Antique Bakery (2008)

Ahead of its time.

First off, seeing so many actors now in stronger supporting roles, taking bit parts appx 13 years ago, is brilliant! Ji Il-goo, Jo Hee-bong and Ko Chang-seok - I couldn't help smiling. A very young Yeo Jin-goo as the young Jin-hyuk too, was so good, as was a teenage Yoo Ah-in. I love the quirky charm of this drama - it has humour and at the same time, even by today's standards, is pretty brave in its portrayal of homosexuality as being more main stream (which it should be), even if not accepted (which it also should be). I just love Kim Jae-wook's character of Sun-woo - so confident and at ease with himself. His acting in the more intimate scenes with Andy Gillet (Jean-Baptiste), were so natural and the kisses were to die for. Far more relaxed than many actors in current BL dramas. Joo Ji-hoon (Jin-hyuk) was also great - again, seeing him between his roles in Goong (aka Princess Hours) and Kingdom, is quite special; he is really versatile and certainly didn't become pigeon holed, as many do. A joy to watch.

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who wants eye candy? Yes please!! antique bakery is filled with sublime looking cakes and men, although as in real life the cutest is gay. As you know this is a manga turned anime turned live action turned movie, and still has kept the bishies, yaoi, and of course the cake! Not for those who disapprove of man on man attraction, or sexy situations; and not for those who are on a diet.
I didnt think i would like it but i did. Aside from the afore mentioned facts, and what you may have read in the summary, this movie is about a man moving on from his past. the uber hot and straight lead character Jin-Hyuk is looking to moving on from his past that has stopped him from living his life. while looking to conquer his fears he handles a regret aka Sun woo. The excruciatingly hot Sun-woo is gay and has some fears of his own to overcome. Together they fight, make cake, and form a friendship.
Star of this film is Kim Jae Wook, whom i am now convinced IS gay. He was soooo convincing and played it soooo well. Kudos!
The story moves really fast in the beginning looses some of the charm it had in the anime, but thats to be expected because its a movie. I also felt that the movie version was more grown up and adult like. For the adults there is a bit of suspense and mystery sprinkled at the end.
I didnt like the confusion of the main character, and his indecisiveness, but it was funny. Lastly, I marked it down for the vague musical they performed. literally there was about 15 minutes of them lip syncing to some ridiculous libretto with people popping out of place and singing along. otherwise watch and get a sweet tooth!

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first off hats off to any actor that is ready to commit to a role, no matter their personal sexual orientation - u either give it ur all, or not at all. so hats off KJW for one hell of a convincing and XD hot performance. but lets face it, even though this was light and it focused more on the fun and hilarity between all character's. this was so much more and felt like it was brushed to the side or not addressed - like Soo Young's crush on Sun Woo, that came to not - heck after Jin Hyuk's mother and grandmother walked in, it was just brushed aside and then they all went on as if the whole scene with the slap didn't happen - so why even have that?!?

same with Jin Hyuk totally noticing Sun Woo in high-school, and maybe i'm reading more then was, but i feel like Jin Hyuk isn't straight - if anything, with the kidnapping and trauma, it indicated that he was averse to being close to Men - cause of what happened - hinting on sexual trauma - which again came to not - heck the real person that kidnapped him got away with "murder". and now the question that's left open, that woman just kidnaped the fat kid, or also all the others that lost their lives? and if she only wanted to "play with them" - then why they have to die?!? and the dude with the limp, just "take" Jin Hyuk - and after getting stabbed - quit cold-turkey?!? really?!? and why she look like a battered wife? that whole situation - just confusing.

this was good, but far from perfect - loved seeing them looking so young - they also looked like they were having a blast in this movie - but this could've been better - a lot of open ends that left me wanting... oh well guess can always look up the novel/webtoon this was adapted from. maybe all the questions i've got, will be answered there

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A must watch for Korean cinema

This movie has been one of the most memorable Korean films for me. I watch it once every few years and it still keeps me very entertained.

What's brilliant about Antique is that it is what you make of it:
If you watch it lightly, it's a very lighthearted film you can watch over dinner.
But if you stop and think about the plot and the characters, I guarantee you 100% you will go back and re-watch segments of it almost immediately.

If you think of it lightly, it's an entertaining film about a bunch of guys in 2000s fashion running a bakery.
But if you really give it some thought, there are some pretty dark and bittersweet undertones that this movie intentionally does not explicitly elaborate on. Just like the undertones of a complex food dish, the visuals and the first taste is apparent, but it's the subtle undertones of flavour that get you thinking.

I think this very factor is what makes Antique a very Korean film. There are things said and many more things (intentionally) left unsaid. And this is also why some people will really like or really dislike this film.
Either way, Antique is definitely worth giving at least one watch.
Even though quite some time has passed since its release, I watched it again last week and it's still every bit as...Antique.

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This is by far now one of my favorite movies to watch, I actually prefer this than the Anime, Manga, and previous original movie. The actors in my opinion fit their roles perfectly, my favorite character is Choi Ji-Ho's character, the clumsy, bough, apologetic one out of the four. The ending is unique to itself as well, not spoiling anything but you can tell the main point of this movie wasn't really the romantic relationships between the characters but more of their friendship levels and how they can tolerate and care for each other.

This movie really made me take an interest in baking though XD, they don't forget their roots where they actually are (the setting), In the Bakery they name different and exquisite types of cakes and sweets. This is seriously a movie i feel like everyone and anyone can enjoy ?

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Another manga made into a movie, this time a Korean adaptation, and as the reviewers before me have already said, it's a very cute comedy that caresses the soul and puts you in a good mood. And the four main characters give it the right twist and even though it was originally aimed mainly at Japanese girls and women, it has already entertained many viewers around the world, including me.



Další zfilmovaná manga, tentokráte korejská adaptace a jak už hovoří recenzenti přede mnou, jde o hodně roztomilou komedii, která pohladí po duši, navodí dobrou náladu. A čtveřice hlavních hrdinů tomu dodá ten správný šmrnc a i když původně byla především směřována na japonské dívky a ženy, pobavila už mnoho diváků po celém světě včetně mě.

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It took me forever but I finally sat down to watch this movie and I’m so happy I did! I was already thrilled at seeing my lovely Crown Prince Lee Chang as one of the leads (Kingdom fans, where you at?! haha) and I was very quickly pulled into this little gem that is Antique Bakery.

STORY:
I’ve never read the manga nor watched the anime or drama, so I had no idea what the story was about other than what the synopsis here told me. I went in expecting cute fluff, so imagine my surprise when a fully realized, thought-out story with actual substance appeared. There’s a dash of something here for almost everyone: humor, mystery, camaraderie, all wrapped up in an interesting, dynamic plot. I also really enjoyed the direction and execution of this movie. Some parts were very reminiscent of an anime (though not quite as over the top) or Jdrama, which I thought was a nice nod to the source material.

ACTING/CAST:
I absolutely adored the four main leads. They were all so well-crafted; each had their own defined personalities and backstories, all of which were portrayed seamlessly without slowing down the plot. Each actor did an amazing job bringing these characters to life, and the chemistry between them was wonderful as well.

OVERALL:
Really nice movie that exceeded my expectations. If you’re looking for a good way to spend two, hours, I would definitely recommend giving this a try! I’m off to read the manga~

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This is such a great movie. The plot is very interesting : I love the fact that the 4 main characters all have demons from their past that they face in this movie. The acting is phenomenal and the characters have fantastic chemistry (props to Kim Jae-Wook for taking on the role of a gay man when he is straight, he did a super good job and portrayed his character wonderfully). I feel like despite the stereotypes regarding queer people in this film, Antique Bakery is still a progressive film for Korea as it is important to talk about topics such as sexuality so that such topics become less taboo especially in more conservative countries. As a queer person I think this approach is needed to work toward acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community in Korea and all around the world.

I don’t have much to say about the music. I liked it but I wouldn’t necessarily look it up and listen to it again. My favorite track was during the “ Cake Paradise” scene but I’m having trouble finding what it’s called. It is sung by the South Korean singers Kim C and ALi.

I would definitely watch this movie again. The interesting plot will most likely keep me coming back. If you’re hesitating to watch Antique Bakery then let me just say this : watch it !!!! You won’t regret it.

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I loved everything about this movie. It's the first time I've watched Kim Jae-Wook and I had a hard time keeping my jaw shut whenever he was on screen. He is beyond gorgeous (drool) and his looks aren't just a cover for crap acting- he is a wonderful actor. The chemistry between all of our male leads was palpable, hysterical, and even touching. The random musical numbers were so fun and highlighted Ju Ji-hoon's talented physical comedy. I've always loved how funny he can be with just his body language and facial expressions. I was surprised to see Yoo Ah-In in this (and even Ju Ji-hoon, to be honest) because I watched it for Kim Jae-Wook not realizing the other big names that were cast. Overall, a great watch and definitely highly recommended.

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