Films | Movies

Speedy Scandal (2008)

Korean title: 과속 스캔들 (Gwa-sok Seu-kaen-deul)

What’s popping:

Cha Tae-hyun. Personally, I’ve developed a soft spot for the actor after watching him in Highway Star.

In this comedy, Cha portrays a former child star turned radio DJ Nam Hyeon-soo whose life turns topsy turvy when his past comes back to haunt him.

Life’s wonderful for the swinging bachelor – he lives in a posh apartment, has no problems with the ladies and hosts a popular radio programme. At work, ratings are on the rise because of a young unmarried mother who willingly shares her story with his listeners.

Teenage mother Hwang Jeong-nam (Park Bo-young) is a regular caller to DJ Nam’s programme. She talks about her young son Hwang Ki-dong (played by the adorable Wang Seok-hyun), how it’s like raising a toddler when she is still very much a kid herself, and her desire to find her father whom she has never met.

DJ Nam encourages her to find Daddy and before you can say “scandalous” a young teenage girl along with her son turns up at his front door claiming to be his daughter and grandson.

Such a scandal will ruin the career of the popular DJ, and so he tries to find out whether Hwang’s claim is true.

Not funny: Nam (left) wants to watch football instead of
Barney and Friends

Watching the carefree bachelor adjusting to instant fatherhood (and grand fatherhood) is amusing.

One night stands quickly become a thing of the past and are instead replaced by nights arguing with his grandson over which channel on TV to watch.

Cha is funny in his portrayal of DJ Nam. Try as he might to discredit Hwang’s claim, evidence points to the fact that he is indeed her father.

In flicks like these, one expects to see the protagonist gradually mature, but this isn’t quite the case here. DJ Nam remains very much “a kid” as the story progresses.

In fact, he is more of a friend than parent to Hwang. He encourages Hwang to realise her dream of becoming a singer by entering a competition organised by his radio station, and helps her become more fashionable after overhearing nasty remarks from his colleagues. That’s about as “fatherly” as he gets until a tragic incident occurs.

Bonding: ‘Thanks for the robot, Grandpa. Now I won’t tell Mom you
forgot to feed me yesterday.’

As for Hwang, the young lady finds it a relief to be able to have the time and means to pursue her ambition, even of DJ Nam isn’t Daddy material. Also, she may be an entertainer wannabe, but the responsible young lady, is first and foremost a mother.

Things become difficult for the new family when nosy reporter Bong Pil-joong (Lim Seung-dae) starts sniffing around for a scandal.

All in all, Speedy Scandal is an entertaining flick that has its hilarious moments, and keeps one amused throughout. And how about those side romance plots or cute as a pie Hwang Ki-dong sleepwalking huh? Funny!

The plot:

A teenage girl turns up at DJ Nam’s (Cha Tae-hyun) doorstep claiming to be his daughter. She even has a son in tow! The instant father/ grandfather doesn’t believe her and decides to find out whether the girl is telling the truth or not.

Talented: Keep Hwang Ki-dong (Wang Seok-hyun) away from
a pack of hwatu cards…you’ve been duly warned

Apart from that, he also has to prepare himself for the backlash if the scandalous story gets out to the media – a difficult thing to prevent especially when a nosy reporter is just waiting to expose his skeletons in the closet.

Watch it:
We bought the DVD at Speedy Video. RM16.90.

Pics credit: HanCinema

Related:
Cha Tae Hyun’s Speed Scandal tops box office

 

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