How to Lowkey Support Your Asian Drama Actors
This set of film recommendations that might make you laugh, cry (or both at the same time) and most of all warm your heart. This may just be me, but who knows… it might be you as well. Enjoy!
Teacher's Diary
Country: Thailand Year: 2014 Genre: Drama, Romance
Mr. Song is a washed-up wrestler who took a teaching post in a rural area... and he had no idea what he was in for! He had to teach in a boat school where he had to gather a bunch of kids who live in boat houses to teach them academics. After a few days of mishaps with the kids, a broken arm and a sudden break-up with his girlfriend, he has nothing else in that tiny boat school to give him comfort except for a diary left behind by the school’s former teacher, Ms. Ann.
For a rom-com film, it had a peculiar feel to it since it doesn’t entirely focus on the romance and yet the romantic element was still there. It was palpable and very effective to me as a viewer, but it’s not really the main point of the whole movie and that’s what makes it a good watch. The comedy aspect is what drove me to recommend this film, along with the touch of heartwarming monologue coming from the main characters. Another thing that I loved about it is the fact that it had so many key points about life: dedication to your chosen career, finding contentment and getting life lessons from simply living through each day. Although for Mr. Song’s part, it’s more of life lessons from someone who had left something behind. It was funny and touching at the same time as I watched through both characters' experiences: Mr. Song’s hardship in teaching and Ms. Ann’s struggles with her own principles.
“Mr. Song said it is good to learn a lot so that nobody can cheat me.”
Shoot My Heart
Country: South Korea Year: 2015 Genre: Drama, Friendship, Medical, Psychological
The theme of the movie is so obvious in the title - Shoot My Heart. It’s all there, no need to explain it extensively. I just have to emphasize though that this film is not Yaoi-Gender Bender-Bromance or any of the likes. The whole movie is more focused on the psychological aspect of people and their current situation. The story is about two characters, namely Soo Myung and Seung Min. Two male individuals who meet in the psychiatric hospital and have their own problems to deal with. Due to a family incident Soo Myung suffers from schizophrenia and is afraid of scissors, thus the reason for his long hair. Then there is Seung Min, the brash-bubbly-eccentric guy, who got stuck with Soo Myung unexpectedly due to several circumstances. As they become a tandem in the hospital, they commit mischief one way or another, but not without touching the hearts of the other patients at the same time.
The story was fairly simple - throw two opposite characters in one loony bin place, ta-da! You get a hilarious comedy out of it. But what makes it a good watch? It’s the touching moments that make the film worth it. It’s not simply a story about two living people, it’s a story straight from the heart that shined throughout the entire film. That my friend, makes it worth the watch.
“There are two kinds of people who are admitted in this hospital, those who are crazy and those who become crazy.”
Our Times
Country: Taiwan Year: 2015 Genre: Comedy, Drama, Friendship, Romance, School, Youth
This movie has been widely compared to the Thai movie “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”.
Our Times has quite a simple story line with a lot of cuteness and fluff along the side lines. Bits of violence will be scattered throughout the film, but this simply shows teenage rebellion and the stage in adolescence where teenagers feel everything is about despair or acceptance. One of our characters falls into that category, which is Xu Tai Yu. He has the typical high school bad boy image who gets involved with the simple minded Lin Zhen Xin due to her naivety. The two of them go through high school to capture the hearts of their first love, but in the end they got something unexpected instead.
“Whether we're good or bad is not up to you. Only we know who we are. Only we can decide the way we are.”
