We Just Want To Dance!

Swing Kids is a Korean movie set during the Korean War. A war between the South and the North, well the war that shaped the map we have today seperating Korea into becoming South Korea and North Korea.

Watching the movie was so much fun! As someone who has never really been exposed to tap dancing, watching these actors tap were the joy in the cinema. My feet were tapping the floor, to me it was a good sign. It's always nice when I go to the movie and actually enjoy or had so much fun watching the movie cause it definitely made me feel like my time was well spent.

Especially when I went to watch this movie with my friend, who both had one hell of a week at work and the we wanted to just hang out and chill for the weekend. We were desperate for some entertainment, both of us are major cinephiles anyway so we need our regular dosage of going to the cinema that weekend. There wasn't much option for movies to watch cause January was dreadful for the cinema or movie distributors' month. Nothing really exciting was showing besides Glass. Which, I have already watched, meanwhile my friend didn't find much joy in watching Split, or I can say she was never a fan so we decided to skip Glass and booked tickets for Swing Kids.

Anyway, the review!

Rho Ki Soo played by D.O.

I was attracted to this movie because of D.O. If you've seen any movies or dramas that D.O has starred in, you know how splendid he is when he's acting. He's really THE BEST idol-actor out there. He's just so good at acting like, he's in there man. So when I saw him on the poster, there was no hesitation I want to spend my money to watch him perform on the big screens again.

Just as I expected, D.O was amazing as usual. Some might even forget the fact that he's an idol cause he is so damn good at acting. His acting was phenomenal.

But, I don't want to just give D.O the credit too much haha cause that would be unfair. I am just naturally amazed by his performance because he is an idol. The rest of the cast members were amazing!

Kang Byung-Sam played by Oh Jung Se

I can't express how amazing Oh Jung Se delivered his emotions through his dance, his longing through tap dancing. It was beautiful. Oddly, tap dance makes it sounded happy but you feel the sorrows in his heart even when he's tapping to a joyful rhythm.

Now, focusing on the storyline, this movie is really a definition of the thrill falling from a cliff. The movie's progress from the beginning to the middle of the movie was filled with joy and it almost felt like a comedy. But in that sense, I understood it. They were all war prisoners, there wasn't much joy to begin with. The writer was brilliant to have made the first part of the movie good to get people indulging in the beauty of each characters. Each of the characters were vividly, their own. They had distinguishable qualities that was presented well.

Although some people might find comedy to be unsuitable for a war movie, trust me, they don't make stupid unfounded jokes in it. It was just the beauty of their characters. Besides the characters, the writer focused on how tap dance was the source of happiness for these 5 unlucky people in the middle of a war.

Yang Pan Rae danced to her own piece, she named 'Fuck Ideology' and that was the most incredible part of the film ever.

I also find joy in how the writer isn't being biased with which ideology is better than the other. Although from the story, it focused on Rho Ki Soo's back story on how he's from a Communist background and has long carried the responsibility of fighting for his country even before he was put in the camps. The movie was wise on showing how both, Communism and Capitalism ideology affects one badly. Like both ideologies have fanatics that hurts other people in order to force each ideology down other's throat. The writer doesn't weigh on the idea of capitalism nor communism. Instead the writer focuses on how stupid it is that people are going to war for just.. an idea, a man made thought and making it such a big deal that they are putting lives to pay for the price of those ideas. I find it beautiful.

The Swing Kids

The movie is surprisingly tearjerking and it hurt me so bad, after the movie ended, while discussing the movie with my friend, I started crying to the thought of the story. It was beautiful. Too beautiful that it hurts. It made me think about war, why are people putting other people's live to the slaughter for an idea. And for some people, the idea of 'doing something that makes you happy' isn't the case for them when they're not born to have those option, is the saddest thing that I had to swallow in from the movie.

Overall, I loved it. So much. So so much! It was amazing. I feel like everyone should experience the same feelings I felt for the movie and give this movie a watch.

Also, I've decided to start rating the films. So, here's my rating for the film.

Swing Kids - 4.5 / 5