My Little Bride (Eorin Shinbu) (2004)
Directed by: Ho-joon Kim
Starring: Rae-won Kim (Sang-min Park), Geun-yeong Mun (Bo-eun Seo)

Review © Hawlee, 2006

Story | Synopsis | Technical | Overall | Where to Buy

 

 

My Little Bride is about Bo-eun, a 15 year old girl, and Sang-min, a 20+ year old guy, who are like brother and sister. Bo-eun's grandfather made a pact with Sang-min's grandfather in which their families would marry. They both have sons, so it was passed down to the grandchildren. Bo-eun's grandfather is dieing, so his dieing wish is that they marry before he passes on, to make him happy. Of course, both Bo-eun and Sang-min refuse, but the grandfather has some evil tricks up his sleeve. Eventually they give in, and try to live a normal life without anyone else finding out.

      

 

 

First reading that, some people might be thinking how wrong it is for a 15 year old to have to marry someone 20+. This movie handles it very well. There is no time where I was disgusted by this. Just remember, they're like brother and sister, and when they get married, they act like it. There was only one moment where I felt uncomfortable, and then you come to find out it was a dream.

This is a very fun lighthearted teen romantic comedy. I tend to stay away from these kinds of movies. Three things saved this movie from me just passing it up. One, its Korean, two, Geun-yeong Mun (Soo-yeon from A Tale of Two Sisters) is one of the main characters, and three, the comments people made about it on IMDB. I'm glad I didn't pass this movie up. If American romantic-comedies were like this, I might actually watch them. My Little Bride is just a fun cute movie, and not Disney Channel "cute". The actors where great, the story great, directing not bad, things that are missing from American romantic-comedies.

I really got worked into the characters, specially Bo-eun's struggle to have a normal life in school. With her crush asking her out, all the girls in the school hating her for it, her best friend being mad because she's married and has a boyfriend and she doesn't, adding on the fact she IS married at 15, and her and her husband fight all the time, it could get pretty frustrating. Also, he winds up getting a job at the school she goes too, and has to dodge the creepy obsessive teacher trying to make moves on him all the time while also hiding the fact that he's married to a student. Yeaah... a bit complicated, but fun stuff.

One of the bad things about "My Little Bride" is the controversy does keep people from watching it. The idea of a 15 year old and a 20+ year old marrying grosses people out, and they get offended. You should see the one of the comments someone made on it at IMDB. I died laughing reading it. People need to realize that this is a different culture, and even the fact that it is another culture, its done VERY well. The parents make many comments about no sex till she graduates college, and they're not really too happy about it either. Yes, Sang-min does make some sexual comments to Bo-eun, but its nothing a brother wouldn't do, especially if he has just 'Married' her. Plus, he does it mainly because it really grosses Bo-eun out.

Another complaint is that the ending you see coming a mile away, but its not enough to ruin the fun experience. And I mean, come on, look at how many American romantic-comedies that you can predict everything that is going to happen about 5 minutes into the movie. The ending, I believe, is the best ending for this movie. What else could they have done? Sure its clichéd, but it works, so why not?

        

 

 

Hehehe, I love Geun-yeong Mun (Bo-eun) so much! She's just so adorable, and was perfect for the role. I wish she was in more movies, I'd see a movie just because she's in it. Rae-won Kim (Sang-min) did a great job as the 'big brother' husband. He is 20+, but he is still a kid, especially around Bo-eun. He also has a really nice smile. The actors who played their family were great as the quirky family.

        

 

 

I loved it. That's all I can say. Its a good movie to watch when you need cheering up. And I know that I'm gonna sound a bit clichéd, but I think Bo-eun and Sang-min are a perfect couple, and probably wouldn't have had as much problems if they weren't so young at the moment. Very cute, without being sickenly cute. If anything I said in the review interests you, then I highly recommend it.

Acting:
You know my love for Geun-yeong Mun, but everyone did such a great job.

Directing:
Very good for a Romantic-Comedy, and especially good for being his first film.

Score:
Not outstanding, but good for the type of movie.

Action:
You get the brother/sister fights, and crazy karaoke, does that count as action? No, guess not...

Just overall fun cuteness:
Soo cute w/out me puking!

        
        
        

 

 

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