DADDY LONG-LEGS

J: As promise M, my next's plant is a movie, Daddy Long Legs.
M: DADDY LONG-LEGS? Isnt it that poisonous spider. I hate spiders!

J: 'Easy M, Daddy Long-Legs in this movie is not about a spider.It is a title given to a person who is extending his hand to someone to help, without expecting anything in return.

M: Like Santa Claus?
J: In essence but there's a big difference. Santa only give you a gift if your good. So be good or else Santa won't give you a gift this Christmas.
 

THE PLOT:
Daddy-long-legs is a movie about  a lass, Young-mi (Ha Ji-won),who losses her parents at a very young age. Struggling to survive by doing odd jobs, she one day receive help from a stranger. The stranger pays her tuition fees,buy her shoes and give her gifts. Though she try hard to find the identity of her helper, the postman said it seems impossible. Thus, she just let it be and just named her helper Daddy Long-Legs.

After graduating she work at the local radio station and soon then luckily accepted for her dream job as a program writer at a national radio station. Good fortune follows when the producer of the morning radio program knew that she live at the province and offered her to stay at a certain house for free, so that she won't be late for work. She was told that the owner is currently away due to health reasons.

But it all don't go well when her workmates,especially the radio DJ don't like her. This is because of the fact that  she graduated only from a provincial university and the rumors that she has a "backer" to enter easily into the company.

One night as she was using the house owner's computer, an e-mail pop out. The email was programmed to be received at that date though it was written a year ago. The emails are confessions of deep and unconditional love of the house owner for someone. Looking at a portrait in the house, Young-mi assumed that the house owner is a woman.The writer confesses that she has secretly been in love with a man since her school days. In order to be near him, she worked hard to obtain a place in the same course at the institution he was studying in. Although she didn't have the courage to introduce herself, she was happy to see him every day. The writer explains that when he got a job at a radio station, she followed him there. But then she was diagnosed with a terminal disease which would cause her to lose her memory and then die. The writer's greatest fear is not of dying, but of losing her memory, which is why she wrote the e-mail to be sent to herself in the future.

She decided to help her relay the message to the man she love by airing it in the station.

Meanwhile, Young-mi meet a man named Kim Jun Ho working at a librarian nearby. The two started going out and eventually Young-mi developed feelings for him. 

The Big Bear-another gift from Daddy-Long-Legs

The secret emails had become a sensation at the radio station that even the radio company manager congratulated them. It has also proved Young-mi's ability as a writer. But subsequently because of the wooden hourglass that plays significant in the e-mails, she discover that Jun Ho is the man the house owner is in love to. Quite guilty by using the e-mails to advance in her job she decided to distance from Jun Ho.

One night though, as they are partying for the success of their radio program, the producer slipped words that the reason Young-mi succeed is because of the help of the radio station's director.

I like Young-mi's reaction when she said "Will I really meet my Daddy Long Legs tonight?",as she ran to the radio station to meet the director. She confronts him only to be saddened by the fact that he was only doing it in behalf of his brother.

The Radio Company Director congratulating Young -mi for the success of their radio program

His brother is none other than--- Jun Ho. And to add more to the surprise, he is also the house owner. All her assumptions of SHE is a HE in that e-mail confessions (you should read the confessions again changing the SHE as HE). And that the portrait she saw at the house was in fact herself. And to top it all, the man doesn't remember her TODAY because of his disease.

There is a change of scene and we can see the two, star gazing spending the limited time left for him in world of the living. They saw a falling star and Jun Ho said that she can make a wish cause it will for sure come true. 

He fainted and rushed to the hospital.

I'm touched of  the hospital scene where he says that when he first met her at the elevator on her first day of work at the national radio station "SHE LOOKS FAMILIAR" (For him its their first meeting because he already forget her due to his illness). And he is not afraid to die but more afraid that he will soon forget her. While he was saying this, the camera focused on Young-mi's face whom I thought asleep. But it turned out that she's hearing it all and just cry in silence,her heart slowly breaking into pieces.

Scene change again and we can see Young-mi, star gazing alone, seeing a falling star once more. Then she said ,

"I know that falling star can't make a wish come true cause at that time when he asked me to make a wish, I wished that we can go back here together.It never came true and will never come true in the future."

She added looking at the sky,"Where are you now my Daddy Long Legs,I want to feel your help once more, can you again send me a gift?"

Then in a minuscule of seconds ----snow flakes started to fall. Letting her know that he is still there, looking after her, helping her and still loving her.

 

MY COMMENT:

J: I love this movie firstly because it's Ha Ji Won.

M: I don't think so, you watch it because of Hyun Bin.

J: Honestly, I didn't even notice Hyun Bin is the young Jun Ho until I search for info in the internet. On the other hand I started admiring Ha Ji Won since Hwang Jin-i and Something Happened in Bali / Memories of Bali.

M: I know, but it's Secret Garden that you've gone mad.

J: Well I am not the only one. You even made Bin's photo as your FB profile pic. 

M: Ok let's just admit we like both actors.

J: Agreeable. Back to the movie,I like how the events turn out, as if saying " it's not what you think it is girl".I even have to re-watched it for me to understand fully. 

M: Yeah you watch it for the 3rd time now.

J: But I still have this "Huh?!?!" expression because of the unexpected turn of events yet still touched by the ending albeit the fact that it's tragic. 

M: I don't like the movie.

J: C'mon, is it because it's Korean again?

M: No,it's the pacing---slow. It bores me. It's confusing and there are lot of symbols. You must have an analytical mind and focus.Plus melodrama's not my cup of tea. Look, my eyes are swollen. That movie is just too sad.

J: It's not sad, it's touching.

M: Whatever you call it, the common denominator is: it breaks my heart. If not for the sub love story of Young-mi's best friend and the company producer, my heart's been dust by now.
J: Yeah their story is funny and inspiring, a juxtaposition of Young-mi's tale of love.
M: I like that, a love conspired by destiny.

J: Oh, I don't want to talk about destiny at the moment. Let's just talk about the movie.

M: I have nothing more to say

J: Then rate it, atleast your not bias.

M: It's just a 7 for me. 
J: It's even higher,mine's just 6. But I can say, it is still a much watch.