58 reviews
Just wow!
I cried my eyes out..
It's really a good movie, the actors did really a great job acting i was so into it, it's a soo sad movie but at the same time it's full of positivity
I recommend it you have to watch it!
- hailahkhaled
- Oct 3, 2018
- Permalink
Tears to my heart
Above all a story of a father and a daughter
So Won (aka Hope also aka Wish) is a movie about a terrible event (the rape by a drunkard of a 9 yo girl) that shatters a family. It unravels slowly showing at first the parents (the father in particular case) who seem somehow too busy to take care of their daughter, then the tragedy happens, this part is not too graphic (thank God) but we are made aware that the poor girl will bear physical consequences for the rest of her life. Then there's the trial, and the need of money, and the shame for being at the center of attention. I was afraid this movie was going to be somehow a classic tearjerker describing the struggle of the family with money, work, slow/inefficient justice and so on. But the second half of the movie was about the father trying to get close to his daughter. And I think it was moving, and delicate at the same time.
The acting is very good. The food mascots costumes cuteness level was really over the top. Overall (as the rating suggests) I liked this movie, it was touching.
The acting is very good. The food mascots costumes cuteness level was really over the top. Overall (as the rating suggests) I liked this movie, it was touching.
- kainwalker
- Jan 7, 2014
- Permalink
Cried a half of the movie :'(
The only thing that I want to say is that you should watch this movie. And if you don't watch it, be regret :( I cried a lot, the acting was incredible, totally love the girl. In my thoughts, this may be a movie about father and daughter and I was completely fallen for it! How poor the little girl was, I can't imagine what she had been through! Her acting was very good, I even thought she had really been through that tragedy :'( And her Father was really really a emotional man, not like what I thought he would be at the beginning! He made me think of my Father and I just cried a lot! He won the Blue Dragon Award for The Best Actor! I think he totally deserved it! Btw, the movie got the Award too! SHOULD WATCH!
- pe_lun_206
- May 10, 2014
- Permalink
This movie is a global reference on HOW such a story needs to be handled!
First of all, KUDOS to the director for keeping it gore-free. And thanks to him for such a DECENT, SENSITIVE and yet POWERFUL portrayal of a real-life incident without all the unnecessary elements. OMG! the way he handled a delicate topic very effectively and efficiently!! Any other (insensitive) director would have butchered the script and screenplay. WOW! Take a (lots of) bow, the ENTIRE CREW. EXTREMELY emotional. NEVER once did the director steer away from the subject. This EASILY TOPS as the BEST movie to WATCH in the history of world cinema. I'm already using this movie as benchmark and bashing other movies that they are not up to this movie's mark! Such is the impact of this movie on me.
There is no 100/10 on IMDb. Otherwise, my rating for this movie is exactly that and may be even more because 10/10 seems to be blase after watching this movie.
Even the little boy who cries towards the end for not accompanying the girl on that day, was so powerful histrionics-wise, that I'm BOWLED over by all the performances!! SPELL-BOUND! All the 3 lead actors DESERVED an Oscar each. I will give away one to each of them, really. The music was sensitive and seamless too, without jarring your ears. And coming back to the story, I cannot believe this was an actual incident that happened.
The scene between the father and the daughter at the hospital when he tries to shift her to another room is very touching! The emotions choke you because truth is always bitter. How the community chips in to help in every which way they could, is a revelation!
And WHAT the heck do you say about the JUDGE for going "easy" on the pervert bastard?! HE should have been the first one to be beaten to death. Does not he even have the basic IQ to analyze that the pervert criminal had all the time and "sanity" of the brain to plan this and leave her to death? No matter where you are, women and children have to be careful, they cannot rest on the immoral judges or ridiculous judiciary system or the spineless police force. I could not digest the sentence or the judge's words. And what a BRAVE girl is she! HOPE she is safe, sound and happy, even after the pervert is released.
There is no 100/10 on IMDb. Otherwise, my rating for this movie is exactly that and may be even more because 10/10 seems to be blase after watching this movie.
Even the little boy who cries towards the end for not accompanying the girl on that day, was so powerful histrionics-wise, that I'm BOWLED over by all the performances!! SPELL-BOUND! All the 3 lead actors DESERVED an Oscar each. I will give away one to each of them, really. The music was sensitive and seamless too, without jarring your ears. And coming back to the story, I cannot believe this was an actual incident that happened.
The scene between the father and the daughter at the hospital when he tries to shift her to another room is very touching! The emotions choke you because truth is always bitter. How the community chips in to help in every which way they could, is a revelation!
And WHAT the heck do you say about the JUDGE for going "easy" on the pervert bastard?! HE should have been the first one to be beaten to death. Does not he even have the basic IQ to analyze that the pervert criminal had all the time and "sanity" of the brain to plan this and leave her to death? No matter where you are, women and children have to be careful, they cannot rest on the immoral judges or ridiculous judiciary system or the spineless police force. I could not digest the sentence or the judge's words. And what a BRAVE girl is she! HOPE she is safe, sound and happy, even after the pervert is released.
- BalticRustic
- Mar 27, 2017
- Permalink
emotionally destroying- a masterpiece
Hope is a heavy film. I felt this giant weight come over me as soon as the film ended. It endures through so much pain and its road towards joy is thick. Joon-ik Lee has created something beautiful and honest, it explores shadings of trauma that is morally ambiguous and it is filled to the brim with tear-jerking moments that it leaves you so heart-broken that I am still trying to restore the broken pieces. Sure, Hope can be labelled as a sentimental film, but it is melodrama that is done efficiently, filled with emotional intelligence and empathetic characters.
- aminifatimaaa
- Jan 21, 2019
- Permalink
The biggest emotional roller-coaster out there..
After watching this film for the fourth time, I have decided to write a review. After the first watch, it went straight into my top 10. After multiple viewings, I gained more respect for it. But we must remember a good premise doesn't make a good film.. You still need execution.
And yes.. It was executed well. First off credit to Lee Joon-Ik for taking this film in the right direction, he could of gone into police investigations and court battles.. But instead decided to take this tragic true-story and go down the route of love and support from family, friends and community. The score and cinematography will not blow you away, but it fits the theme and tone perfectly.
Sol Kyung-Gu (Dong-Hoon), Uhm Ji-Won (Mi-Hee) & Lee Re (So-Won/Hope) are all outstanding. Throughout the entirety of the film, they don't miss a beat. Never have actors made me feel for characters they way those three did and continue to. They rest of the supporting cast is also very solid in their performances.
You may think after the first time that the emotional impact would wear off, but Hope has brought tears to my eyes every time (during three different scenes too, but always scenes between Sol Kyung-Gu and Lee Re. The chemistry is real!). Yet it is the only film to make me shed a tear.
I believe this is both the happiest and saddest film I have watched. Tears of happiness, tears of sadness.. and incredible outrage. No film has ever come close to making me feel like this. I don't think another will either. A true masterpiece of a drama.
And yes.. It was executed well. First off credit to Lee Joon-Ik for taking this film in the right direction, he could of gone into police investigations and court battles.. But instead decided to take this tragic true-story and go down the route of love and support from family, friends and community. The score and cinematography will not blow you away, but it fits the theme and tone perfectly.
Sol Kyung-Gu (Dong-Hoon), Uhm Ji-Won (Mi-Hee) & Lee Re (So-Won/Hope) are all outstanding. Throughout the entirety of the film, they don't miss a beat. Never have actors made me feel for characters they way those three did and continue to. They rest of the supporting cast is also very solid in their performances.
You may think after the first time that the emotional impact would wear off, but Hope has brought tears to my eyes every time (during three different scenes too, but always scenes between Sol Kyung-Gu and Lee Re. The chemistry is real!). Yet it is the only film to make me shed a tear.
I believe this is both the happiest and saddest film I have watched. Tears of happiness, tears of sadness.. and incredible outrage. No film has ever come close to making me feel like this. I don't think another will either. A true masterpiece of a drama.
- doctorboat
- Apr 2, 2017
- Permalink
Disturbing, but...
Still Crying
I cried every second of this movie, excellent acting ang scenerio
- beladaburak
- Nov 29, 2018
- Permalink
It would Rip-off your Emotions Right through your Heart
Don't Expect the movie to be a great entertainer or charming as it depicts the most shameful and lowly act of humans and the loopholes of the laws of our nations.
The entire movie is made so serene and beautiful that you would find it hard to say anything. The scenes and emotions would neither make you cry nor angry but just rip out your emotions and feelings which would be like the relationships and emotions where words aren't even necessary.
If you are a fan of science fiction or action movies don't watch it as you'd be disappointed but if you are someone who cares about the society or just want to watch a movie to get to know what true emotions and feelings are, give it a try. The movie will definitely touch your innermost feelings and instigate you to think what life really is.
The entire movie is made so serene and beautiful that you would find it hard to say anything. The scenes and emotions would neither make you cry nor angry but just rip out your emotions and feelings which would be like the relationships and emotions where words aren't even necessary.
If you are a fan of science fiction or action movies don't watch it as you'd be disappointed but if you are someone who cares about the society or just want to watch a movie to get to know what true emotions and feelings are, give it a try. The movie will definitely touch your innermost feelings and instigate you to think what life really is.
- prakash-gautamrocks
- May 4, 2014
- Permalink
People Seeking Justice; Beware!
- markrschulz
- Oct 14, 2013
- Permalink
A brutal, but very honest and ultimately an emotional movie...
I had not heard about "Hope" (aka "So-won" and "Wish") prior to finding it when browsing through the Asian selection of movies. I only needed to look at the movie's cover in order to decide to sit down to watch it. I didn't read the synopsis for the movie, so I sat down to watch it with no anticipations or expectations.
It should be said that this movie is very atypical for a South Korean movie, and I mean that in a positive way. The movie deals with a topic that is taboo and very rarely seen in cinema, much less in South Korean cinema. And writer Ji-hye Kim and director Joon-ik Lee came up with a story and a movie that was brutal, realistic, emotional, realistic and very moving.
The movie tells the story of a family of three whose lives are abruptly uprooted and flipped upside down as the 8 year old daughter is abducted and raped by a sexual predator as she is on her way to school. Barely surviving the ordeal, the mother, father and little girl are left to struggle with the aftermath of the horrible ordeal.
"Hope" boasts some amazing acting performances from everyone on the cast list. And especially Mi-ran Ra (playing the mother), Sol Kyung Gu (playing the father) and child actress Lee Re (playing So-won) really carried the movie so beautifully with some amazing acting performances. I read that Mi-ran Ra had initially stated that she thought herself unable and inadequate to perform in the role of the mother in this movie, but I must say that she nailed it, and she really have a good talent for acting, and she was very convincing in the role. So I was very glad that she decided to perform in this movie after all.
The characters in the movie were very detailed and well-rounded, which added a lot to the overall enjoyment of the movie. It was especially so because the main characters - mother, father and daughter - were characters that you instantly take a liking to and sympathize for.
Director Joon-ik Lee luckily opted to deal with the atrocious event of the rape of a child in a very tactful manner, which was by showing nothing of the act on the screen. But it was very clear afterwards what had transpired. And that was the only way and the right way to deal with the topic, otherwise it would pass a threshold and step into a sleazy and creepy place.
Sure there are some visual aspects to the movie that can be difficult to watch for some viewers in the audience, such as seeing So-won in the hospital immediately after the act, and that visual had a very strong impact. But those are vital to the story and to the flow of the movie, because those visuals indeed tell so much without any words being necessary. The make-up and special effects department also managed to do a good job with their assigned tasks; especially on little So-won, because the injuries and bruises looked very realistic.
The dialogue in the movie is very well-written and very suitable and fitting to the movie. And it is actually clever dialogue which is so well delivered by all cast members. And there was a lot of emotion between the three main cast - Mi-ran Ra, Sol Kyung Gu and Lee Re.
Some of the music seemed rather unfitting for the movie, especially the music that played when So-won was sitting and talking with the social worker. The music they used there was just too upbeat and seemed quite out of place for the atmosphere of the movie. But in general, I will say that the music was adequate for the movie, especially because it was subtle enough to serve as background music.
The movie depicts quite well how the family struggles with the aftermath of the horrible tragedy. And it does tell the aspects quite nicely, both how So-won struggles with coming to terms with what happened to her and trying to return to a normal life. But it also deals nicely with how the mother and father are struggling with the events, and especially how the father is struggling to regain his relationship with her daughter in the aftermath as her trust in males was shattered.
However, do take into consideration that this movie deals with a very heavy and difficult topic and it is one that might cause a stir and not sit well with just everyone in the audience. And since it is a drama that is story-driven and character-driven, then the movie could even seem a bit slow paced and long for some viewers.
"Hope" is a beautiful movie, and I am very glad that I decided to sit down to watch it, because this was a very touching experience and a moving movie. "Hope" is definitely well worth your time, effort and money.
It should be said that this movie is very atypical for a South Korean movie, and I mean that in a positive way. The movie deals with a topic that is taboo and very rarely seen in cinema, much less in South Korean cinema. And writer Ji-hye Kim and director Joon-ik Lee came up with a story and a movie that was brutal, realistic, emotional, realistic and very moving.
The movie tells the story of a family of three whose lives are abruptly uprooted and flipped upside down as the 8 year old daughter is abducted and raped by a sexual predator as she is on her way to school. Barely surviving the ordeal, the mother, father and little girl are left to struggle with the aftermath of the horrible ordeal.
"Hope" boasts some amazing acting performances from everyone on the cast list. And especially Mi-ran Ra (playing the mother), Sol Kyung Gu (playing the father) and child actress Lee Re (playing So-won) really carried the movie so beautifully with some amazing acting performances. I read that Mi-ran Ra had initially stated that she thought herself unable and inadequate to perform in the role of the mother in this movie, but I must say that she nailed it, and she really have a good talent for acting, and she was very convincing in the role. So I was very glad that she decided to perform in this movie after all.
The characters in the movie were very detailed and well-rounded, which added a lot to the overall enjoyment of the movie. It was especially so because the main characters - mother, father and daughter - were characters that you instantly take a liking to and sympathize for.
Director Joon-ik Lee luckily opted to deal with the atrocious event of the rape of a child in a very tactful manner, which was by showing nothing of the act on the screen. But it was very clear afterwards what had transpired. And that was the only way and the right way to deal with the topic, otherwise it would pass a threshold and step into a sleazy and creepy place.
Sure there are some visual aspects to the movie that can be difficult to watch for some viewers in the audience, such as seeing So-won in the hospital immediately after the act, and that visual had a very strong impact. But those are vital to the story and to the flow of the movie, because those visuals indeed tell so much without any words being necessary. The make-up and special effects department also managed to do a good job with their assigned tasks; especially on little So-won, because the injuries and bruises looked very realistic.
The dialogue in the movie is very well-written and very suitable and fitting to the movie. And it is actually clever dialogue which is so well delivered by all cast members. And there was a lot of emotion between the three main cast - Mi-ran Ra, Sol Kyung Gu and Lee Re.
Some of the music seemed rather unfitting for the movie, especially the music that played when So-won was sitting and talking with the social worker. The music they used there was just too upbeat and seemed quite out of place for the atmosphere of the movie. But in general, I will say that the music was adequate for the movie, especially because it was subtle enough to serve as background music.
The movie depicts quite well how the family struggles with the aftermath of the horrible tragedy. And it does tell the aspects quite nicely, both how So-won struggles with coming to terms with what happened to her and trying to return to a normal life. But it also deals nicely with how the mother and father are struggling with the events, and especially how the father is struggling to regain his relationship with her daughter in the aftermath as her trust in males was shattered.
However, do take into consideration that this movie deals with a very heavy and difficult topic and it is one that might cause a stir and not sit well with just everyone in the audience. And since it is a drama that is story-driven and character-driven, then the movie could even seem a bit slow paced and long for some viewers.
"Hope" is a beautiful movie, and I am very glad that I decided to sit down to watch it, because this was a very touching experience and a moving movie. "Hope" is definitely well worth your time, effort and money.
- paul_haakonsen
- Jun 27, 2017
- Permalink
Reality
Movie need real Korean court rules. And i think that's all i have.
- a_a-55-456200
- May 10, 2018
- Permalink
Incredible!!
What besiege a man to do such a brutal act to an innocent child? That's the question I kept asking myself after watching the film. 'Hope' is a film every parent with a young child should see. This is one of the most emotional and inspirational films I've seen in a while.
The actors were exceptional, especially Re Lee as the little girl. It was interesting to see how a somewhat divided family was brought together through tragedy, and the many obstacles they had to overcome in the process. This is an incredible film!! Very touching indeed.
The actors were exceptional, especially Re Lee as the little girl. It was interesting to see how a somewhat divided family was brought together through tragedy, and the many obstacles they had to overcome in the process. This is an incredible film!! Very touching indeed.
- paulclaassen
- Jan 3, 2019
- Permalink
Best movie I have ever seen in my life
Everything about this movie is great and words can't describe my feelings right now but I'll try my best
I am sure 100% there is no movie in this world was ever made or will be made in the future is comparable to this mighteness I have just watched and believe me when I tell you that I've watched over 1000 movies in my life I always rate a great movie and just simply go watch another and forget about the one I've watched but with this movie the case is different I couldn't just walk away like I did with other movies without doing something extra of course , So I decided least I can do to this greatness I've seen is to write a review about it and believe me I don't bother my self always doing something extra or taking a bit of effort.
I can't say anything more so I'll finish my words by just saying Thank you "Korea"
I am sure 100% there is no movie in this world was ever made or will be made in the future is comparable to this mighteness I have just watched and believe me when I tell you that I've watched over 1000 movies in my life I always rate a great movie and just simply go watch another and forget about the one I've watched but with this movie the case is different I couldn't just walk away like I did with other movies without doing something extra of course , So I decided least I can do to this greatness I've seen is to write a review about it and believe me I don't bother my self always doing something extra or taking a bit of effort.
I can't say anything more so I'll finish my words by just saying Thank you "Korea"
I went through all the pain
- sapraakshat
- Sep 16, 2016
- Permalink
The film is about a 8-year-old girl who was sexually assaulted by drunk man in her way to school.
TISSUES ARE A MUST!
- alcantaraj-16594
- Jul 18, 2018
- Permalink
Heart wrenching, devastating, beautiful movie
Beautiful and Horrific Film That Stays With You Forever
You can't lose Hope
This is pretty heavy stuff, the movie does not hold back any punches when it comes to emotional weight. It is a drama of high quality. It feels as real as it can get, without losing its touch with the viewer. I watched another drama recently, where a character had to cope with a heavy blow to his ordinary life.
But it didn't handle the story as well as this movie does. The viewer stays connected and is along for the ride. It's not easy, but the movie walks the line and knows how to keep the viewer attached and bewildered at the same time. No small fee if you ask me and really a heavy burden that we carry with the characters ... But even with the long running time the quality never lets you down ...
But it didn't handle the story as well as this movie does. The viewer stays connected and is along for the ride. It's not easy, but the movie walks the line and knows how to keep the viewer attached and bewildered at the same time. No small fee if you ask me and really a heavy burden that we carry with the characters ... But even with the long running time the quality never lets you down ...
An UNFORGETTABLE Korean MASTERPIECE! Hope will fill your life with Hopes to fight off the worst and toughest phases of your life.
So-won / Hope (2013) :
Brief Review -
An UNFORGETTABLE Korean MASTERPIECE! Hope will fill your life with Hopes to fight off the worst and toughest phases of your life. What could be the best purpose of making a film according to you? Do you limit your expectations for 2 hours entertainment or quality cinematic experience? Or are you looking for something to take home that might just encourage you to do something in life or just change it forever or just be the biggest motivation for you in toughest situations. If you are looking for something like this alongwith cinematic brilliance then Hope is a MUST MUST WATCH for you. Story of an 8 year old girl coping with a gruesome rape damaging her internally and affecting emotionally, trying to overcome all obstacles in the aftermath of the incident with a good support from those around her. It is based on a true story so the reliability and realistic sense is there. You can't just give an excuse of fictional writing to ditch it. Fictional writing does not approve the probability of the story happening in real life so while rating such films i always cut one mark even if it's a Classic. With Hope, that deduction is excluded hence my final rating is extremely high, i mean higher than many universal classics. Child Abuse is a very sensitive topic and it is enough to shatter your mind. I remember watching Danish Masterpiece 'The Hunt' based on similar issue and it completely shattered me inside out. I just thought, what if the same happens to me? I mean it's Highly possible right? It's nothing inhuman or fictional so yes what if i go through such trauma? Hope reminded me the same but this time it wasn't just about one character. It's about the girl, her mental tension, her mother, her father's struggle to fight financial crisis, fight for his own existence alongwith fight for the justice. I don't know how many times i broke down while watching the film and how many times i was encouraged. No spoilers, Just don't miss it and you'll know what i mean.
RATING - 9/10*
By - #samthebestest.
An UNFORGETTABLE Korean MASTERPIECE! Hope will fill your life with Hopes to fight off the worst and toughest phases of your life. What could be the best purpose of making a film according to you? Do you limit your expectations for 2 hours entertainment or quality cinematic experience? Or are you looking for something to take home that might just encourage you to do something in life or just change it forever or just be the biggest motivation for you in toughest situations. If you are looking for something like this alongwith cinematic brilliance then Hope is a MUST MUST WATCH for you. Story of an 8 year old girl coping with a gruesome rape damaging her internally and affecting emotionally, trying to overcome all obstacles in the aftermath of the incident with a good support from those around her. It is based on a true story so the reliability and realistic sense is there. You can't just give an excuse of fictional writing to ditch it. Fictional writing does not approve the probability of the story happening in real life so while rating such films i always cut one mark even if it's a Classic. With Hope, that deduction is excluded hence my final rating is extremely high, i mean higher than many universal classics. Child Abuse is a very sensitive topic and it is enough to shatter your mind. I remember watching Danish Masterpiece 'The Hunt' based on similar issue and it completely shattered me inside out. I just thought, what if the same happens to me? I mean it's Highly possible right? It's nothing inhuman or fictional so yes what if i go through such trauma? Hope reminded me the same but this time it wasn't just about one character. It's about the girl, her mental tension, her mother, her father's struggle to fight financial crisis, fight for his own existence alongwith fight for the justice. I don't know how many times i broke down while watching the film and how many times i was encouraged. No spoilers, Just don't miss it and you'll know what i mean.
RATING - 9/10*
By - #samthebestest.
- SAMTHEBESTEST
- Jul 2, 2021
- Permalink
Perfectly described, ironically, a word called Hope
With a heavy heart
People who have been hurt laugh the most because they don't want to let the people around them suffer the same pain. It's harrowing to see, struggling, with a little warmth, but it still can't hide the black reality behind.
A heavy realistic but hopeful film
What's rare is that they didn't make use of their family's excessive sensationalism, and didn't get too entangled in the loopholes of the law, avoiding the two most popular stems of Korean films, but focused more on the psychological changes of the family after the trauma. Life goes on after a hard hit, but you can choose how to deal with it. All the moving points of this film are from the positive attitude shown by the details and the family's joint efforts to get through the difficulties. I feel very happy when I am moved.
- xuefeiding
- Apr 4, 2020
- Permalink