Did you watch 2009 Lost Memories? Did you like it?

Was it popular in Korea?

I watched it, and I thought it was awful...

I didn't like that the dynamics between the Japanese and Korean "friends". The Japanese guy originally had a nice life and the Korean was fatherless and discriminated against. They were friends, but as the story progresses, the Japanese guy is just a detestable jerk and in the end, he loses everything, while the Korean gets the girl (which makes no sense, because she was shot, and the past is before she would've been born) and is happy.

I hated that there was no moment of understanding between the friends. The friends never did talk after the Korean guy was fired.

Is there a bit of a sick pleasure out of seeing the Japanese guy with a nice life fall to ruins and his nation receive an atomic bomb?

It was obviously nationalistic... When it was over, it just seemed like the moral was that Japanese and Koreans can NEVER get along or truly be friends.

(by the way, I am quite aware of the animosity towards Japanese by Koreans (so no need to go through that), but this movie STILL disgusted me... What about you?

I watched it in the theater when it came out, and was actually excited to see it. I'm a big SF fan, and there's very little Korean SF (especially at that time). Anyway I couldn't have been more disappointed. The movie was awful, the story ridiculous, the acting wooden. The only impressive part I can recall was Jang Dong Gun's Japanese. Anyway since then I've learned my lesson--stay away from big budget Korean flicks that have anything remotely political to say!

The original story is from Bok Geo-il's novel. However, the writers of the movie revised the story line completely. It has to be.
Watch following movies as well.

Mugunghwa ggoti pieotseubnida (氍搓秮頇?杲冹澊 頂检棃鞀惦媹雼? The Mugunghwa Has Bloomed) 1993
and
Hanbando ( 頃滊皹霃?Korean peninsula) 2006

Especially Hanbando. You will find it is rather self-complacent than disgusting.


BTW, I like the Japanese guy, Toru Nakamura's movie with Kelly Chen, "Tokyo Raiders." It's comical action Hong kong movie in 2000.

--
To someone who don't know history, regarding compensation and apology.
At the Treaty between Japan and S.Korea in 1965, Japan paid $500 million, and also provided $300 million loans. And released apology statement. South Korean government leagally accepted this and signed it. Face the fact, you can google it on the net include Japan's apology statements.

And at this time, Japan proposed to South Korea to compensate the 1.03 million Koreans individuals.
However, South Korea told Japan to handle it by THEMSELVES. Your government didn't disclose this fact and finally it was revealed in 2005.
Read Chosunilbo. (what a poor end result.)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/n...

Japan paid more to the Asian countries than the one Germany did.

Actually no

There are numerous historical arguments between Japanese and Koreans, starting from the earliest Japanese history (who was the first Japanese emperor, was there a Japanese collony on Korean penincula, how big was the Korean infuence on the earliest Japanese culture...)
I accept this movie as an answer and under the influence of these problems.Everybody is digging and rearranging old bones in order to satisfy rich old nationalists from both sides.These guys have the money, they sponsor the education and the result is awful.
I myself think the movie is nationalistic. Fortunately, there are many more good movies co-starring Japanese and Korean stars.

Yup, it was an awful movie. It was not popular in Korea. The moral of the movie is wrong and inappropriate. There is no need to create such hatred against Japanese through media and other cultural materials. Although the compensation and apology is needed and there is need to protect our land against Japanese' claim that Dokdo is their property, Koreans should not hate all Japanese for what has happened during the period of Japanese Occupation in Korean and WW2. Staying competitive vs Japanese is ok though as it helps us improve as rivarlies.

Anyway, as the movie was a pretty bad one, I don't really remember what went on and what the detailed story was. But I remember that the movie was absolutely stupid.