Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.
REVIEW 'You Are the Apple of My Eye' evokes nostalgia of first love in Korean remake
Dahyun, right, and Jinyoung in a scene from “You Are the Apple of My Eye” / Courtesy of Studio Take
By Baek Byung-yeul
A high school boy, devoid of dreams and passion, falls in love with a girl in his class and undergoes a journey of growth before finally confessing his feelings. "You Are the Apple of My Eye" evokes the fresh, sweet memories of first love that everyone cherishes. While the story treads familiar ground, its charm remains undeniable.
This teen romance is a remake of the 2012 Taiwanese film of the same name. The Korean version is set in a high school in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, during the summer when the 2002 FIFA World Cup was in full swing in Korea and Japan.
Dahyun, a member of K-pop group TWICE, plays Seon-ah, a beautiful and intelligent girl who captures the attention of all the students, while Jinyoung, a former member of B1A4, plays Jin-woo, who has a crush on her.
In the film, Jin-woo, who approaches everything with a positive mindset, saves Seon-ah from a crisis by lending her his textbook when she forgets hers. In gratitude, Seon-ah shows Jin-woo the joy of studying, and gradually, they begin to develop feelings that blur the line between friendship and love.
Seon-ah makes a crucial mistake on the college entrance exam and fails to get into her desired university in Seoul, while Jin-woo, inspired by her, focuses on his studies and successfully enters a university in Seoul.
Although they attend universities in different regions, they keep in touch, but after failing to express their feelings for a long time, they continue to drift apart.
The film evokes nostalgia by weaving in popular Korean songs and catchphrases from the early 2000s, transporting the audience back to their own youthful memories.
With a storyline that closely follows the 2012 Taiwanese original, longtime fans will find the Korean remake easy to embrace.
However, its adherence to the original means it lacks a distinct identity. The analog sensibility that worked in the 1990s-set Taiwanese original, where cell phones were absent, feels somewhat out of place in 2002, when mobile phones had already become widespread — something that could be disappointing for viewers.
Nevertheless, this film is a perfect fit for audiences looking to enjoy a pure and innocent teen romance, free of provocative elements and enhanced by the charm of K-pop stars showcasing their acting talents.
“You Are the Apple of My Eye” hits theaters on Friday.