FilmCriticLalitRao 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.

refresh daemon Bungee Jumping of their Own is the debut directorial effort by Kim Daeseung and after watching his other works, I have to say that certain things run through his films. The most prominent is that he has a strong fondness for flashback revelation. Now I could pin this on the writers, but his other two films also have a lot of flashback revelations and two-story elements that it's hard to ignore the connection between the films. The other notable thing is that all of his films boast great photography. Now, Bungee Jumping has a lot going for it, but it doesn't sit well with me because of its themes.The story is divided in two parts, the first in 1983 as we witness the development of a relationship between two college students. The second part is set in 2000 and, for whatever reason, the male protagonist is now a teacher, no longer with his then-girlfriend. The strange thing is that he finds himself noticing similarities between a young male student of his and his previous girlfriend. Unfortunately, to keep writing about this film, I will have to go into spoilers, so skip to the last paragraph for the recap if you don't want to see them.The story isn't actually a mystery, because the conflict has little to do with the fact that the young male student is so similar to his previous girlfriend, but rather how he can accept his feelings for a young male student. The conflict is internal angst within himself as he struggles with his identity as well as the greater struggle with both the student as well as the lines he cannot cross as a teacher (and husband/father as well). The structure of the storytelling is simple. It elides information at times but you can sort of fill in the blanks and so I felt that many of the flashbacks were a little redundant, but I guess in retrospect, they help fill a thematic space via repetition between present and past. Ultimately, the buildup works as it should in a film, leading to a climax and payoff.But, while I went through the expected emotions when watching a decent film, something really ate at me while watching the film and it wasn't the homosexual tensions, but that the underlying ideology, or perhaps lack thereof, of the film's theme really rubbed me the wrong way. Essentially, the film is a self-pitying tragic ode to "The One" theory of love with reincarnation and gender swaps thrown into the mix. Both main characters "know" that they are to be together and are torn apart by the circumstantial death of the woman. The conflict that happens later when she is reborn as a male is mostly internal and dealing with identity issues. This might be fine for those who believe is the "love the soul" concept that floats among some LGBT folk, but it doesn't even serve that audience because the two commit suicide in the end in order to reincarnate in more favorable heterosexual relationship. It's a "woe is me" tale of destined love separated by... destiny! Now, I have a problem with "The One" theory, in that there's just one person out there for everyone, but at the same time, I can watch a good movie with that as an underpinning ideology and be okay with it. The problem here is that Bungee Jumping is so wishy-washy about it all, disservicing the queer community that it, on surface, seems to be trying to relate, but also is inherently selfish in its ideology. The protagonist causes massive amounts of pain to his students, his wife (and presumably his daughter) and then runs away with the boy to commit suicide with no regard for the consequence on those around them. In a story about love, seeing such a thing isn't so much tragic, as the circumstances weren't something they could overcome or failed trying to overcome, but rather, they just escape with no consideration of who it might affect. And with such a terribly hypocritical undercurrent, it's hard to find myself liking this movie on that level.That's not to say it's a bad film. It's actually very well crafted as far as a melodrama is concerned. It doesn't wallow in sentimentality, does a great job at presenting the romance and the resulting conflicts and is really great to look at. It builds up your emotions and lets you go just as a melodrama should. I certainly found myself drawn in and affected at the end. Technically, the film is more than proficient with solid performances by the leads (and a couple supporting characters lend a lot to the film as well), wonderful design and costuming. Beautiful photography. But, still, the problem at the thematic core really prohibits me from loving this film. I don't think everyone will see it as a flaw and the rest of the film is so well put together that I can't call it a failure. But, I can't say I loved this otherwise proficient and even risk-taking example of mainstream Corean melodrama. 7/10.

Libretio BUNGEE JUMPING OF THEIR OWN (Beonjijompeureul Hada) Aspect ratio: 1.85:1Sound format: Dolby DigitalA high school teacher (Lee Byung-hun) suspects that a teenage boy (Yeo Hyun-soo) is the reincarnation of a girl he loved and lost 17 years earlier - and begins to fall in love with him...The Korean movie renaissance continues apace with this extraordinary film from debut director Kim Dae-seung, working from Ko Eun-nim's equally extraordinary script, which tackles the universality of love in all its myriad forms. Hoping to spring a surprise on the film's notoriously conservative domestic audience, the distributors omitted virtually all references to the 'gay twist' from advance publicity materials, promoting the movie as a story of enduring love (the opening section is no different from dozens of other romantic dramas produced in SE Asia every year), headlined by some of the country's most popular actors.Korean superstar Lee Byung-hun (JOINT SECURITY AREA) is utterly charming as the beleaguered protagonist who stands to lose his friends, family and livelihood because of a sudden, inexplicable identity crisis (he isn't 'gay' in the true sense of the word, he's simply found his soulmate in an unexpected place), and he makes a startling transition from gauche youth to confident adult, touched by eternity; his emotions are palpable, and deeply affecting. Lee Eun-ju is strong in a largely thankless role as the woman who captures Lee B-H's heart (sadly, the actress took her own life in February 2005), while rising star Yeo (BIRTH OF A MAN) holds his own as the young man caught up in circumstances beyond his control.A romantic melodrama in the true sense, Kim's remarkable film balances magic and realism with exquisite grace (look out for the 'waltz at sunset' sequence, guaranteed to warm anyone's cockles), though the climactic descent into darker territory leads to an unexpected finale which is both sad and liberating, all at the same time. Unfortunately, the film has been saddled with an appalling English title which makes it sound like some kind of comedy, and prospective viewers are urged to look beyond this minor blemish. Brave, emotional, and played to perfection by a sterling cast, this is transgressive cinema at its most compelling.(Korean dialogue)

Havan_IronOak 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?