Heartbreak Library (Korean Movie 2008)

Cast:

Lee Dong-wook (born 1981) as Kim Jun-oh

Yoo Jin (born 1981) as Jo Eun-soo

Eun-soo, a librarian watches for book vandalism that currently happens in the library. One day, she catches Jun-oh tearing off certain page of books. Eun-soo accuses him of vandalism but soon discovers the complex story behind his actions. Jun-oh’s girlfriend, Min-kyung, suddenly leaves him with only a mysterious note. “Look up page 198”. Min-kyung was a bibliophile and she checked out books regularly at the library. Jun-oh goes to the library and tears out page 198 from every book he comes in touch. As Eun-soo has just broken up, she gives him an advice saying that he has to let her go if she really meant it. However, looking at Jun-oh torn apart by his love, Eun-soo starts to help him decipher the messages on page 198 of all the books.

Jun-oh is a well-known shashimi chef. He owns a shashimi restaurant. When Min-kyung left him, he can’t slice the fish to make shashimi anymore. As his friendship with Eun-soo grows deeper, he finally gains his slicing ability back. Eun-soo accompanies him to find Min-kyung at Min-kyung’s house. She tells him to go on alone, but, she’ll wait for him at the junction. Upon Jun-oh returns, he told her that Min-kyung and her family have moved away. So, he wants to stop the quest. That only sparks more determination inside Eun-soo to cipher the message behind page 198. She copied page 198 from all the book Min-kyung have read. She went to Jun-oh apartment to give it to him, but, the guard tells her that Jun-oh went away a few days ago. On her way back, she bumped with her ex-boyfriend. She finds out that he left her for another woman.

Her daily routine continues without Jun-oh. She misses him, but, he’s nowhere to be found. One day, Eun-soo finds out that Min-kyung have passed away. She goes to Jun-oh restaurant to tell him only to find out from the manager that Jun-oh decided to study abroad and because of that, the restaurant will be close. The manager also tells her that he already knows of Min-kyung death. Jun-oh and Min-kyung met an accident on the way to meet her parents.

Before Jun-oh went abroad, Eun-soo takes him to a temple and tells him the legend of it. In the temple, there are some sorts of shrines. At the shrines, Jun-oh sees his messages for the deceased Min-kyung. While looking at it, Eun-soo tells him that past love shouldn’t be forgotten. Jun-oh finally opens up his heart towards Eun-soo and vice versa.

Review

Dong-wook and Yoo-jin have collaborated together in Loving You. Dong-wook best portrayal is in My Girl. The truth is, apart from Loving You, I’ve only watched Dong-wook in My Girl.

I like Yoo Jin because even-though she is not hot and sexy, she is sweet and innocence. I’ve watched her in Save the Last Dance for Me and Wonderful Life. I’ve also watched I Really Really Like You aka Truly Love, but, never know the ending. I’m looking forward for Princess Hwapyung ‘s Weight Loss.

The ending is a happy one as you can guest. Jun-oh and Eun-soo are together. I was hoping for a kissing scene, but, holdings hand is also enough. It’s a slow movie, but, there is a message in it. We shouldn’t forget the past. It didn’t really shows in the movie whether Jun-oh went abroad or not. I presumed he didn’t. He did open up his restaurant again. Overall, it is a great movie and can be watch with kids. Only, I don’t think kids will understand the gist of it.