Kwak Jae-yong: THE CLASSIC (2003)

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The Classic:
A Melodramatic Echo of the Past

The background of director Kwak Jae-yong, who studied physics at university, can be described as full of twists before he embarked on directing The Classic. Following the success of his debut film, his next two directorial efforts failed to achieve the desired results, leading to an eight-year hiatus from new commissions. However, in 2001, he emerged with My Sassy Girl, which became immensely popular not only in Korea but across all of Asia. This set the expectations for Kwak incredibly high; everyone eagerly awaited his next film, which he completed two years later: The Classic.

After watching the film, I pondered why this became its title. It doesn't truly link to the plot or the characters in a specific sense. Rather, it suggests that after the innovative spirit of My Sassy Girl, the director attempted to realize a quintessential, "classic" melodrama in every fiber of its cinematic execution. Indeed, the film evokes true-to-form melodramas so strongly that while watching it, I felt as though I were seeing a work made much earlier than 2003. This could have been a stylistic triumph, but in the end, it didn't quite reach that status.

The story is built on parallelism. The two main threads of the plot, as well as certain motifs, rhyme with one another. Fundamentally, we see two love-triangle stories, the protagonists of which are a mother and her daughter. In the film's contemporary timeline, the relationship between two girls and a boy unfolds, while in the earlier timeline, the bond between two boys and a girl is revealed. The flashbacks are embedded into the modern-day story, coming to life through the daughter's narrations. Since the mother's story spans decades, the turning points are tied to historical milestones; thus, images of the Vietnam War and the 1980 student protests flicker across the screen. However, we do not receive a grand historical tableau; these stages serve merely as settings for the characters' changing relationships.

Director Kwak Jae-yong

The starting point of the earlier triangle is the meeting between the girl and one of the boys, which turns into deep love during an idyllic day spent together in the countryside. Later, however, parental will intervenes, forcing another boy to court the girl simply because a marriage with her seems like an advantageous opportunity due to her father's high social status. Yet, the boys are good friends, so they relatively quickly clarify which of them receives sincere affection, despite both harboring strong feelings for the girl. In accordance with the rules of melodrama, however, the story cannot grant a green light to the characters' free will, and a tragic turn soon arrives. One boy's suicide attempt, the guilt felt toward a friend, and the girl's suffering for similar reasons drive the other boy to the front lines in Vietnam.

The lovers meet again after the war, but here, the strain of the screenwriting feels more real than the boy's decision to finally push the girl away, despite the intensity of their feelings remaining unchanged. As a result of a "noble lie," their paths diverge. We later learn that the girl married the old friend, having a daughter, while the other boy's marriage resulted in a son.

The parents' story receives a rich unfolding, which, alongside lyrical beauty and idyllic images, contains humor in numerous places. Both boys are made into extremely memorable characters by the actors. In the role of Joonha, Cho Seung-woo is innocently, almost naively honest, while simultaneously being firm and powerful. Lee Ki-woo manages to show the physical weakness and emotional humiliation of the lanky Taesoo while preserving the boy's attractive, independent personality. Based on this, their commitment to one another becomes believable, which largely justifies their decisions.

In the role of the girl, Son Ye-jin serves as the connecting link to the other story, as she plays the lead role there as well, portraying both mother and daughter. She is charming and authentic in both roles; while in the old story, she embraces her emotions with brave and natural openness, in the second, she reservedly tries to hide them.

The love story of the young people does not receive a very deep unfolding; once again, the twists and the realization that finally leads the boy and the girl to each other seem a bit forced. The dispassionate performance of Jo Insung, who plays the boy, does not help the story lead the audience to the desired catharsis.

Although the wandering motif of the necklace is very beautiful, the final moment feels somewhat rushed. I wouldn't be surprised if some viewers didn't even experience the realization of what they are actually seeing. Yet, the story coming full circle is a romantic solution to the core, in which the parents receive the fate's retroactive compensation through their children's story.

The film contains many valuable and memorable details, but it takes too much upon itself, which it cannot entirely fulfill. Less would have been enough, and a shorter duration could have resulted in a tighter film.

The film received several awards, among which the awards for Best Lighting (Park Hyun-won) and Best Music stand out. The latter was awarded to Jo Yeong-wook, who also composed the legendary music for Park Chanwook's films.