The first of my idol actor reviews! Sooyoung is part of the secondary cast, as she plays the main character’s best friend~

Hello, Schoolgirl (2008) is a romantic comedy based on the Web Comic “Love Story” by Kang Pool. It runs for just under 2hrs and was distributed by CJ Entertainment.

Kwon Yeon Woo (Yoo Ji Tae) is a 30yr old civil servant who works in a city hall branch. When he moves into a new apartment, he encounters a rambunctious 18yr old High School student, Sooyoung (Lee Yeon Hee) who lives one floor down with her mother.

They see each other every morning and travel on the same subway train. After several meetings the pair start to develop feelings for each other. And I love that photography, Sooyoung’s hobby, brings them together a little as well.

At first I was a little hesitant about the age gap, as I thought Sooyoung was younger. However, way the characters are written, Sooyoung being a lot more proactive than a more innocent YeonWoo, I wasn’t creeped out or uncomfortable by the pairing. I will say I was confused about the mother’s (Na Young Hee) motivations. She didn’t seem to care about the age gap as such, but more that YeonWoo grew up an orphan… like what? And I asked my dad (a fellow orphan) and he’d heard that too. Apparently, they thought he wouldn’t have manners or understand the concept of family… he was raised in a care home, not the wild!

I think the buildup of the relationship, the pair playing a specific neighbourhood teddy claw machine, Sooyoung breaking and entering his apartment (which is never questioned or has repercussions 😂), and the walks home at night were very sweet and made the couple endearing. It also shows how YeonWoo grows to become more protective and happy to meet her everyday.

Sooyoung also teaches YeonWoo how not to be a coward and I loved that ♥

There are some comedic moments concerning the age gap, their first proper meeting at a restaurant where they become children and Sooyoung is so little 😂 as well as Sooyoung only calling him ahjussi!

Overall this couple were very endearing and I would have preferred seeing these have more screentime than filling it with the second couple.

The second couple, Kwon Ha Kyeong (Chae Jung An) is a photographer who is still mourning a past relationship’s demise. She is distant and fearful of being left alone again, so doesn’t allow anyone to get close. Sook Kang (Kangin) is a 22yr old man doing his military service in the city hall office. He falls in love with how beautiful Ha Kyeong is.

This couple was less interesting, mainly because neither was rather likable. Sook was childish and a bit stalker-y throughout the whole thing. Whereas we watched Sooyoung and Yeo Won get to know each over, there was nothing really to make me want them get together. I was also a little confused as to whether Ha Kyeong knows what happened to her ex-boyfriend.

Overall, this couple was wanting and neither had anything in common.

Sooyoung’s acting was great! She really embodied the schoolgirl essence. I would have liked to see more of her in the film, especially as Jung Da Jung (Sooyoung) and Sooyoung were hilarious together. I also enjoyed the her bickering with Sook!

There were several elements that I didn’t enjoy with this film. The pacing at the beginning was choppy and the music choices for certain scenes just didn’t fit with them. I think this film would have been better as a drama than a film. A longer format would have made certain aspects of the plot make sense. There were plot holes, as well as fleshed out backstories.

Rating:

• Plot: 4/10
• Acting: 7/10
• Production: 5/10
• Enjoyment: 7.5/10
• Overall Rating: 5.9/10

The .5 of enjoyment is for Kitty and Kitty alone ♥

Credits:

• Director: Ryu Jang Ha
• Writers: Ryu Jang Ha, Lee Taek Kyeong, Kang Kyoo Heon, Yoon Taek-Geun, Jeon Hyun Hee.
• Cinematography: Jo Sang Yoon
• Music: Choi Yong Rak
• Production Company: Let’s Films, MNFC, Cheong-A-Ram

What are your thoughts on the film?

Thanks for reading! I hope you have a lovely day~