Maljukgeori janhoksa

This movie reminded me a little of highschool actually... well almost anyways. I'm having a hard time figuring out if this movie was suppose to be a love story or a martial arts movie.

The story is about a boy who idols Bruce Lee, he ends up going to military school and gets himself into trouble here and there, but also meets a girl he really likes who rides the same bus. Long story short he goes through the teenage years. Girls, dancing, fights, friends and school. I would've probably enjoyed the movie more if the subtitles were properly timed though... One thing that a liked in particular were the fight scenes. I don't know about everyone else, but I get a little tired of our western movies where the hero beats up a hundred people by himself. Good story, good action, and nice music. 7.5/10

Once Upon a time in high school is a very good film despite the horrible title, it takes place in Seoul 1978, Hyeon-Su a Bruce lee fan whose father is a Tae Kwon Do coach moves to a new military school where he meets Hamburger a classmate who sells pornography in order to make a buck and Woo-Shik a trouble maker who is also a Bruce lee fan. along the way our protagonist is faced with bullying, but thanks to Woo-Shick he manages to avoid trouble because the latter is a nut case who roots for violence, and the tyranny of the high school regime. this may make the movie look sad but it's not, well it's not exactly funny but the characters had great fun together for instance in one scene the three friends were partying in a disco and hamburger was hitting on a girl and he was being rude unfortunately for him she was a Tae Kwon Do champ so i don't need to tell you what happened to him. on top of all that this movie has a great love story between the Shy Hyeon-Su and the very beautiful Eun-Ju, but she becomes Woo-Shik's girlfriend which will complicate their friendship, i personally think(IMHO) that this is one of the best love stories i have ever seen in film history, it felt realistic(maybe because i met my first love just like Hyeon-Su did). The writing was very clever it manages to keep you entertained and at the same time emotionally moved with well developed characters and the relationship between them, the actors did a great job not even a single one of them failed to deliver his character besides they had a good chemistry together that they make you feel like you are living near them. Overall this is a movie not to be missed,it can be described as a movie for all tastes, there's enough fights to call this film an action film but don't expect something like Takashi Miike's underrated high school fight club flick Crows Zero (1+2).

A great movie with balanced combination of martial arts, love and teenage psychological elements. Most of the scenes are brilliantly executed!

I felt this movie was awesome.People described it as the experience faced by highscoolers during the military regime days of south Korea but for me it was different.It seemed like a well sketched out story spiced up with some really good and brutally realistic martial art seqences.The transformation undergone by every character is depicted realistically.It is a story of friendship,first love,betrayal and revenge.And the final scene on the roof with nanchakus tops it all...a brilliantly realistic close combat scene...you can watch the entire movie just for that one scene.Excellent performances throughout."spirit of jeet kune do" is a winner all the way.

P.S. By the way am i the only non-korean seeing and reviewing all of the great south korean films like taegukgi,marathon,failan etc.I would be happy if this movie gets a broader international release,at least to American audiences.

First i must say this movie is a very good movie for many reasons.Actually it reminds me of my high school days not so long ago(the strict disciplined boys' school,prefects,uniforms,short hair,physical punishment,fights,evening tutorial classes,uncertainty of future,deprivation of female contact ;)) The similarities are more because the story is set in the time period when south Korea was still developing as a country. I think its a universal issue because the students, as young adults are crushed by the pressure for survival, the uncertainty of their future and the cut throat competition for higher education and success.I think they are more common in developing countries.

And for action i must say that they have done a fantastic job.The last fight scene was a work of art(a realistic poem in motion plus the blood and the dirt). who said the hero must win without a scratch?(the last man standing wins)