Do you remember the last time you did something crazy with your friends? Dancing to pop songs in your living room? Dropping a ridiculous prank at someone? Hitting the noraebang after school? Getting into a cat fight with your rival gang?

You must have done it even at least once! I sure had! And don’t you miss those times? I do. Now that I am an adult and has so much responsibilities, I truly miss the carefree life of a teen. You get yourself in trouble sometimes, but you gain valuable friendship too and lasting memories that will keep you smiling when you look back to it one day.

The film ‘Sunny‘ surely brings this nostalgic feeling about your youthful years while having a good laugh only to attack you later with raw and sad feelings and some valuable takeaways about what real friendship truly is; a relationship tested by time but not forgotten.

More Information:

Sunny (써니; Sseoni) is a 2011 South Korean comedy-drama film. It is the second film by writer-director Kang Hyeong-cheol, who previously directed Scandal Makers (2008).

Released on May 4, 2011, Sunny was the first film of that year to sell five million tickets in South Korea and became the second highest grossing Korean film by year’s end. As of 20 September 2012, it is the all-time 13th best-selling in South Korean history. Kang Hyeong-cheol and Nam Na-yeong won Best Director and Best Editing, respectively, at the Grand Bell Awards. Actress Kang Sora won several awards for her role as the teenage Ha Chun-hwa.

The Cast:

[Present]

Yoo Hojeong as Im Na-mi

Jin Heekyung as Ha Chun-hwa

Go Soohee as Kim Jang-mi

Hong Jinhee as Hwang Jin-hee

Lee Yeonkyung as Seo Geum-ok

Kim Sunkyung as Ryu Bok-hee

Yoon Jung as Jung Su-ji

[1980s]

Shim Eun Kyung as Im Na-mi

Kang Sora as Ha Chun-hwa

Kim Minyoung as Kim Jang-mi

Park Jinjoo as Hwang Jin-hee

Nam Bora as Seo Geum-ok

Kim Bomi as Ryu Bok-hee

Min Hyorin as Jung Su-ji

The Story

Seven girls become good friends in high school, then events pull them apart for 25 years. When one of the friends lies dying in a hospital, she wishes to see each of them one last time.

Review:

When I first saw Nami appear in the first few scenes I wasn’t sure what kind of person she is. A typical wife that married a really rich husband? A housewife locked up at home? With the way she acted so regally, you wouldn’t think there’s anything interesting about her. Just a plain, boring housewife with so much money to spend. She didn’t come off a someone relatable (I was never married in the first place haha) to me.

But when she went to the hospital and recognizes Chun Hwa who suddenly looks so frail and weak on her hospital bed her mask slowly peels off and we see a rich backstory of friends during their teens while in the present Nami is on a mission to reunite their old gang before Chun Hwa heaves her last breath.

The movie alternately showed the past and the present, which is really nice, since we see glimpses of their youth–what they were like, how were they together when they were teens–and we also find out the imperfect but true situations each of them are in now after losing contact for so many years. Not all of them are living the perfect life that Nami has on the outside, which brought poignant but raw emotions and more realistic circumstances even if they are ridiculous situations. They happen in reality and that’s how a good story touches you; when it has some truth in it to which we can all relate.

The progressive change in mood of the story from fun and carefree and full of laughter youth, to the somehow sad, nostalgic present is gradually presented in such a manner wherein it prepares us to their reunion that though was short-lived, felt more meaningful, yet leads to bittersweet goodbye when they had to send Chun Hwa off to a better place. It was one of the most heartbreaking scenes I’ve seen, especially when they start reading off Chun Hwa’s will, because even in her death she feels so alive when she left each of them with valuable gifts that actually solves each of their problems. Yet, I also feel grateful and happy for that scene because Chun Hwa only ever thought of her friends even in her death and they return it by gifting her with a dance and an unsaid promise that their friendship will last forever.

I think that the reason why this film became a hit is because of the good story, the lessons about friendship it has shared, the realistic situations and emotions presented, plus the amazing cast that is able to show us something so raw and relatable. It made a simple story feel so touching. To top that, I didn’t even think this film will make me cry, but I had shed buckets, believe me.

I’ve never seen friendship so beautiful even after years of being separated, that I wonder if the same thing can happen to me or to anybody for that matter. It would be cool though if it can be made to reality.

Rating:

Rating this masterpiece, I won’t regret giving it 5 out of 5.

Honestly, I think it will be perfect for an idle Sunday watch. In case you don’t have to do anything on that day, watch it and have your own share of laughter and friendship drama.

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