way.

While the characters remain simple, even if in conflict, the story then intensifies and reach a level of complexity and maturity that is truly exemplary.

The cinematography is again allowed to shine when we leave the classroom and even the interior scenes in Seo In-woo's home (or the earlier motel scene for that matter) are perfectly shot. Calculated, warm and poignant. The landscape, the window shots, the contrasts of light and colours are all top-notch. Picturesque. Incredible craft.

The dialogue is also very perky, often funny, and keeps the story moving along with ease. When it's not funny, it's deep and intense, allowing the actors to shine.

The resolution of the movie is at once unnerving and soothing. Unbelievable, but also fitting and true. We realize that it could not really have been otherwise. We are not sure if we approve or not, but we can somehow nevertheless understand. Life is also as such: we don't always agree with it, but in the end we have to accept it.

At a time when most South Korean films are full of violence, the making of 'Bungee Jumping of Their Own' comes like a breath of fresh air. It is a different kind of South Korean film which advocates the notion of love at first sight. This idea is reinforced when both protagonists declare that their undying love for each other is entirely due to have experienced love through 'love at first sight'. In this film, director Kim Dae Sung has used all his imagination to ensure that 'Bungee Jumping of Their Own' transforms itself into something more than merely an ordinary romantic film. . The film also makes good use of its reincarnation angle and a discussion about sexuality without being too overt. For this reason, love is celebrated in all its forms. One gets to watch how two lovers watch their love grow over a period of time. Actors Byung-Hun Lee and Eun- Ju Lee reveal their acting prowess at different times as the film depicts two different time periods. Lastly, this film is recommended for those viewers who would like to explore the world of romantic films which has been hitherto dominated by Hollywood films.