Korean Movie: 국가대표 Jump 2009

This Korean movie, means National Athelete, is highly recommended to watch and I can say that, it is one of the best movies in 2009.

May be it is because:
first, I like ski.
second, I like sports movie.
third, it is based on a true story.
forth, the patriotism - the unity of Korean - the brotherhood as a team - is shown in the movie.
fifth, low budget brings out good movie.

Synopsis:

A famous high ski athlete (Korean-American) was back to Korea to look for his parents. He can speak Korean well and he showed up in a TV program. The national team co-ordinator, plus trainer, looked for him and asked  him to join the Korean national team. He didn't think it is fair to him as this country sent him away first. Anyway, later he was little bit moved by the trainer as he promised to help him looking for his parents.

Thus, to be in a team, they need 4 people in a group. They went to find the candidates, whom have totally different backgrounds from one another. One is a club's attendee, one is a poor worker staying with a younger brother and his grandmother and another one is a father's boy. The trainer invited them to have a preview of high-ski and asked for their participation.

When they saw the scenes of failures, first they wanted to quit. But after they were told that if they become the national athelete, they no need to join the military service. :) They decided to be trained and become the national team.

However, it was not an easy task. First, they don't have a proper place to be trained. They were trained in the construction place  of the high ski stadium. Second, they don't have much budget. They could not get any financial support when they are training. Third, they had to use their own imaginations to build a temporary ski jump route. Without the support of the government, they only can use a haunted roller coster place. Even later when the decision of the high ski stadium was canceled, they were not allowed to use it too.

After much training, they went for the first competition yet it was not successful. They were lucky to be in the final round list because of the weather. The quarrel of the team leader and the ex-US team members made them have a hard time to get into the competition.

Besides the story of the sports, there are also stories of the atheletes:
Team leader found his mother but she was having a hard time, she is a housemaid under a cruel daughter of the house owner. At the end of the story, she came to her son and recognized him again.
The daughter of the trainer made a spotlight in the story - a beautiful lady but is a liar. She seduced one of the team member but she was touched by his true heart at the end.

The brother of the good grandson joined the team later as a back-up as he was hurt in the first competition. He was too young but encouraged by his brother, he jumped for the first time and he was success.

The father's boy got married with a korean-chinese lady who works in his father's restaurant, and she was pregnant. Her father tried to push him back to work but he finally fight for his own life.

In  the final, they joined the international competition and they won the 3rd prize. The jump scene was shown in the movie but not the prize award.

Review
I watched this movie in the theatre and with the big screen, I could feel  the true spirit of the sports. Though later I found out that the whole view  of the international ski jump competition are all computerized-making, they did a good job. Their hard work burns my passion to work for my dream too! I also want to work hard for my own dream!

I hope you can enjoy this movie too!

This photo shows  the real national atheletes. They have a hard time getting support from the Korean government. It is a true information (as I have friend who knows one of them). The Koreans only like sports like soccer and baseball. They do not give much subsidy to this sports although they have a high potential to get into the international field successfully. I hope this movie, and more supports from the Koreans, can influence the support from the government.

Enjoy the OST.