Always (2011)

Finally! I watched Only You with high expectations and mostly...I wasn't disappointed.

The acting and chemistry between So Ji Sub and Han Hye Joo are what make this movie great. It's no secret I am a huge fan of So Ji Sub and I am very glad to see him do such a great job as Cheol Min ~ a man with a violent past who is struggling to rise above, better himself and repent the mistakes of his past. But I couldn't give this movie a higher score than 8.

Only You actually has a really great story set up: The rough, bad boy boxer unexpectedly meets a spunky, upbeat, innocent and mostly blind girl and they fall madly in love. Angst ensues when he tries to raise the money for an operation for her sight. I was thrilled watching the development of their romance. The way this movie played out would have gotten a higher score from me if they wouldn't have added the recycled element of connecting fates. The totally over used plot device of fate tying two lovers together is what drops the overall score for me. Time and again I see this scenario used in Korean movies and dramas and it gets old.

But the scenes between the lovers are filled with sweetness, sizzling chemistry, humor and heart. So Ji Sub is an extremely emotive actor who portrays every emotion in his eyes, expression and body language. He's just plain good. Call me a fan girl if you will but the man is talented. Han Hye Joo is also a favorite. I really liked her in Postman to Heaven and even more in Only You. She's one to watch for I think. I'd really like to see her in a drama again.

All the technical elements are there. Gritty, harsh lighting and gloomy settings and set design are used for his world and warmer light and more lovely settings are used for her world. When they are together everything is brighter. A nice touch by the cinematographer.

The music was very nice. Memorable in the opening sequence, in the love theme and the closing credits. I gave it a 9.

The re-watch value I give a 7 because in my case, the strength of my liking for the lead actor will have me watching this again. Others may feel differently.

Only you is a typical love story: touching, filled with angst but also includes a lot of light moments as well. I recommend it highly for all of us romantics out there.

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I loved this movie, the months I was waiting to watch it were not wasted...
Han Hyo-Joo confirmed one more time her acting talent and bringing tears to my eyes.
If somebody asks me to tell them about this movie in two words, I'll say 'warm sun'... This movie gave so many warm feelings...
Director's and cameraman's work is brilliant... The game of lights in this movie, in my opinion, is one of the main positive effects... Because of the light in the movie... everything is printed in the smallest details in my brain... the girls clothes... the guys hair... the sun in the room... the beautiful kiss... the family feeling with the dog... the massage...the drama watching time...their field full of the yellowest flowers...her, touching his face to 'see' him... (I can go on, until I've told the whole movie..thehe).
Though the plot is not something brilliant and new for a Korean movie, actors and the crew makes the movie unforgettable, in my opinion..
Watch it, you won't regret!

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after such a long long time i've watched such a perfect movie..this movie has it all..from the perfect cinematography to the perfect cast..the direction is awesome as well

the story is refereshing where for the first time i see the heroine who's blind and lives her life simply but happily..and our hero is a brooding young man of 30..no playboy or owner of a big conglomerate.breaking away from stereotypes this movie shows the dark side of human nature and how some people rise from the shadows like phoenix rises out of its own ashes.a perfect score for the story.it has such moving scenes and so many sweet moments one could almost die with all this love in the air..:D

So Ji Sub literally breathes life into the character of Cheol min..He knows how to act and delivers a stunning performance throughout
Han hyo jo as jeong hwa is simply superb.earlier in Heaven's postman she was good but here she proved that she's a brilliant actress.this movie is the kind where after watching it,it leaves you with a happy feeling where in happiness you could almost fly.

the music is heartbreaking and simply fits in all the right places

this movie should be watched by anybody who likes beautiful cinematography,brillaint acting and strong plot..it's just such a gem of a movie not to be looked over..its one of those rare movies which will appeal even to a person who's not a romantic at heart at all.

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My Mini Back-Story:

It was late and I was bored, so I didn't have time for a new drama. Hence, I went ahead and looked for a movie in my "to watch" list. Ta-dah!

Storyline:

The storyline is in no way original. I've seen this happen in several melodramas before. It felt like a deja vu. Nonetheless, it was heartfelt and touching overall.

So if you're ever in a mood for another melodrama-I've-seen-it-before with good acting, then here is what Only You has to offer...

a) Looking for cute couple or nice feel romance? Here is the right place! I thought our OTP worked really well together. I've long overused the phrase "they complement each other". Though, it's true! That phrase applies here too. I also loved our two leads' complexity, but I wish they delved more into their dark pasts.

b) Sports/Fights. Want to see some MMA? Check this out. There are quite some worthy cringing gory scenes.

c) Willpower. I love how Han Hyo Joo's character, Jeong Hwa, is always so optimistic/cheery despite her circumstances. It was inspiring. Han Hyo Joo always lights up my mood.

d) Good pacing. I didn't find that it was too slow at any point. I wouldn't say perfect pacing either, but it never bored me.

e) Funny moments. Not laugh out loud moments, but I did chuckle a few times at the beginning from our OTP interactions.

If you're an avid drama watcher like me, then you've probably seen this storyline from somewhere before. Though, it's not done badly. It just wasn't something that blew me away.

Acting/Cast:

Great acting from Han Hyo Joo and So Ji Sub. Actually, the movie's strongest point goes to the acting.

This is the first time seeing Jyo Hoo in a movie and she gave a good impression like always. Though, I hope she won't stop acting in tv series.

She acted really well as a blind person. The way she looked at Ji Sub's character, Cheol Min, was really expressive. The same applies for Ji Sub. The way he marveled at her makes me believe that he truly loves her. They're both very expressive actors.

Though, the acting wasn't phenomenal. I've seen them act better in previous projects. Not to say that they didn't excel here, but it wasn't anything new.

I wish they delved more into the main characters' minds. I felt like I never understood them inside-out. I still had some lingering questions at the end about our main characters.

Music:

The songs were pleasing to my ears/heart while watching the movie. I especially liked the instrumental ones playing during the scenes where Cheol Min was boxing.

Truthfully, I don't remember much about the songs as soon as the movie ended.

Bonus:

Puppy/Dog!!!

Overall:

Nothing jaw-dropping or mind-blowing.

If you want something simple/slightly tearjerking/enjoyable then watch this. Other than that it's not a must-watch. If you're a fan of Han Hyo Joo (like me!) or So Ji Sub then this movie will definitely not disappoint you.


Overall rating for review: 7/10

Purely for entertainment: 8.5/10

My Dramalist rating (avg): 7.75/10

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I honestly don't really say 10 of 10 a lot because I'm very picky with movies but this one ...................owwwhhhoo give a minute ........ one of the best well composed movies i have seen so far. The main actress is so beautiful AND I REALLY BELIEVED SHE WAS BLIND FOR A SECOND and main actor were was just outstanding they had a well composed story line as well as emotions and i honestly was very jealous of there relationship it really made it sad, funny, happy all in its own matter actually before i found this movie , i was really doubting it because it sounded so cliques but this really hit the spot in all the right way( I'm talking about us girls here) but this movie it perfect for a girls night out or a sleepover or better yet a date i really wanted my boyfriend near me so can point out all the things the actor is doing that he isn't lol but guys really give this a shot you SERIOUSLY wont regret it..... i promise

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I really have to say that I loved watching this movie.
Ok I have to say that it was my second korean movie I watched, so maybe the most of you won't share my opinion, cause they saw a lot korean movies which were a lot better. But well that's my review, so here we go.

The storyline is really nice and cute in my opinion. And I also like how quickly they start to like each other (not too much drama, u know?). I love both main characters, they really act well, for example the last scene was really... wow .

And the kisses.. yes. I like them. I couldn't complain about them, really not and also the end was cute and nice.

So guys if you wanna watch a korean movie about a love between two people who never thought they would miss something, but then actually realize how much they needed it actually.

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I liked everything about this movie - It was gave us a refreshing storyline with a little bit of everything thrown into it, and did it in a timely manner. It was such a sweet story. There were some heart wrenching parts but the good out weighed the bad. It's perfectly paced and for ONCE I didn't feel that anything was rushed. The main female is an excellent actress, and I literally had to Google if she was blind in real life or not; She's really convincing. The couple, They're too cute for words. It was an awesome story packed full of heart, that left me satisfied with everything until the very end.

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Okay, so, um...without spoiling it, THIS DRAMA IS GOING TO MAKE YOU DRY-HEAVE-VOMIT CRY!

Or rather, it did me because I'm the most feeling-feel person that ever felt and I have too many damn feels I don't know what to do with! Personally I love the way it ended, which considering my stance on non-HEA says something without actually saying something. (See? I can do the no-spoiler thing! LOL).

As is, this film is beautiful. There is so much damn emotion and acting quality packed into 2 hours of movie that I don't even know how to do words right to explain it's level of awesome.

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I saw this movie about two days ago and i had no idea what it was going to be about, but in actuality it turned out to be really good. It was wonderful to see that one of my fave actors, So Ji Sub was in the movie because that he would bring the character justice. But it also turned out that the beautiful female lead gave her character as well. They looked perfect together and the mocie's cinematography was on point. The story line was very touching and romantic, but also very predictable. However I think that the director's purpose and meaning of the movie is reached because even though the viewer knows what will happen, he or she will still feel impact of the storyline, like a straight blow to the head...

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