Genre: Comedy/Romance
Director: Kim Sang-woo
Starring: Daniel Henney, Uhm Jung Hwa
RunTime: -
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films
Rating: PG

Opening Day: 22 Feb 2007

Synopsis:

Min Jun is an outgoing career woman who tries to keep her men by showering them with pocket money and motherly care, but keeps being ditched because she is too nice. After losing once again to someone younger, she becomes determined to learn the game of love from "Mr. Perfect", her boss Robin. Will she finally get her Mr. Perfect?.

Movie Review:

What this exemplifying Korean rom-com has going for it above all else is the vivacity shared between its two leads and that it truly understands what it audiences expect from it, which is really all you can ask for from this most ancient of Korean film genres. And as it stands, its first time feature writer-director (Kim Sang-woo) pairs up with Korean-American heartthrob, Daniel Henney in his first feature role. Henney, a model/actor is Korea’s newest matinee sensation following his role on the hit serial, “My Lovely Samsoon”. His role in “Seducing Mr Perfect” seems custom built for him considering his background, education and overall demeanour, something that could have been toned down in retrospect. But however could he seemingly Mr Perfect, if he was identifiable with any real life men?

Henney plays Robin Heiden, the new American boss at a multinational corporation who takes his assistant, Min-jun (Uhm Jung Hwa) under his wings and teaches her ‘the rules of the game’ when he discovers that she gets dumped too often due to her unassumingly trusting nature when it comes to men. Robin cheats, he lies and he also takes his Machiavellian traits with him to the workplace. With the backdrop of the ruthless business world and chic office buildings in the Korean capital, this film is has been modernised in every one of its exteriors but holds its well-worn clichés close.

With the inclusion of Henney, an avoidable risk that had to be undertaken was his character’s almost exclusive use of English in the dialogue. The film uses this to an obvious advantage (aside from an appallingly handled scene of racism in the beginning) however by highlighting the differences in cultures between the West and the Koreans, and between Robin and Min-jun. Her use of English needs brushing up on, but she perseveres while Robin’s austere deportment intimidates but excites her. There’s an undeniable chemistry shared between the animated Min-jun and the often tacit, perceptive Robin that progresses on through the film with the requisite humour, good-natured tussle of emotions.

Its obvious inspiration in Mike Nichol’s “Working Girl” is apparent, and is successful transposed to a modern Korean workplace romantic comedy that works well within its limits and treats its characters with the right amount of growth and respect to an ending that redeems and relives the best moments from of any film of its genre.

Movie Rating:

(Clever romance-comedy that works the clichés well)

Review by Justin Deimen