Breathless (2009 film)
Encyclopedia
Breathless is 2009 South Korean film by Yang Ik-Jun which revolves about child abuse and loan sharks. A loan shark named Sang Hoon who finds himself striking a friendship with a troubled schoolgirl, Yeon Hee, as he faces his own troubled past with his abusive father.
Breathless has won the Grand Prize at the 2009 Tokyo Filmex
, the Silver Screen Award at the 2009 Singapore International Film Festival
and the Tiger Prize at the 2009 Rotterdam International Film Festival.
Sang Hoon has a nephew, Hyung In, who he adores, but his sister cares about him, even inviting him to dinner, he is on less friendly terms and tries to avoid her. It is revealed that when he was a kid, his abusive father once had a quarrel with his mother and stabbed his sister by accident. His mother was then hit by a car. It is implied that his father has remarried and hence
One day, after visiting his nephew, he spits on a high school student, Han Yeon Hee, accidentally. She demands that he do something to make up for it. They get into a fight and he hits her, knocking her unconscious. When she wakes up, she realises that Sang Hoon was waiting for her to awake and has wiped her clothes clean. Undaunted by his ferocity, she demands compensation from him. He is intrigued by her spunk and they form a tenuous friendship.
While Sang Hoon believes that Yeon Hee comes from a rich family, they have trouble paying the rent. Her father is a war veteran who has delusions that Yeon Hee's mother is still alive. Both her father and brother, Han Young Jae, abuses her verbally frequently.
In order to earn money, Young Jae works as a debt collector at Man Sik and Sang Hoon's. On his first day, he tags along with Sang Hoon and his friend to get money. He is seen to be timid and Sang Hoon berates him for following them just for fun. Despite this, they collect most of the debt, putting them in good stead with Man Sik.
One day, as Sang Hoon visits his father - who Sang Hoon beats up for being the cause of his unhappy childhood - his father has already cut his own wrists. It is then that he realises how much he still loves his father. That same day, Yeon Hee's father is even more paranoid and threatened her with a knife. Sang Hoon and Yeon Hee meet up for a drink and their bond deepens.
Eventually, Sang Hoon acknowledges his feelings for Yeon Hee and he is determined to start a new life. He tells Man Sik that it will be his last day as a gangster and invites him to meet Yeon Hee, his sister and Hyung In. Man Sik also decides that he has had enough and wants to open a gogi gui restaurant.
On his last day as a debt collector, he is doing the rounds with Young Jae. Young Jae has taken enough abuse from Sang Hoon and attacks him with a hammer, being unaware that Sang Hoon and his sister are in love. As he lays bleeding on the road, his final thoughts are of a normal life with Yeon Hee.
In the epilogue, it is revealed that Sang Hoon died. Yeon Hee, Hyung In, Sang Hoon's sister and father are enjoying dinner together at Man Sik's restaurant. Yeon Hee finally finds out that her brother is working at the same job as Sang Hoon, and she thinks of him.
Breathless has won the Grand Prize at the 2009 Tokyo Filmex
Tokyo Filmex
Tokyo Filmex is an annual film festival established in 2000. This film festival was launched by Office Kitano, which is Takeshi Kitano's film company.For now, Office Kitano remains as one of the main partners for Tokyo Filmex....
, the Silver Screen Award at the 2009 Singapore International Film Festival
Singapore International Film Festival
The Singapore International Film Festival was launched in 1987. The festival is an annual film event, held around April/May each year, and screens about 300 films from over 45 countries...
and the Tiger Prize at the 2009 Rotterdam International Film Festival.
Plot
Sang Hoon is a foul-mouthed and violent gangster working for an illegal money-lending organisation run by his long-time friend, Man Sik. He is first seen attacking protestors who are disrupting the work of a construction company with the other members of the organisation.Sang Hoon has a nephew, Hyung In, who he adores, but his sister cares about him, even inviting him to dinner, he is on less friendly terms and tries to avoid her. It is revealed that when he was a kid, his abusive father once had a quarrel with his mother and stabbed his sister by accident. His mother was then hit by a car. It is implied that his father has remarried and hence
One day, after visiting his nephew, he spits on a high school student, Han Yeon Hee, accidentally. She demands that he do something to make up for it. They get into a fight and he hits her, knocking her unconscious. When she wakes up, she realises that Sang Hoon was waiting for her to awake and has wiped her clothes clean. Undaunted by his ferocity, she demands compensation from him. He is intrigued by her spunk and they form a tenuous friendship.
While Sang Hoon believes that Yeon Hee comes from a rich family, they have trouble paying the rent. Her father is a war veteran who has delusions that Yeon Hee's mother is still alive. Both her father and brother, Han Young Jae, abuses her verbally frequently.
In order to earn money, Young Jae works as a debt collector at Man Sik and Sang Hoon's. On his first day, he tags along with Sang Hoon and his friend to get money. He is seen to be timid and Sang Hoon berates him for following them just for fun. Despite this, they collect most of the debt, putting them in good stead with Man Sik.
One day, as Sang Hoon visits his father - who Sang Hoon beats up for being the cause of his unhappy childhood - his father has already cut his own wrists. It is then that he realises how much he still loves his father. That same day, Yeon Hee's father is even more paranoid and threatened her with a knife. Sang Hoon and Yeon Hee meet up for a drink and their bond deepens.
Eventually, Sang Hoon acknowledges his feelings for Yeon Hee and he is determined to start a new life. He tells Man Sik that it will be his last day as a gangster and invites him to meet Yeon Hee, his sister and Hyung In. Man Sik also decides that he has had enough and wants to open a gogi gui restaurant.
On his last day as a debt collector, he is doing the rounds with Young Jae. Young Jae has taken enough abuse from Sang Hoon and attacks him with a hammer, being unaware that Sang Hoon and his sister are in love. As he lays bleeding on the road, his final thoughts are of a normal life with Yeon Hee.
In the epilogue, it is revealed that Sang Hoon died. Yeon Hee, Hyung In, Sang Hoon's sister and father are enjoying dinner together at Man Sik's restaurant. Yeon Hee finally finds out that her brother is working at the same job as Sang Hoon, and she thinks of him.
Cast
- Yang Ik-jun as Sang-Hoon
- Kim Kkot-BiKim Kkot-BiKim Kkot-Bi is a South Korean actress. In the movie Breathless she played troubled schoolgirl, a role for which she won the Best New Actress award at the 46th Daejong Film Awards.-Filmography:*Saving My Hubby...
as Yeon-hee - Jeong Man-Sik as Man-shik
- Lee Hwan as Young-Jae
- Yun Seung-Hun as Hwan-Kyu
- Kim Hee-su as Yeong-In
- Park Jung-Sun as Seung-Chul (Sang-Hoon's father)
- Lee Seung-yeonLee Seung-yeonLee Seung-yeon is a South Korean actress. Lee's career as an actress was especially noted in the film 3-Iron.Lee took third place in the 1992 Miss Korea beauty pageant....
as Hyeon-Seo (Sang-Hoon's sister) - Oh Ji-Hye as Yeon-Hee's teacher