Fun, sexy romantic story of young girl

From left, actors Jeong Da-hye and Yeon Je-uk star in a scene from "Geu Yeoja Geu Namjaui Soksajeong." / Courtesy of Amuse

By Rachel Lee

Not only a woman’s first love but also their first sexual experience means a lot because it can often predict how happy their adult relationships will be.

Director Lee Yoon-hyung, known for his first independent film “Big Loser Has A Big Gun” (2005), talks about a girl’s intimate, innermost feelings and her own fantasies about her first “experience.”

“Geu Yeoja Geu Namjaui Soksajeong,” meaning the inside story of a woman and man, his second independent movie is a love story about Soo-jung (Jeong Da-hye) who dates three men for a year. She dreams of having a romantic first sexual experience with the guy she truly loves.

The three men — Sang-chul (Yeon Je-uk), Jung-soo (Seo Ji-seok) and Suk-tae (Lee Sang-il) — all have completely different personalities.

Yeon, known as “little Sul Kyoung-gu” for his role in “Public Enemy Returns” (2008), is a hot-blooded young man who tries to win Soo-jung’s heart and become her first. He successfully portrays the classic example of a loser with no self-esteem, who can’t rid himself of his obsession with Soo-jung.

For Seo, this is his first lead part. His portrayal of Jung-soo, a well-behaved and mannered man, seems pure and innocent but nobody knows what is really going on his mind, not even his Soo-jung. The award-winning actor is already well known for his roles in MBC sitcom “Hi Kick!” and films like “The Bow” (2005) and “Time” (2006), both of which were made by maverick Korean director Kim Ki-duk.

Audiences will find that the same line repeated as the three men ask Soo-jung if they are “her first.” Their obsession about being the first annoys her a little but also shows how much a guy hopes to be the first sexual partner of someone he loves.

Yet, the 31-year-old Seo’s performance as an innocent man in this movie is somewhat unnatural. Especially in the scene where Soo-jung tries to drag him into her house on Christmas Eve, he says “I don’t think it is a good idea to go inside, it is just not right,” which reminds one of a child reading a book out loud in class. His overall awkward delivery and acting makes the film feel incomplete.

But the story itself is fresh, and flows well with a strong plot and characters. Considering its low budget, the only problem is the standard of acting.

“Geu Yeoja Geu Namjaui Soksajeong” was released Thursday in theaters nationwide. Rated 15 or over. Distributed by Amuse.