Never Ending Story (Korean: 네버엔딩 스토리; RR: Ne-beo-en-ding-seu-to-ri) is a 2012 South Korean romantic comedy film directed by Jung Yong-joo. Uhm Tae-woong and Jung Ryeo-won star as a mismatched couple who meet at a hospital where they have both been diagnosed with terminal illnesses and decide to spend the rest of their lives together.[1][2] Kross Pictures remade the film in Vietnamese in 2018 as 100 Days of Sunshine.
| Never Ending Story | |
|---|---|
 Promotional poster | |
| Directed by | Jung Yong-joo |
| Written by | Park Eun-kyo Lee Byeong-heon |
| Produced by | Park Chang-sun Heo Jeong-wook |
| Starring | Uhm Tae-woong Jung Ryeo-won |
| Cinematography | Kang Seung-ki |
Production company | 9ers Entertainment |
| Distributed by | Hwa&Dam Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 114 minutes |
| Country | South Korea |
| Language | Korean |
Plot
editOh Song-kyung (Jung Ryeo-won) is a well-organized 28-year-old bank teller. She meticulously has a plan for everything, including getting married through a dating agency. Taekwondo master Kang Dong-joo's (Uhm Tae-woong) biggest pleasure is buying lottery tickets in hopes of one day hitting the jackpot. In reality, however, he is an incompetent young man who barely makes ends meet and mooches off his younger brother (Park Ki-woong). He is forced to register with a dating agency because of pressure from his sister-in-law (Yoo Sun), who wants to kick him out of their house.
They are the polar opposites of each other, but a few days after registering with the agency, they meet at a hospital where they have both been diagnosed with brain cancer and given just three months to live. When their doctor's appointments bring them into regular contact, the two fall in love and decide to live their remaining days together. With time running out, together they prepare for the last ceremonies of their lives: their funeral, by shopping for coffins, urns and burial clothes and chambers, as well as wedding plans.[3][4]
Cast
edit- Uhm Tae-woong as Kang Dong-joo[5]
- Jung Ryeo-won as Oh Song-kyung[6]
- Park Ki-woong as Dong-joo's brother
- Yoo Sun as Je-soo, Dong-joo's sister-in-law
- Lee Byung-joon as Mr. Perm
- Kwon Hae-hyo as Doctor
- Choi Eun-ju as Jin-joo
- Lee Kan-hee as Jin-joo's aunt
- Park Soo-yong as Jin-joo's boyfriend
- Cha Hwa-yeon as Song-kyung's mother
- Park Yong-shik as Happiness House director
- Park Sung-kwang as matchmaking head
- Ahn Hye-kyung as matchmaking firm president
- Cha Tae-hyun as Song-kyung's friend (cameo)
- Ma Dong-seok as Tow car driver (cameo)
Reception
editThough the film's box office was only 275,000 admissions domestically, it was sold to Indonesia and Thailand. It also won the Grand Prize at the Fukuoka Asian Film Festival, established by Japanese director Shōhei Imamura in 1987.[7]
References
edit- ^ Sunwoo, Carla (26 December 2011). "'Never Ending Story' opens on Jan. 19". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 2013-01-04.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "Never Ending Story (2011)". Korean Film Biz Zone. Korean Film Council. Retrieved 2012-11-16.
- ^ "Never Ending Story (2011)". The Chosun Ilbo. 20 January 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-15.
- ^ "Now Playing: Never Ending Story (15)". Korea JoongAng Daily. 13 January 2012. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved 2013-01-04.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ Lee, Jin-ho (9 January 2012). "Uhm Tae Woong Tricks Jung Ryeo Won into Kissing Him Over...and Over..." enewsWorld. Retrieved 2013-01-04.
- ^ Lee, Jin-ho (9 January 2012). "Jung Ryeo Won Will Marry Uhm Tae Woong If..." enewsWorld. Archived from the original on 14 April 2016. Retrieved 2013-01-04.
- ^ "Never Ending Story wins Fukuoka's Grand Prize". Korean Film Biz Zone. Korean Film Council. 23 July 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-16.
External links
edit- Official website (in Korean)
- Never Ending Story at HanCinema
- Never Ending Story at the Korean Movie Database (in Korean)
- Never Ending Story at IMDb