Never Ending Story (film)

Never Ending Story
Promotional poster
Directed byJung Yong-joo
Written byPark Eun-kyo
Lee Byeong-heon
Produced byPark Chang-sun
Heo Jeong-wook
StarringUhm Tae-woong
Jung Ryeo-won
CinematographyKang Seung-ki
Production
company
9ers Entertainment
Distributed byHwa&Dam Pictures
Release date
  • 18 January 2012 (2012-01-18)
Running time
114 minutes
CountrySouth Korea
LanguageKorean

Never Ending Story (Korean네버엔딩 스토리; RRNe-beo-en-ding-seu-to-ri) is a 2012 South Korean romantic comedy film directed by Jung Yong-joo. Uhm Tae-woong and Jung Ryeo-won star as a mismatched couple who meet at a hospital where they have both been diagnosed with terminal illnesses and decide to spend the rest of their lives together.[1][2] Kross Pictures remade the film in Vietnamese in 2018 as 100 Days of Sunshine.

Plot

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Oh Song-kyung (Jung Ryeo-won) is a well-organized 28-year-old bank teller. She meticulously has a plan for everything, including getting married through a dating agency. Taekwondo master Kang Dong-joo's (Uhm Tae-woong) biggest pleasure is buying lottery tickets in hopes of one day hitting the jackpot. In reality, however, he is an incompetent young man who barely makes ends meet and mooches off his younger brother (Park Ki-woong). He is forced to register with a dating agency because of pressure from his sister-in-law (Yoo Sun), who wants to kick him out of their house.

They are the polar opposites of each other, but a few days after registering with the agency, they meet at a hospital where they have both been diagnosed with brain cancer and given just three months to live. When their doctor's appointments bring them into regular contact, the two fall in love and decide to live their remaining days together. With time running out, together they prepare for the last ceremonies of their lives: their funeral, by shopping for coffins, urns and burial clothes and chambers, as well as wedding plans.[3][4]

Cast

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Reception

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Though the film's box office was only 275,000 admissions domestically, it was sold to Indonesia and Thailand. It also won the Grand Prize at the Fukuoka Asian Film Festival, established by Japanese director Shōhei Imamura in 1987.[7]

References

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  1. ^ Sunwoo, Carla (26 December 2011). "'Never Ending Story' opens on Jan. 19". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 2013-01-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^ "Never Ending Story (2011)". Korean Film Biz Zone. Korean Film Council. Retrieved 2012-11-16.
  3. ^ "Never Ending Story (2011)". The Chosun Ilbo. 20 January 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-15.
  4. ^ "Now Playing: Never Ending Story (15)". Korea JoongAng Daily. 13 January 2012. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved 2013-01-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  5. ^ Lee, Jin-ho (9 January 2012). "Uhm Tae Woong Tricks Jung Ryeo Won into Kissing Him Over...and Over..." enewsWorld. Retrieved 2013-01-04.
  6. ^ Lee, Jin-ho (9 January 2012). "Jung Ryeo Won Will Marry Uhm Tae Woong If..." enewsWorld. Archived from the original on 14 April 2016. Retrieved 2013-01-04.
  7. ^ "Never Ending Story wins Fukuoka's Grand Prize". Korean Film Biz Zone. Korean Film Council. 23 July 2012. Retrieved 2012-11-16.
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