Maundy Thursday, 우리들의 행복한 시간

TITLE

Maundy Thursday, 우리들의 행복한 시간

GENRE

Drama, romance

RELEASE DATE

September 14th, 2006

 

BASED ON

Novel

Moon Yoo Jung (Lee Na Young) is a young professor and a former singer. She was born into a rich family, so technically she has everything she wants: money, great life, happiness. Or at least that's what others think of her. In fact, because of some events that happened in the past, she is full of bitterness and hatred toward her mother. Since she was 15, she hates every and each day, to wake up, to live.

Jung Yoon Soo (Gang Dong Won) has had a traumatic childhood filled with sadness, hunger and terrifying circumstances. Along with his younger brother, abandoned by his own mother, without a roof over their heads and shelter he had to fight for their lives every day. During some catastrophic events, he gets into a bad company and commits an awful crime, that leads him to the death row.

After three unsuccessful suicide attempts, Moon Yoo Jung is persuaded by her aunt Sister Monica, a nun, who often visits death row inmates, to see one of them, thereby disrupting the monotony of his life. The person turns out to be a prisoner accused of killing three people, who awaits impatiently for the execution, considering death as the only way for salvation but also peace he will ever get. Therefore, he doesn't look nor expect compassion for his crimes. Bound to a promise to her aunt, Moon Yoo Jung visits Jung Yoon Soo every Thursday. Skeptically to each other at first, they start to develop a strong bond as the time passes. Their path crosses in a critical moment of both their lives, causing an incredibly strong will of death into a craving for life.

It is a story about two deeply wounded people. A woman who has a great desire to die, and a man who bears unimaginably heavy burden of his actions, while at the same time showing how love can drive you to do anything for the person you love.

This film shows how great relief and salvation forgiveness can bring. It refers to some serious themes like religion and faith. It shows how people, for whom there is no longer help, find solace among faith and God. As the title suggests, the film refered to the religious ceremony of washing the feet of those who seen. It is associated with redemption of sins. The film also subtly questions the judgment of the death sentence, but doesn't impose any opinions or views. It only gives the viewer a moment of reflection.

This story perfectly reflects the agony through which people must pass facing dramatic problems of their lives. Through cold, hateful looks, filled with pain and bitterness, we come to learn painful stories of our characters. This whole scenery is topped with great acting, beautiful landscapes and captivating music.

It is one of the most heartbreaking stories to watch. I really sympathized with both characters, wishing them all the best, but unfortunately in its sorrow it shows us that despite the enormous effort sometimes there is simply nothing we can do to prevent the course of events.