Gukjesijang

Trust the Koreans to bring the words melodrama and blockbuster into the same motion picture. Indeed, JK Youn's latest film after his record-breaking special effects extravaganza 'Haeundae' sees him tell a family drama over sixty years that spans both the Korean War in the 1950s, the Gastarbeiter programme in mid-60s Germany, the Vietnam War in the 1970s as well as many other momentous periods etched in the psyche of his country's people – and each one of these episodes serves as a 'blockbuster' in itself not just in spectacle but emotion. It is no wonder that the film has since gone on to make its own history, becoming the second most-watched film in Korean cinema.

Co-written by Youn and Park Soo-jin, the film opens in the present day with Deok-Su (Hwang Jung-min), his wife Yeong-ja (Kim Yun-jin) and his best friend Dal-goo (Oh Dal-su) who live in the coastal city of Busan, where Deok-su and his family run a small store in the city's Gukje (International) Market. On a walk with his youngest granddaughter Seo-yeon through the Market, Deok-Su recalls an eventful yet tumultuous life journey that starts in the early 1950s. Then a young boy who was one of the hundreds of refugees fleeing the Korean War, Deok-Su loses grip of his younger sister Mak-sun and is separated from his father, who disembarks to look for Mak-sun, as they try to board the SS Meredith Victory, an American cargo freighter that evacuated 14,000 refugees in Hungnam, North Korea.

Arriving in Busan, Deok-soo is looked after by his father's eldest sister but is forced to leave school and support the family by working as a shoe shiner. The rest of the movie unfolds as a succession of perils as he strives to support his family as a young man – first, on Dal-gu's suggestion, he signs up with the inter- government Gastarbeiter scheme and is sent to work in the coal mines of West Germany, where he not only survives a mine disaster but also meets his wife-to-be Yeong-ja who was studying to be a nurse; then, he signs up for a non-military position in Vietnam with Dal-gu, where he narrowly escapes the clutches of the invading Viet Cong in Saigon but helps Dal-gu find a wife (Nguyễn Mai Chi) in a South Vietnamese villager that they help evacuate.

True to the template of a blockbuster, Youn's film is constructed around a few major setpieces, each one of them deftly executed with both scope and intimacy so we can appreciate the immensity of the historical chapter as well as what it meant for our lead protagonist Deok-su and to a lesser but no less significant extent his family members and Dal-gu. It is therefore no surprise that Youn chooses as his finale the reunion of thousands of families in a live KBS- televised event back in 1983 – including that of Deok-su, who after three decades is finally reunited with his father and sister. Notwithstanding the fact that it is a re-enactment, Youn stages the climax with emotional aplomb; and by that, we mean you better be prepared for plenty of hugs, tears and kisses, perhaps even some of your own in a vicarious way.

Like the best Korean tearjerkers, Youn's film makes no apologies for being unabashedly sentimental, but there is no denying that it is poignant enough to move you to tears. As with his previous movies, Youn demonstrates a firm grasp of mise-en-scene, so even though his core audience will likely have no difficulty identifying with his protagonist's struggles, he stages each one of the four major events with startling realism and, by doing so, pulls you into the thick of history. But most like 'Haeundae', Youn shows a knack for mining human drama potently, ensuring that his key sequences connect not just on a visual level but also on a deeply emotional one.

The accomplishment certainly isn't Youn's alone; in fact, Hwang deserves much praise for doing the heavy lifting as the emotional anchor of the film. It is with his character that we laugh, cry and rejoice with, and Hwang's performance is sincere, heartfelt and affecting. It is even more impressive that he manages to carry the character from his twenties into his twilight years, and with a roster from gangland drama 'New World' to war comedy 'Battlefield Heroes' shows yet again why he is one of the most versatile actors in the industry now. It also helps that he has such an effortless chemistry with Oh, the duo's friendship through the years one of the most endearing relationships in the film.

To fault 'Ode to my Father' for being emotionally manipulative is an understatement; that said, this is melodrama at its finest, coupled with some awe-inspiring scenes of spectacle, which is intended through and through for you to weep along with it. But in the midst of that, Youn delivers a compelling feature that taps respectfully into the wounded Korean psyche of the 1950s to the 1990s from key upheavals that now form the very fabric of their society. There is no doubt why it has been so successful at home, and for everyone else, this is a still an epic blockbuster melodrama which resonates with its universal themes of love, reconciliation and survival.

Wowww! I don't know where to start. The movie was so much better than my expectation after reading the IMDb's movie critics' reviews. I feel compelled to disagree with some of the criticisms that this movie tried to be melodramatic, some scenes were unnecessarily too comical, and that it was improbable and unrealistic for a person to go through all such tumultuous events. I like to recommend those critics to read about the 20th century Korean history.

My mother now in her 80's experienced many of the same experiences and some additional events in her lifetime: the Japanese occupation (1910- 1945), her 11 -year old classmates being shipped off by Japanese as wartime prostitutes during WWII (1939-1945), Korean independence (1948), Korean War (1950-1953) during which time she was a refugee in Busan, etc.

Immediately after WWII, after Japan exhausted all of Korea's natural resources, goods and men to fuel their war engines, Korean War broke. Whatever remained standing or fertile were bombed or burned up. After the Korean War, Korea was literally in rubble and ashes. Many families were split up and scattered during the war. The Streets were covered with orphans. Holt Adoption Agency placed many Korean orphans in American homes. These are all accurate.

As an early teen (in early 1960's), I was hearing about many Koreans hiring themselves out to foreign countries to find work as miners, nurses, or soldiers. The movie was also accurate that Germany did not extend the visas of foreigner miners for they were hired to make up for their temporary labor shortage.

I do agree with the critics that some of the acting was a bit raw, but they were soon forgotten as the movie pulled me into the story. I appreciated the funny scenes in the movie, for without them, it would have been too depressing to watch. This is a wonderful, wonderful movie, you must see! It is playing in K-Town at CGV theater. Also good eats in the same shopping mall.

I am falling in love with Korean war movies. They are so unique written, anyone can easily feel, or can relate with these. I don't know but they worked as spell for me. My point of view about war movie is totally changed. I have watched ''Welcome to Dongmakgol ''and this movie today. In both movies, war perspective is shown so differently like trying to convey peace, importance of family, sacrifices.

Everyone is comparing this movie with ''Forest Gump'' I have watched both of them, still, I can say except for war I don't see any similarities. In ''forest Gump'' it mainly focuses on a man's journey with up and downs but in this movie, the concept is not about a man's life, it's about family for which he is ready to sacrifice anything. It's about a son promised to his father and trying to protect it till end.

Yea the acting is little amateur and yes it is melodramatic, but I absolutely loved it. It brought both tears and laughter. It was a moving tale with a healthy dose of compassion, empathy, love, honour, friendship and responsibility; it had all. Highly recommended. I used to love korean action thrillers now I'm a fan of korean family drama too.

This is a very touching and heartwarming (but also heart breaking) movie.

I watched this with a friend who insisted I check it out. Usually I avoid movies that are foreign which have subtitles because I hate having to try to read to keep up with the dialog and story. Because that always means that I am missing some of the visuals appearing on screen.

This movie was pretty slow. I don't want to say too much or spoil it but it's basically about a Korean boy who makes a vow that he will take care of his family which he then has to live up to for the rest of his life.

Amazingly acted although I obviously don't recognize anyone in it or any names of the crew or directors. Just a great example of a touching drama with a story that sticks with you long after you leave the theater.