Antique Review (2008)

Drama Rating: **
Personal Rating: Enjoyable

Story:
This korean movie adaptation, not to be confused with the japanese drama adaptation starring Tackizawa Hideaki, is based on the same manga Antique Bakery by Fumi Yoshinaga. It tells of Kim Jin Hyuk who opens a cake shop and hires pastry chef Min Seon Woo, a former classmate who had a huge crush on him. Watch on to find out what continually haunts Jin Hyuk and what makes Seon Woo tick.

*Spoiler warning*

Plot/Script:
The storytelling for this movie is a bit on the messy side made worse by the fact that there is no single driving force for the story. While whimsical, the movie feels a little directionless, aimlessly drifting here and there. Although there are a few main storylines weaved into the story that continually progress at their own pace, it never really attempts to give a serious, fuller explanation for the events that occur, leaving more questions than answers. The lackadaisical feel seems deliberate, giving the movie a very easygoing nature but it never really draws me in.

Characters:
Characters are rather whimsically introduced and while there are some attempts to elaborate on each of their backgrounds and situations, this attempt to create fuller and more interesting characters doesn't quite achieve its intent. Joo Ji Hoon plays a more lively Kim Jin Hyuk than his role in Goong but his performance overreaches at times and it certainly doesn't have the convincing and confident aura of a patisserie owner.
Playboy Min Seon Woo is played by Kim Jae Wook who does a comparably more convincing job portraying the gay patissier.  Its unfortunate that the other members of the cast are given such two dimensional roles as they could've done more with the development but this was most likely due to the movie's duration.

Music:
The music for this movie is quirky and fun, going well with the easygoing and sometimes cheeky flow of the script. Overall, melodies are quite mellow and add a bit of flavor and color to the movie. The use of a musical in the middle of the show was also an interesting addition. While it was certainly a bit odd to use as a way to advance the plot a bit, it certainly made the drama even more whimsical from a musical point of view.

Verdict:
This movie is a bit weird in the sense that it doesn't ever really feel like it goes anywhere or has any real purpose. It moves along at a very lackadaisical pace and tells the story much like one might take a random walk around the park. Its unfortunate the drama doesn't ever really dwell on any one part of the plotlines very long as the sections feel very piecemeal. It certainly leaves one feeling somewhat hanging and confused trying to figure out exactly what happened. Overall, a fun little movie to pass your time if you've got nothing better to do but definitely not a great movie by any means.