Jinkusu!!!

I have seen this film ages ago when I was 13 years old but oh boy, how stupid was I for dismissing it as a forgettable film before? I am embarrassed to say that the younger me did not appreciate this movie as much as I do now as a more clever and matured 22 year old. I think this movie is a master piece and is more suitable for the more matured minds. This film is not for those who are too young to pay attention to the depth and insights each film has to offer. Now that I rewatched this film, I am dumbfounded at the layers of insight it offers. I feel pity for my younger self who did not understand it back then and took this film for granted. I am telling you now that if you are planning to watch this, that you should drop everything and watch it!!

P. S. To the person who made a review that this film is not made for adults, I hope you get to reflect back on this one day. The fact that I made an account just to defend this beautiful film speaks for itself. Perhaps you are like the younger me who took for granted the insights this movie has. I hope you get to rewatch it and appreciate it more like I did.

If you don't like Korean Rom-coms AND Japanese schoolgirl pure love melodramas you can stop reading. If you do like them you should stop reading and go watch this movie - Jinkusu!!! (2013).

A Korean college exchange student visiting Japan, (T-ara idol, Park Hyomin), spots a couple classmates who are hopelessly Japanese about their feelings for one another and gives them lessons on how to be K-romantic and confess their love. Principle #1 is the Korean concept 'mildang'. Roughly translated it means tug of war. From the young Japanese girl's perspective it means playing hard to get, which she doesn't like or understand. The Korean girl sees it as an opportunity for the guy to show his resolve in the face of defeat, like Rocky Balboa! That's right. The Rocky franchise plays a role in this film as does Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004).

Nothing new or insightful here, but it's so cute and innocent and heartwarming you're gonna want to hug this movie from start to finish.

I've seen a few movies from this director, Naoto Kumazawa: Letters from Kanai Nirai Nirai kanai kara no tegami (2005) Rainbow Song Niji no megami (2006) Oto-na-ri (2009)

They had their moments but nothing like this film. It's remarkable how well the director nails the differences between Korean and Japanese. Hyomin isn't that cute but she's adorable as heck, like when she angrily tells the Japanese girl to smile, and then smiles. You gotta see it. The Japanese couple are overwhelmed by Hyomin's confidence and expertise. She has her heart secret which informs what she's doing, and when the film wraps up and the bubbles start flying .... wow!

It might seem like a simple little romantic movie, but Naoto Kumazawa's Jinx!!! manages to be touching despite its manipulative and sentimental premise. Arriving in a Japanese school as an exchange student from Korea, Ji-ho (played by K-pop group T-ARA idol Hyomin) strikes up a friendship with her Japanese friend Kaede. Using her love of films she attempts to help her friend and a boy she has long admired overcome their shyness and declare their love for each other by acting out classic scenes from Love Actually, The Notebook, Edward Scissorhands and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

It's hardly a serious examination of cultural differences, not even within the narrow field of romance. but this lovely little film will convince you about the power of movies, the creation of illusions, and their ability to transform one's view of the world. Jinx!!! doesn't rely entirely on western cinema to achieve second-hand effects either. Ji-ho's own tragic-romantic love-story is meaningfully and skillfully integrated into the narrative, and has a beautiful romantic allure of its own.

Very juvenile movie, even silly at times. It's clearly aimed for teenage audience and absolutely not suited for more mature people. I had big hopes because Naoto Kumazawa directed Rainbow Song, that also is about a love story between two teenagers, but it's narrated in a totally different, more clever, more mature, more efficient way, and has a bunch of memorable scenes too. Jinx!!!, on the other hand, is just a silly little comedy/romance with some bits of drama here and there, childish dialogs, not so awesome acting and totally uninspired directing. I can't believe the 7.4 rating on IMDb.

Just avoid this one if you're older than 18, and even if you're a teenager, please consider watching better movies, just like the aforementioned Rainbow Song. 5/10.