Presented by Cinema Service
an Egg Films production
THE CLASSIC
Son Ye-jin
Cho Seung-woo
and Cho In-sung
produced by Ji Young-joon
written & directed by Kwak Jae-yong
When I was a child,
I remember seeing a big rainbow over the river.
Go away!
At that time my mother told me,
"A rainbow is the door to heaven.
When people die, they go to heaven through that door."
When I was a child, my father passed away.
And my mother went abroad.
I wanted my mom to remarry, but she didn't want to.
My name is Ji-hyae, and my blood type is O.
And since I was seven, I learned taekwondo.
Are you okay?
This box contains my parents' letters and diaries.
Every time my mother read the letters, she wept.
The refined letters and the scent of the past...
My mom's first love is in here.
Hello?
Ji-hyae?
It's me, Soo-gyung.
Why are you calling so early?
Wanna go to the art museum and a play with me and Sang-min?
Hey, are you making me tag along?
No, dummy.
Sang-min asked you to come.
Really?
I'm serious.
I got to know Sang-min through Soo-gyung.
She one day asked me to write e-mails to Sang-min.
For two months, I wrote letters to him for Soo-gyung.
Today, I saw you reading a book by the bench.
It looked like a picture in a postcard.
That's childish.
Rewrite it?
No, I like it.
I like it being childish.
If you still want to marry,
I'll give you a curse for a dowry.
Sang-min, I sent you a letter without missing a day.
Afterwards, Soo-gyung signed up for theater.
Go to the convent! Go!
Good-bye.
If you still want to marry, marry an idiot instead.
The night stained with pain kept me awake...
The gloomy moonlight
has unexpectedly made your shadow suspend on my window.
No, that's not it!
The gloomy moonlight
has unexpectedly made your shadow suspend on my window.
Jordan is touched when Emily comes back to see him.
You have to feel both happy and heartbroken.
Do it with more feeling!
When I look at him, I feel breathless.
But he never once looked at me.
I'll put a spell on him.
Look back.
Look back! Look back! Hey!
Music.
When I saw you for the first time,
you already stole my heart.
But now that you came to me,
I feel like we'll be together forever.
Good.
My heart is yours forever.
Isn't Sang-min fantastic?
I love guys who are into their work.
Saw him?
"No, that's not it!"
"The gloomy moonlight
has unexpectedly made your shadow suspend on my window."
Talking about me?
It's nothing, Sang-min.
You know Ji-hyae, right?
She was with me when I first came here.
Right, it's been a while.
Yes...
Hello.
A lot of girls like him.
Not just Soo-gyung.
Even the woman working at the student's hall likes him.
Sung Joo-hee.
Yoon Tae-soo.
Oh Joon-ha?
"When I opened the window this morning,
the romantic breeze signaled autumn coming.
I'll put that wind in the letter and send it to you."
Romantic breeze?
That's so cliche.
I guess I'll look at it as a classic.
Oh Joon-ha!
Tae-soo had never spoken to me before,
but one day he came to me.
Write me a letter.
He heard that I wrote letters for my friends.
They said that Tae-soo grew a foot over winter break.
To who?
To my fiancee.
Fiancee?
She's my dad's friend's daughter.
They set us up on their own.
You're lucky.
You don't have to ask girls out on dates.
I'm sick of it.
I'm not the type to date one girl.
If she mails me, he wants to check it.
He wants to know everything.
He acts just like a FBI agent.
Oh no.
She's pretty, huh?
But since she's a congressman's daughter, she'll be shallow.
You let them slip out between your legs.
City boys are slow.
Suwon isn't a city, Seoul is.
But we have a city hall.
You catch them, and I'll draw them.
Look carefully, idiot.
Let's go.
What are you doing?
She's Old Sung's granddaughter.
I heard she's from Suwon.
Wait, you're from Suwon, right?
Yeah.
We can never dream of having her.
Old Sung's son is a congressman.
So she's a congressman's daughter.
Then is she a congressman's son, idiot?
She's waving.
- Let's wave back! - Hey, wave!
Hello!
I found one!
Let me see!
Let's see.
It stinks.
I got one.
It's a big one.
It sure ate a lot of cow shit.
It's a beetle.
A beetle?
But I've never seen one.
Do you want this?
It's cow shit, it's dirty.
Have you seen the haunted house across the river?
What?
Yes.
Can you take me there?
Yes.
Do you know how to row?
Sure.
Then let's meet at the ferry at twelve tomorrow, okay?
What did you say to her?
City boys are surely different.
Hey, teach me how to row!
You'll teach me, right?
Grandpa told me a lot about it, but forbid me to go.
It's strict where ever I go.
I really wanted to go, but I had no one to take me.
If I ask the people here,
then they'll tell my Grandpa right away.
But the boat isn't moving.
To be honest,
this is my first time rowing.
My name is Oh Joon-ha.
Oh my, I forgot to introduce myself.
I'm Sung Joo-hee.
You're from Suwon?
Yes.
I'm from Suwon, too.
I came here to visit my Uncle.
Really?
What a coincidence.
Or maybe fate?
Pardon?
Oh, nothing.
Is there really a ghost?
Have you seen a ghost before?
Of course.
Every day.
What?
In the mirror.
Actually, I'm a ghost.
Stop it.
- Are you okay? - Yes.
I think I sprained my ankle.
Get on my back.
Hurry and get on my back.
It's a shower.
It'll stop soon.
Dry yourself with this.
When the rain stops, we'll go along the river.
Then we'll reach the ferry.
Although it's a bit far.
I'm heavy, huh?
Nope.
You're not heavy at all.
But I weigh a lot.
And I eat a lot, too.
Don't worry.
You're so light I can carry you all the way to Seoul.
You're lying.
I'm not lying.
- You're lying. - I'm not lying.
I caught it.
Open your hands.
Hold the firefly for a moment.
You gave me a firefly and carried me.
But this is all that I can give you in return.
Please give me the firefly.
Thanks for today.
She was sick for a few days,
and left for a big hospital in Seoul.
After her mother died, she got really sick.
But when she came back from the countryside,
I heard she got healthier and looked happier.
It's done.
Let me see.
It was painful to write the letters for Tae-soo.
Because of her.
I had a lot to tell her myself.
It's great.
Can I thank you by showing you my specialty?
Sure.
Wait a sec.
You have to open your mouth.
When we close our mouths, people will think we faked it.
Watch carefully.
Know what song this is?
"Moonlight of Shilla?"
You punks!
Why haven't you finished your chores?
Are you bastards playing hookie?
I'll check later, so make it spotless!
And what's this smell?
Did someone take a shit here?
Joon-ha!
Oh Joon-ha!
Joon-ha! Oh Joon-ah!
Are you crazy to scream in a library?
Look, it's an invitation.
Is everyone here Oh Joon-ha?
Nosey bastards.
Thank you.
Next is sophomore, Sung Joo-hee.
She will play Beethoven's Sonata 8 on the piano.
Please give her a round of applause.
Joo-hee, you must be hungry.
I bet you're hungry.
I'll treat my daughter-in-law to a nice meal.
Let's go.
Thank you.
Congratulations.
Is your ankle better?
Yes.
And your cold?
Yes.
I was very worried about you.
And I enjoyed your performance.
I have to practice more.
Everyone's waiting.
I snuck out.
I still have the firefly.
It's healthy, like me.
Hi.
Sorry I'm late.
Hi, Ji-hyae.
Sang-min, I won.
We made a bet.
I bet you'd come, and Sang-min bet you wouldn't.
You have to treat dinner.
Okay, I will.
What are you looking at?
I have to go.
Why are you going so early?
Sang-min is treating us to dinner.
Three's a crowd.
You bad girl.
You're too smart.
Sang-min!
Ji-hyae said she's leaving.
But you should eat first.
And we can talk about the play, too.
Ji-hyae never changes her mind.
Right, Ji-hyae?
Right.
See?
That's too bad.
It would've been nice if you came.
Ever seen Sang-min treat anyone like this?
He's doing this because you're my friend.
He's just being nice, so you can go.
It's okay.
Wait!
I bought presents today.
I also got you one, so you wouldn't feel alone.
I bet you won't be able to sleep tonight.
This isn't like Sang-min.
It's because you're a good friend.
If it wasn't for me, you'd never get this.
Pick one.
Ji-hyae!
I like your present better.
It's okay to switch, right?
Bye!
"When the sun shines on the sea, I think of you.
When the dim moonlight is on the spring, I think of you."
Really? Is that what it says?
Oh my gosh, Sang-min must really like me a lot.
You have to give it to me tomorrow, okay?
Okay.
I have no reason to see him anymore.
He wants to be with Soo-gyung now.
When the sun shines on the sea...
When the dim moonlight is on the spring...
Are you done?
Wait a little longer.
Hand in your manure in an envelop after lunch.
Got it?
Yes, sir.
Those who didn't bring it, hurry and go take a shit!
Got it?
Joon-ha.
I'll close my eyes and run, so you guide me, okay?
I'm really closing them.
Okay.
Joon-ha.
Wanna come with me to learn the polka dance after class?
Polka?
I'm gonna meet Joo-hee there.
It's my dad and his friend's idea.
They want us to meet at a healthy recreation.
A lot of girls will be there, so you pick one up.
- Gonna come, right? - I don't know.
Tae-soo!
Joo-hee, this is my friend Oh Joon-ha.
She's the one I told you about.
I'm Oh Joon-ha.
Nice to meet you.
Hello.
Are you two friends?
Know each other?
No, we don't.
He's my best friend.
This is my friend, Na-hee.
Hi, I'm Na-hee.
I'm Yoon Tae-soo.
I'm Oh Joon-ha.
Everyone please have a seat.
Anywhere is fine.
Today I will teach you the polka dance.
Sounds fun, right?
I missed you.
Me, too.
I didn't know you were Tae-soo's friend.
I want to be a woman anchor.
So I always practice my speech.
Can you do this?
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
Did I do okay?
I can do it faster.
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
Shall I do it faster?
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
Give it a try.
Peter Piper a pecked of peppers pickled...
You'll need a lot of practice.
Repeat precisely after me.
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
We should split up now.
I'll take Joo-hee home, so you take care of Na-hee.
Okay?
See you later.
I had fun.
Good night.
Bye Joo-hee.
Good night.
What are you doing?
Let's get going.
Joon-ha, then try something easier.
Try this.
She sells seashells by the seashore.
Easy, huh?
Give it a try.
Pardon?
I said give it a try.
Give what a try?
She sells seashells by the seashore.
Give this a try.
I can't.
Please don't ask me to.
You can't do this?
She sells seashells by the seashore.
It's easy.
She sells seashells by the seashore.
Have a good...
Good-bye.
The card.
I should've known there'd be a card for me.
Ji-hyae?
Oh, hello.
Where are you headed?
To the library.
That far?
It's not far.
I won't get so wet if I stop at each building.
Then I'll take you there.
With my umbrella.
Think of that building as a shed and run.
One.
Two.
Three!
Thanks so much.
But you're soaked.
I was going to get wet anyway.
I should be going.
Thanks again.
Okay, I'll see you later.
I didn't think we'd meet again.
But why does the library have to be so close?
She hasn't mailed me back yet.
Joo-hee?
Yeah.
Why not?
I don't know.
I'm not the type to fall in love with one girl.
But I must really like her.
Tae-soo?
Hi.
What are you doing here?
I was waiting for you.
Please take these flowers.
I like you, Joo-hee.
Please write to me.
That's strange.
Is it because I'm too tall?
Why do I keep fainting?
I'm out of breath.
It's because of Tae-soo, right?
What do you think I should do?
Tell me.
Tae-soo is a rotten bastard.
No, Tae-soo is nice.
He's a rotten bastard because he's too nice.
Tae-soo is waiting for your letter.
There's no hope.
There's nothing we can do for us.
Don't say that.
There's a way.
No, there's nothing more we can do.
Nothing.
We can only be hurt.
It'll work out.
I won't see neither you
nor Tae-soo anymore.
I'm serious.
I won't see anyone.
Hey, limousine boy!
Come here.
Limousine boy, forget to bow?
So you don't wanna bow, is that it?
If you have a chauffeur, you don't have to bow, huh?
Your badge is on wrong, and your shirt's unbuttoned.
Fine, today I'll give you the worst beating ever.
I'm gonna beat you all starting from the left.
The first one gets hit once, the second one gets hit twice.
From the third, shout out your turn.
Got it?
Yes, sir.
You sissies, I can't hear you!
Yes, sir!
Seven.
Stay still!
- Ouch, my back. - Stay still,
or I'll break your arm.
You get one more beating.
Get into position!
Listen to what I said, and get into position!
What's the count?
I said what's the count?
Then I'll tell you.
You're nineteen.
One.
Two.
Three!
Hey, get up!
Get up!
Hey.
Hey, what's wrong with you?
It's about Joo-hee.
I don't think she likes me.
I gave her flowers and even kissed her,
but there's no response.
You kissed her?
Yeah.
When the sun shines on the sea, I think of you.
When the dim moonlight is on the spring, I think of you.
Use this and go home.
Stay out of the rain.
Dummy.
Do you want to get electrocuted?
You're crazy.
I don't want to split up like this.
Let's talk just for a moment.
Nothing can change.
There's no use in talking.
Let go of me!
Here's your letter.
I don't want it anymore.
Why?
There's no response, and because of my conscience,
I'll write it myself from now on.
And tell the truth.
It's a golden opportunity.
I heard she's very sick from the rain.
So she's in the hospital.
She's very sick?
Because of the rain?
Yeah.
I'm going to see her.
If I visit her when she's sick, then I can score.
I'm gonna confess to her that I didn't write the letters.
I won't tell her it was you.
Actually, I'm not the type to like one girl,
but I really like her.
Oh Joon-ha!
He's calling you.
Yes?
I have to eat all this?
Look at this.
Mawworms, intestinal worms, hookworms, roundworms.
You have everything.
What the hell did you eat?
Because of you, our class has the most parasites.
But teacher, it's not my manure.
Then whose is it?
You're the only one who'd have this many parasites.
Eat it now!
Yoon Tae-soo.
Eat three.
But it's the same manure.
Yeah, but some spots have more parasites and some don't.
How'd you know I was here?
Why are you covering your face?
Stop it.
I haven't washed my face, so it's dirty.
But you're still pretty.
How'd you know I was here?
I heard from Tae-soo.
Why are you laughing?
I heard you ate 32 worm-killing pills.
Tae-soo, that bastard, has a big mouth.
Did he say anything else?
After being silent for a while, that's all he said and left.
Really?
He's so odd.
Are you very sick?
I'm sorry.
I must be really stupid.
Besides liking you, I'm not good at anything else.
No, there's a lot you're good at.
Like getting drenched, and eating worm pills.
Don't laugh.
This is serious.
I have to tell Tae-soo about us.
Then we can clear our conscience.
See you later.
Is this her room?
My poor daughter-in-law!
How'd you get so drenched?
No, lie down.
A cold can't be taken lightly.
You can catch pneumonia.
So are you eating well?
You should eat well to recover.
I'm sorry.
This must be the wrong room.
Wrong room.
Clench your fists.
Raise them like this.
Now hit me.
Why should I hit you?
Hurry and hit me!
I don't like hitting people or getting hit.
Joo-hee and I have been seeing each other.
Actually, she gave me this necklace last summer.
Are you okay?
Damn it, I've fallen again.
Don't worry.
And don't let my dad see that necklace.
He'll get furious.
That necklace is a gift from my dad.
To Joo-hee.
Later on, we went on school break.
And I thought I couldn't see her again.
I miss you.
I miss you so much I'll die.
And I'm curious how much our river has changed.
Say hi to our haunted house, the shed, and our row boat.
Say that I miss them,
and that I'm doing okay.
Yesterday, Tae-soo came to me with your Uncle's address.
He also confessed a shocking thing to me.
That you were the one who wrote the letters to me.
How could you hide that from me?
Anyway, it's okay.
I almost threw away those letters,
but now I can read them again, and think of you.
Tae-soo also made a suggestion.
That you put Tae-soo's name on the letters you sent me.
So that my parents know that we're still exchanging letters.
Look outside the window.
If the branches swing gently in the wind,
then the one you love is loving you, too.
Right now it's snowing outside.
When it first snows,
they say you should stroll with your beloved.
But I'm just writing a letter.
Joon-ha, I miss you so much
I'm going to get permission to go to Grandpa's house.
If I do, I'll send you a telegraph.
Open your ears.
If you hear your heartbeat,
then the person you love is loving you, too.
Close your eyes.
If there's a smile on your lips,
then the person you love is loving you, too.
I want to send a telegraph.
Then please sign up here.
Okay.
But fate must not be on my side.
One of my letters
was returned back to Tae-soo's home.
Joo-hee is in love with Joon-ha.
I'm not in love with Joo-hee.
Both of them really love each other.
So that's why I gave up.
Two people in love should be together.
It's okay with me.
No, I love her, too.
I won't give up.
Are you mocking me?
You always want things your way!
So your parents mean nothing to you?
Do you know who she is?
She's a congressman's daughter!
Know what that means, you punk?
You deserve to die.
You can't even hold on to a girl.
It was the end of a winter break I had hoped so much for.
Know what this is?
A belt?
No, it's a whip.
This bastard hits me.
My dad doesn't want it to, but it keeps wanting to hit me.
That's why I caught it.
How should I punish it?
The death penalty.
That's exactly what I thought.
Kill it slowly and painfully?
Or starve it slowly to death?
Or give it sleeping pills?
Strangle it to death.
Good idea.
Joon-ha.
Take good care of Joo-hee.
Tae-soo!
Somebody help!
A person's dying!
Tae-soo, you bastard!
Tae-soo, hold on! Hold on!
Someone help me!
Somebody's dying!
Tae-soo! Tae-soo!
I told you to kill the belt, not yourself.
Tae-soo, wake up!
Open your eyes!
Don't die. Don't die.
Don't die, you bastard!
Breathe!
Breathe, you bastard!
Breathe!
Go inside.
If you're with him, he'll wake up faster.
Hurry.
Wait here for me.
Hurry and get well.
Ji-hyae, know what this is?
An umbrella?
A very special umbrella.
They're all the same.
It's special because Sang-min gave it to me.
He must know that I like him.
Think he wouldn't when you stare at him everyday?
Go give this to Sang-min.
No, you give it to him.
I'm not going there.
Why not?
Did you and Soo-gyung fight?
Remember when it suddenly rained that day?
Sang-min was drinking coffee here.
He was looking out of the window
then suddenly turned to me and said,
"Did you bring an umbrella?"
And then I said, "I was worried I didn't."
He placed his umbrella here,
and said, "You can have it."
He said he was okay to get wet.
And then he ran off in the rain.
Did you bring an umbrella?
You can have it.
It's raining a lot outside.
Sang-min might be getting soaked without an umbrella.
This is a really special umbrella.
I'll give it back to him.
Did you bring an umbrella?
Of course, I did.
Really?
But still, take mine.
Is she crazy?
You have an umbrella, but why are you so soaked?
Because it's not my umbrella.
I came to return it to you.
You left it at the store.
Am I the only one who gets wet even when I have an umbrella?
Don't go.
You already know.
My feelings.
Now you know it all.
Yeah, when I saw you run without an umbrella,
I left my umbrella behind.
Even on the day of the play,
I wanted to give you a present, so I bought Soo-gyung's, too.
And if fate was on my side,
I thought you'd pick the gift with the card in it.
I thought we'd grow distant if I told you my feelings.
I wanted to say that I liked you, but I couldn't.
I'll come see the play.
Look.
I cut my wrists.
I saw it all.
Both of you whispering love.
Do you really love her?
Is it really so?
I'm working out my feelings.
My eyes were looking straight, but my heart was confused.
Can I trust those words?
Can I think of it as a promise?
Yes.
I love only one person.
This person is me, right?
I love you.
I swear that I love you.
I love you, too.
Sang-min, I love you so much.
Sang-min!
What the hell are you doing?
I didn't even finish my lines, and then you call out my name?
You can't just change your lines like that.
You ruined everything.
Sang-min, I wasn't acting, it was my true feelings.
I love you.
Love is more important than a play.
After the play, Sang-min and I went on a date.
We decided to go to the river where my mother's memories are.
Joo-hee?
No, I'm her daughter.
My name is Ji-hyae.
Is that so?
I must've made a mistake.
But you look so much like your mom.
I delivered a lot of your mom's letters.
Thank you, sir.
I know well what happened to my parents next.
Citizens and students!
This is an illegal protest!
X
Down with the regime!
Down with dictatorship!
If you wipe on toothpaste, your eyes will hurt less.
Joo-hee?
Tae-soo?
Put on toothpaste.
It's been a long time.
It has.
Have you heard from Joon-ha?
Joon-ha!
Joon-ha...
Joon-ha, come back alive!
Joon-ah!
You have to come back alive!
Joon-ha!
Joon-ha, answer me!
Joon-ha!
Joon-ha...
Joon-ha, come back alive!
Joon-ha!
You have to come back alive!
Joon-ha!
Joo-hee!
Joo-hee! Tae-soo!
Joon-ha!
You have to come back alive!
You better!
Joon-ha, come back alive!
You have to come back alive!
Corporal Oh!
Medic! Medic!
Hold on! Hold on!
Breathe! Breathe!
Stop it! He's dead!
Retreat!
Get moving, you bastard!
He's already dead!
Joon-ha, you bastard!
Where are you going?
Come back!
You haven't changed at all.
Just like in the past,
you're still pretty.
I've aged a lot.
You had it hard, huh?
Not really.
How's Tae-soo doing?
I guess he's doing alright.
Why haven't you married yet?
I've already gotten married.
I heard.
I had so much I wanted to tell you.
But now that we've met I can't remember.
It's a piano doll.
We have one at my home, too.
When I look at it,
it reminds me of you playing the piano.
It looks so much like you back then.
Doesn't it?
We were so innocent back then.
But the past has gone now.
I think our feelings took the best of us.
We cried and laughed at the smallest things.
How do I look right now?
You look healthy.
But I'd like to see you look happier.
I'm crying right now.
Can't you see my tears?
Why'd you hide the fact that you couldn't see?
It's late.
Sorry, I have an appointment.
I have to go.
I'm sorry.
It was almost perfect.
I could've succeeded.
I even came here last night and practiced a lot.
You almost fooled me.
You did a good job.
I nearly believed you.
Also...
I risked my life to return this necklace to you.
Please don't.
This necklace is yours.
Afterwards, mom and dad got married.
And I was born three years later.
Then a few years later...
Mrs. Sung Joo-hee?
Joon-ha's last wish was for you to spread his dust in this river.
Actually, Joon-ha got married right after you did.
Poor guy even had a son.
And Joon-ha
wanted you to have this.
Mommy, it's a rainbow.
I still remember clearly the rainbow I saw that day.
Open your hands.