Cyrano Dating Agency

So if Perfect Couple was an example of B grade fluff, Cyrano Dating Agency is bringing its A game.  

Cyrano Dating Agency stars Lee Min-jung (who will be in the upcoming Big with Gong Yoo), Uhm Tae-woong, Park Shin-hye, and Daniel Choi as unemployed stage actors who decide to use their drama skills to help the lovelorn win their hearts' desire.It's basically a modern retelling of Cyrano De Bergerac, only instead of letters they are using high tech surveillance equipment.

First of all, the cinematography and the set design is lovely.  The set for their home base in an old theater has all of these lovely warm tones and antique theater props.  The soundtrack is perfectly understated as well.  Here's a video of the song that features prominently in the plot line:

AGNES BALTSA - Aspri méra ke ya mas

Like the song, there is a certain dreamy quality to the film and it's not a fast mover.  This is one you just kind of sit back and go with the flow on.


The cast works well together, the plot isn't wholly unexpected if you know the source material but the journey is a pleasant one and the angst isn't overwhelming.  In fact there is a definite sweetness to it that I enjoyed a great deal. 

My Love

I finally saw the movie that this video is referencing.  My Love came out in 2007 and stars a lot of people you are probably familiar with:  Uhm Tae-woong (Equator Man), Jung Il-woo (Flower Boy Ramen Shop), Choi Kang-hee (Protect the Boss) among many more.  It's got that whole Love, Actually cast of thousands, multiple intertwining stories thing going on.  

It does a good job of balancing the sweet with the poignant and even when it's sad it offers hope.  I can handle sad if there is hope.  I can't really say more than that.  A movie of this type, being a series of vignettes more so than a story, there's not a lot for me to talk about without revealing plot points.  But I do recommend it.

Perfect Couple

2007 action rom-com starring Hyun Young and Lee Dong-wook. 

This movie is pure candy-coated popcorn.  There are lots of cute, funny moments strung together with some action scenes and enough bare bones of a plot that you have a reason to root for the hero.  


You know that movie that you've seen in 10 minute snips simply because every time it's on cable you find yourself watching it and the only reason you've seen the whole thing is because they play it so much.  This is that movie. 


Reasons to Watch:  Lee Dong-wook spends most of the movie angry.  He is, like, the hottest pissed-off guy ever.  So the director said, "You know, I think we're going to play to that strength."  So the movie knows exactly what it is and doesn't try to pretend that it's something more.  It is B-grade fluff and it goes with it.  Also, Hyun-Young has great comic timing and isn't afraid to be ridiculous. Plus she has a cartoon character voice that you will either love or hate. Personally, I thought it added to the comedy.

Innocent Steps

One of my all-time favorite movies is Strictly Ballroom, so when I saw the synopsis for this I was sold. 

It stars Moon Geun-young and Park Geon-hyeong.  She's channeling her Mary character from Mary Stayed Out All Night a little bit in this one.  She's got the innocent waif thing DOWN.  In this case, she's an ethnic Korean from China in danger of human trafficking and Park Geon-hyeong is the best ballroom dancing instructor in Korea who is recovering from a leg injury and trying to find the will to dance again.  


The romance in this is incredibly sweet and the soundtrack is awesome.  I'm not familiar with Park Geon-hyeong's other work but he and Moon Geun-young do a great job with the choreography.  The angst is good and serves the story well without being too over the top.  I also liked the character arc that both the main characters go through; they both change for the better and I felt the happy ending was earned.


The story itself is pretty simple, there's no deep message here, but I liked the movie a lot and I would definitely watch it again.


Tropes that sucked me in:  Contract marriage, forced living situation, ugly duckling turned swan (though in this case it was more clumsy duckling turned graceful swan).

100 Days With Mr. Arrogant

Okay, I thought this was really funny.  It stars Ha Ji-won and Kim Jae-won. This came out way back in 2004 and the role is hugely different from anything else I've seen Ha Ji-won in as she's playing a high school senior (though she still gives the stink eye like nobody's business).  Also, is there anyone that she doesn't have sizzling chemistry with?  I swear they could cast her opposite a chair and we would all be convinced she and that chair are the OTP.

It is also my opinion that you should watch this movie for the scene where Ha Ji-won does a Sailor Moon impersonation.  It's worth it. Trust.


Kim Jae-won plays the rom-com staple of Rich Jerk, although I think it's obvious from the beginning that he's manipulating the situation because he likes her.  He holds her responsible for a ding on his car bumper and she agrees to become his slave to work off the debt.  And hilarity ensues!


Goony stuff:  They call each other Master and Slave. Yeah. I'm not going to touch that one.  Also there is some gross out humor that made me actually gag at one point. 


But I really got annoyed by the WTF ending.  I don't even know what happened there, or who tacked that on and thought it would be a good idea.   My theory is that they thought they were making her too wimpy and so decided to switch things up to....I don't know.  But I didn't think it was true to the character and the story they had been telling up to that point at all. 


Tropes that sucked me in:  Contract Relationship, First Love, Sassy Female Lead