If I had to summarize this (complex) film, I would write "It takes a village to raise a child---and the world is our village and we are all its children." I watch a lot of Asian cinema, since I am an American Buddhist. Most of the Korean films which I have enjoyed have been dark/suspenseful/supernatural. This movie is not like any other Korean film that I have watched, but it is a lot like the Japanese classic "Ping Pong" and it is a lot like American coming of age films such as "The Freshman", "Breaking Away" and "The Graduate" and the Australian movies "Muriel's Wedding" and "Strictly Ballroom", i.e. there are plenty of belly laughs, a few tearful moments and a sense that what you are watching is universal.Anyone who watches this looking for another "Shamo" (I love Shamo, btw) or similar martial arts film will be disappointed. While it starts on a downer note, it ends on a spiritual/emotional/intellectual high. I can not praise it highly enough. I makes me feel good inside knowing that it was a commercial hit in Korea---means there are a lot of good hearted people in Korea. I am definitely going to look for more films by the writer/director.

This movie goes in a pretty much generic direction when it comes to a Korean teacher trying to help out a student that feels all alone and gets into trouble. With some romance for both characters thrown in. Which is a shame cause from the trailer, I was expecting some unexpected and yet effective drama with some good amount of humor. The humor is just really bland in this movie and the story isn't anything special. The only thing that stands out is how there are actually these types of students living in Korea so it can be relatable. The building of the bond between the student and the teacher goes in a pretty much narrow direction. I was more interested in the romance between the teacher and the next door neighbor. But that was disappointing as well. Overall this is a disappointing movie about a teacher trying to motivate a student.3.8/10

excellent Korean warm-up-your-heart movie. a lonely teenager, a struggling father, a crazy high school teacher, a timid but loving immigrant mother. this movie is a great example of how the Korean movies are sometimes superior to other Asian countries movies. you have to transcend the difference of the cultures to know that at the bottom of all human hearts, parental love is the most important thing to all the kids. all the children cannot and would not grow up to be a happy person if their parents are separated or divorced, because once the unity is broken, shattered like a mirror, none of the family member would find a complete image of their own. this is a wonderful Korean movie that i fully appreciated and enjoyed, because it showed us the other side of the rich facade of a developing country, poor and dirty neighborhood, the forever shanty town with struggling majority population of all the countries everywhere in the world. the screenplay writer(s), like painter, drawing a water color painting full of vivid scenes and people, and turned it out to be a masterpiece.

I don't understand the low ratings for this movie. I saw this film when it premiered at the Busan International Film Festival and was impressed. It's one of the first Korean movies I've seen that actually made me laugh, and had some heart. Plus it has been a huge critical and commercial hit in Korea, so I'm surprised there aren't more Korean movie fans on here giving it positive reviews!For those looking to get into Korean cinema this movie offers a nice alternative from the dark films that Korea tends to be known for internationally. While I enjoy some of these darker films like Oldboy, Mother, and I Saw the Devil, it's refreshing to see a Korean film that doesn't leave you feeling sick or depressed after the curtain falls.This movie has the usual themes covered in coming of age stories, but also deals with other issues relevant to modern Korean society, such as the treatment of foreign laborers and the disabled by a Korean culture that isn't always welcoming to outsiders. All that said, the highlight of this movie is the relationship between Wan Deuki and his teacher. This is the source of a great deal of humor and warmth throughout the movie, and will make you laugh out loud more than other Korean movie I can think of. Even if you are unfamiliar with Korean culture and cinema, if you watch this you won't be disappointed. Don't be fooled by the low IMDb rating of this film, check it out!