Love transcends time in Try to Remember
by javabeans
Fans of Coffee House’s endearingly awkward Dong-wook, played by Park Jae-jung, will be happy to know he’s starring in a movie — his big-screen debut — which opens this week. It’s a romance drama with Hero’s Yoon So-yi whose Korean title is literally Have We Met?, though its English-language title is officially Try To Remember.
The film is described as a “Joseon version of Ghost” and incorporates a famous true story known as the “Mother of Won-yi” incident; in 1998, an old letter was discovered at the construction site of a housing development in Andong.
In the trailer (watch below), Eun-kyo (Park), a famous photographer, travels to Andong upon hearing of an opening for a photography instructor. When he asks In-woo (Yoon) curiously, “Have we met before?” she looks at him blankly and says no, but he can’t shake the feeling of deja vu. Eun-kyo comes to recognize her as the woman he’s seen numerous times in his dreams — dreams and memories are big motifs here — and tries to understand how that can be.
One day, the news reports on a recently unearthed tomb dating back 450 years. An old letter found in the tomb, written by a woman, brings In-woo a curious feeling of sadness. As Eun-kyo tries to reconcile the woman in his dreams with the one in front of him, the screen copy tells us, “Even if time erases my memories… my heart remembers you.”
So basically they were lovers in the past whose love transcends time and brings them together in the present day. I’m sure I’ve seen this story done numerous times before, but there’s something about the trailer that draws me in. Maybe it’s the music — familiar, but effective — or the way the preview teases the couple’s relationship with little hints of their connection. Or the prettiness of the cinematography. Or Park’s slightly awkward, little-boy charm (which I’d first seen and found adorable in Coffee House as Eunjung’s bumbling suitor). Whatever it is, put all together into one pretty package, it works for me.
The film held a press conference last week, on November 17, where Park Jae-jung said, “I made my debut in a commercial, but since beginning career as an actor, I’ve always felt a big desire to do movies. The fact that I’m taking my first step in films is a big deal and a fortune for me.”
Meanwhile, Yoon So-yi explained, “This is a very heart-warming movie, and I was happy the whole time I was filming it. When I read the script, I made the first move in saying I wanted to do it.”
This movie is Yoon So-yi’s first film in five years, since Shadowless Sword in 2005. She has since acted in several dramas, such as Glass Castle and last year’s Hero. While I think she can be hit or miss — she has a cool air, I think, that sometimes makes her difficult to connect with — my favorite of her projects is 2006’s Goodbye Solo.
Try To Remember opens tomorrow, November 25.
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Tags: Park Jae-jung, Yoon So-yi
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1 a-a-a
November 24, 2010 at 3:34 PM
Cute
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ida
November 25, 2010 at 12:47 PM
that is exactly what i am thinking also..
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2 Annie
November 24, 2010 at 3:35 PM
The trailer is indeed pretty and the leads are very attractive together.
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3 woolly
November 24, 2010 at 3:44 PM
What is the "Mother of Won-yi" incident about? Sounds interesting.
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amg01
November 24, 2010 at 4:27 PM
In 1998 as JB said a 16th-century mummy of Eung-tae, a member of Korea's ancient Goseong Yi clan was found in a construction site, as they unwrap the mummy a letter written by his wife was found laying on the chest of the mummy, below its translation of the letter.
To Won's Father
June 1, 1586
You always said, "Dear, let's live together until our hair turns gray and die on the same day. How could you pass away without me? Who should I and our little boy listen to and how should we live? How could you go ahead of me?
How did you bring your heart to me and how did I bring my heart to you? Whenever we lay down together you always told me, "Dear, do other people cherish and love each other like we do? Are they really like us?" How could you leave all that behind and go ahead of me?
I just cannot live without you. I just want to go to you. Please take me to where you are. My feelings toward you I cannot forget in this world and my sorrow knows no limit. Where would I put my heart in now and how can I live with the child missing you?
Please look at this letter and tell me in detail in my dreams. Because I want to listen to your saying in detail in my dreams I write this letter and put it in. Look closely and talk to me.
When I give birth to the child in me, who should it call father? Can anyone fathom how I feel? There is no tragedy like this under the sky.
You are just in another place, and not in such a deep grief as I am. There is no limit and end [to my sorrows] that I write roughly. Please look closely at this letter and come to me in my dreams and show yourself in detail and tell me. I believe I can see you in my dreams. Come to me secretly and show yourself. There is no limit to what I want to say and I stop here.
http://www.archaeology.org/1003/abstracts/images/korea1.gif
(Courtesy Andong National
University)
Hope this helps!!!!
: O }
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woolly
November 24, 2010 at 4:41 PM
wow that's super cool ~ makes you feel for this lady even though you know she's long dead. Thanks Amg1!
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beppu10
November 24, 2010 at 5:04 PM
Wow, what a sweet but tragic love story...my heart goes out for that lady
I didn't know that mummies also existed in the Joseon era...
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cille
November 24, 2010 at 5:35 PM
oh wow! what a beautiful letter - it contains such a deep love that it gave me goosebumps.
i can't wait to see the movie!
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mukgu
November 24, 2010 at 6:04 PM
Awww...what happened to the guy?
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im_eve
November 25, 2010 at 4:07 AM
wow that kind of brought tears to my eyes..
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kopi
November 25, 2010 at 7:18 AM
Does this mean that the guy will die?
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Lenita
November 25, 2010 at 11:28 AM
thank you so much. such a lovely story, i'm tearing up.
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4 basha
November 24, 2010 at 3:45 PM
weeeeeeeeeha i loved him since you are my destiny, nice to see him in a movie with him being the leading actor^_^
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5 kay
November 24, 2010 at 4:33 PM
i loved him in coffee house! i watched i am sam just for him. gahhhh he is so charming
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6 mskololia
November 24, 2010 at 4:54 PM
I loved Shadowless Sword....The trailer looks endearing...
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7 Kender
November 24, 2010 at 4:55 PM
Okay, that looks adorably sweet. :O
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8 isabella
November 24, 2010 at 5:22 PM
He was in Prosecutor Princess too.
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9 lil_ole_me
November 24, 2010 at 5:29 PM
the girl kinda looks like kim so yeon to me
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10 marissa
November 24, 2010 at 5:34 PM
Sweet and heartwarming history. Here's a link I found about the story the movie is based on :
http://explorermf.wordpress.com/2010/02/21/16th-century-mummy-captivates-a-nation/
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11 christina
November 24, 2010 at 5:52 PM
This sounds interesting~ I haven't seen dramas/movies like this before. Do you have any titles I can search and go watch? I like these types...I think.
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Cassandra
November 24, 2010 at 6:15 PM
Have you watched the Hallmark movie Love Letters where the lead guy was writing letters to a lady who died over a hundred years ago. Lead guy is Scott Campbell forgot the leading lady Elizabeth something
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thesilentobserver
November 25, 2010 at 3:39 AM
Hahaha... I knew Hallmark would have done this one. I read this story somewhere in high school! I loved it, but I think it had the expository-disease, like many high-concept short stories. Oh well. Loved it anyway. :D
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12 anais
November 24, 2010 at 6:30 PM
The letter is rip-your-heart-out! It's heartening to know that some people loved that way even back then when marriages were arranged.
Yoon So-Yi - omigod. She's soooo purrrrrty. I've loved her ever since Say You Love Me, simply because she's sooooooooooooo purrrrrrrrty. But purrrrrrrrrrty in a way that's also cute and exquisitely beautiful. So rare for all three (cute, pretty, and beautiful) to be in one face. Can I be reborn with her face?
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13 hellochloe
November 24, 2010 at 7:00 PM
Oh i like him in CH alot! He's definitely going places ;)
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14 Roberta
November 24, 2010 at 7:00 PM
Ju
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15 violetish
November 24, 2010 at 7:07 PM
is she mentally ill too?
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16 anon
November 24, 2010 at 8:10 PM
AHHH i'm crossing my fingers that this movie will end happily....please no leukemia/cancer/mental disease in the present for the couple.
the authentic letter was so touching...it's tragic to think that such a beautiful love existed hundreds of years ago.
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17 Dara
November 24, 2010 at 8:31 PM
It's the music for sure and the cinematography too. This is your first talked about movie this year that really really pulls me in. I want to see it now!
I love the vibe, very Korean.
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18 Cam
November 24, 2010 at 9:43 PM
Oh gosh! O_o That ADORABLE guy from Coffee House -- I love him, of course, I really enjoy watched that drama, yupz! ^__________^
Oooh, this trailer seems very interesting but very deeply romance............(nods slowly)
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19 bd
November 24, 2010 at 10:17 PM
Yoon So-yi should be a bigger star than she is - loved her spunk in Arahan.
And Park Jae-jung was totally endearing in CH, even with the bad hairstyle and all.
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20 sugarpunch_deb
November 24, 2010 at 11:11 PM
OOH. i think i like the sound of it. but i just hope it won't get to 'artsy' though. can't wait, cos i love the two, especially park jae-jung despite his moustache.
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21 Roziah
November 24, 2010 at 11:57 PM
It is nice to know that even from back before people do fall in love very deeply. Modern generation always think that love is created by them and people from the past don't know what love is.
The love letter from Mother of Won-Yi to her husband, Eung-Tae really touched my heart. The pain of losing someone that you loved will always be the same, no matter from which decade or era you are.
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22 Mon
November 25, 2010 at 12:33 AM
I have a feeling that this movie is going to crush my heart.
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23 heejung
November 25, 2010 at 2:45 AM
i adore park jae-jung. he reminds me of a lost puppy; his eyes are so sad and yet.. adorable. ><
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24 carter fuller
November 25, 2010 at 3:33 AM
great post intesting keep it like this
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25 Trent
November 25, 2010 at 3:58 AM
He was also on WGM with UEE. They were both incredibly adorable. Hope his movie is successful.
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26 tm
November 25, 2010 at 7:57 AM
There is this scene in the trailer where he walked up the stairs with the hearts, and then the colourful flowers painted on the wall... may I ask if anyone knows where is that place?? It doesn't look like Jongno, the place where 2D1N had introduced before.. or is it???
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27 glacierkn
November 25, 2010 at 8:42 AM
wooow, I love Dong Wook:) he's just so cute! The movie seems a little slow though.
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28 hjkomo
November 25, 2010 at 8:53 AM
For some reason, Park Jae Jung reminds me of a younger Park Jung Chul.
The movie looks sweet.
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29 bumbleberri
November 25, 2010 at 12:34 PM
Anyone else feel a Joseph Gordon-Levitt vibe from the male lead?
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hester
November 26, 2010 at 11:59 AM
totally! I was wondering who that vague awkwardness reminded me of. :)
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30 ujsid
November 25, 2010 at 2:45 PM
wow i must definitely check this out!! hope it gets subbed soon...
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31 Carinne
November 25, 2010 at 2:52 PM
I always look forward to new facing in film, and Park Jae-jung has good looks and solid charisma. I hope to see more of him very soon. I do miss his Coffee House hair though.
Oh, I notice Dr. Champ's judo head coach is in it too.
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32 soo
November 25, 2010 at 2:56 PM
wahhh!! my hometown, andong! lol although i hate rom movies like this... [sigh] should i watch out of hometown pride? lolll
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