Films | Movies

My Sassy Girl (2001)

Korean title: 엽기적인 그녀 (Yeopgi-jeog-in Geu-nyeo) – literally: That Bizarre Girl

What’s popping:

It’s Cha Tae-hyun for me. I absolutely love this guy! He’s so funny.

The first Cha Tae-hyun flick I watched was Highway Star (2007) and the good news is, he’s equally funny here in this 2001 feature.

However, Jeon Ji-hyeon is very convincing in the film as well. The Sassy Girl’s so sassy, she’ll make you want to…er, get sassy with her yourself!

She comes across as such a nasty b*tch bully that you’ll feel like reaching over and poppin’ her on the noggin for such bratty behaviour.

But underneath all that attitude lies a vulnerable girl who has loved and lost. You’ll need patience watching the show, as it takes quite a while to get to the part where all is revealed.

The good thing is, the conclusion to the story surprised me. It makes watching all the abuse Gyeon-woo (Cha Tae-hyun) had to endure in his quirky relationship with the volatile Girl (her name is not given in the show) more bearable (I can’t help it, I *heart* Tae-hyun oppa. Hee hee).

While watching the flick, make sure you take note of the background information on the characters. They are actually (very) subtle pieces of a puzzle that will eventually be fitted together.

Squash-ed out: ‘Get up and be more of a man!’

I got a little tired of the show a little past mid-point but the big reveal totally saved it. In the end, I enjoyed the flick…it’s very clever.

So popular is the movie that Hollywood is making a remake of it!

To be directed by Yann Samuell, Hollywood’s version will be released in 2008 and stars Elisha Cuthbert and Jesse Bradford.

Will the pair be as hilarious as the Jeon Ji-hyeon and Cha Tae-hyun pairing? We’ll have to wait to find out!

The plot:

Partially based on Kim Ho-sik’s online serial, which details his relationship with his off-the-wall college girlfriend. The series was then compiled into a best-selling book and director Kwak Jae-yong turned it into a screenplay.

ID please: The couple show that they are old enough to par-tay &
old enough to drink, so buzz off.

It’s about how college student Gyeon-woo crosses path with a drunk girl onboard a late-night subway. Just before she passes out, she calls him Honey and the other passengers assume him to be her boyfriend; they demand that he takes care of her.

Gyeon-woo has no choice but to make sure the Girl is alright and in the process of doing so, vows to heal her sorrow.

Thus begins the adventures and misadventures of the quirky couple.

Watch it:

We bought the DVD.

Pics credit: HanCinema

10 thoughts on “My Sassy Girl (2001)

  • Catra7000

    when i first saw this movie a couple years ago, i was like "Whoa, Korean romcoms are so awesome!! where can i get more??" this is such a beautiful story. the characters are just brilliant. the ending always makes me cry. one of, if not my FAVORITE movies of all time!

  • Visionaryscribe

    Make sure, when you rent or buy My Sassy Girl, that you get the Director’s cut. I actually bought the movie online from a Malaysian source and three Amazon sources before I got the right one. The Malaysian version had many scenes cut (one scene was actually censored). One of the versions had horrible subtitles, and two of them were erroneously sold as Region 1 DVDs, when they were actually Region 3s.

    That said, I love the movie. It is my favorite movie. It’s full of obviously funny and sad parts; but there are also a lot of subtle parts that make a wonderful mosaic when it’s completed, like a beautiful quilt. It’s hilarious, sad, poignant, ironic, bittersweet, and romantic…and IT’S NOT A CHICK FLICK! 🙂

  • pauline

    the first korean drama i saw….Cha Taeyun was featured in it.. Prince’s First Love….i was hooked!!!I started making scrapbooks of Korean film stars..i really like him….i found out that you must have a box of tissues close by when watching Korean dramas.

  • sLaVe

    If you didn’t know, read all the “psychology” behind the movie on wiki. It’s very well explained. I thought I understood it, but there was a lot I didnt think about.
    -sLaVe

  • Clammy

    The story is actually based on a true story. The bit where Gyeon-woo starts journaling and writes his story about his relationship is very similar to how the actually writer ended up writing this movie. The ending, however, is different for the sake of the movie.

    I don’t think the english version will be nearly as funny, endearing, or even be similar to the original. Much of what makes My Sassy Girl so funny is cultural. Many of the jokes and situations are very culture specific, set in the korean culture. In the U.S., they just would not translate well.

  • Orchid

    Hi ~A, thanks for sharing that with us.

    I haven’t seen the movie (My Sassy Girl) although Liz has…so i’ll get to know a little bit more about you after i watch it eh? 😉

  • Gail T.

    this and “il mare” basically started me off my hallyu ride. i own the DVD (director’s cut) as well, and it’s priceless to me (i don’t loan it to just anybody).

    first anonymous poster, your story is kinda bittersweet. i think he were meant to go out with that Chinese guy so you can discover “my sassy girl”. that was his purpose. hehe..

  • kpop_rub

    OMG I love this movie soooo much! I love the Chemistry and that Jeon Jihyun and Cha TaeHyun have! I literally cried for 5 hours after watching, it really touched me!

  • Anonymous

    heard long long time ago that the ending is actually sad cuz the writer disclose in an interview that by the time the movie is released he haven’t got his ending . so the ending was made that way as it is his wish that he can see the girl again. but if not wrong, she never appear to him again. so its so sad!

  • Anonymous

    The first time I saw this movie I had a Chinese boyfriend. He gave me the movie and said him and his mom hated it because I had asked to borrow it. He said “It was so bad I wanted to cough up blood” or something. Anyways, I took the movie home and popped it in the player and knew we could no longer be together. The girl besides drinking was exactly like me. Even though said Chinese guy was hot as hell, I cannot accept someone who does not enjoy this movie or find the girl charming.
    That is my sad romance story.
    ~A

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