Tune for Love (Korea)

[Hilda Dixon]

The movie that I watched, it is a Korean modern drama, titled, Tune in for Love.” The movie has three main characters: Mi-soo(female protagonist), Hyun-woo a female baker who is seen as part of the family and Eun-ja (male protagonist). This movie was directed by Jung Ji-woo. This movie could be divided in three parts. In the first part of the movie the main setting is a small cozy bakery where these three main characters work nicely together as they enjoy each other’s company. They laugh and tell each other their own story. They build long-lasting memories. On the second part the two protagonists just earned their degrees. By coincidence, they saw each other again at the bakery and decided to spend one-night together. Mi-soo set up an email account for him but forgets to give him the password. Then, they were able to contact each other on the phone, but could not reunite again. This is a sad time for both of them. Destiny brought them together again in the third part. They spend time as a couple, but unresolved events from the past drifted them apart. Their strong bond made them realize that together they can live more enriching lives. What I notice is the symbolic idea of books. Korean people read to learn and to have fun. Books are in many settings. This tells the audience how much Korea gives importance to education. Even Korean poor people read. During the movie, in one of the companies, there is a big slogan that reads, “safety, devotion, quality and efficiency.” One can tell that this slogan reflects the societal values that has definitely made Korea one of the four economical tigers of Asia. The idea that I enjoyed the most is the concept of long-lasting bonds. As humans we always tend to go back to the places and to be the people who we love and that love us back. Being with them, it is where we belong. It was said in the movie, “ The names that we cherish in our hearts are like our diaries, journals. The very records of our lives.” I think that friends, relatives or loving partners are the ones who print in our life journals permanent print that empower us and hold us together during difficult times. I think that in spite that our American society focuses on what we have and the need to earn, it is more important to be us and share ourselves with the people that care about us. The memories that we create are the memories that inspire us and encourage to be the best version of us. The last message in this movie was the concept that we as humans carry with us unresolved issues. If we do not confront them and defeat them, the unresolved circumstances are going to haunt us like unpleasant ghosts. To use this film to teach my students about Korea is a bit challenging. I think I can only show mini excerpts of the movie to show how people eat in homes. What differences in dinning etiquette is different from our homes? The concept of many and little. Do these homes have a lot of books or few books? Would you like to spend your weekends reading just for fun? I will point to my students the cozy golmoks or side alleys and to compare with the broad streets in los Angeles. Finally, I would ask my students if they have pictures of them with their mommies and daddies that remind them fun or warm times?

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