Don't Forget Me (2016)

A love story, that is told in a completely unorthodox way. Impressive in a refined manner

Capturing so much feeling quite sensitively and lifelike, “Remember you” is definitely for KMovie connoisseurs - with a memorable story and two wonderful leads deeply touching the audience's soul.

However, the story is not at all concerned with meeting common audience expectations. The KMovie chooses its own pace while poetically linking the loose threads into a three-dimensional pattern – in a stringent but by no means linear manner, purposefully but without any haste.

“Remember you” (or rather “Don’t forget me”, as the original title says) is mostly a love story through and through. However, it is a love story, that is told in a completely unorthodox way.
The past that lies behind – with the memory of it having the potential to ripping emotional abysses with brute force. The future, that lies ahead – with hope dwelling inside. The present – in which the ´now´ can become a safe zone. Within and throughout: the transcendent power of love.

There is something meditative about “Remember You”. We´re stumbling alongside the amnesiac protagonist through his (to him) strange present, with people coming and going. It almost feels like in a dream. He acts on the outside while inwardly commenting and silently asking his questions to an inner authority that should know... But the inner authority is mute.

The memories of the male protagonist, who suffers from amnesia, come back in fragments and immediately collapse again. The soul has found its own ways in dealing in a somewhat more bearable way with an almost unbearable reality. But ultimately, this situation, too, still is not really bearable either. The KMovie portrays a desperate psychological wrestling with reality - of the male lead on the one hand, and the female lead on the other.

Before we notice it, at the latest as soon as the puzzle has been put together, we suddenly find ourselves very close to the no less desperate inner world of the female lead. After being very close to HIM for so long and learning to feel with HIM, we suddenly find ourselves compassionate with HER emotional horror trip...

Impressive in a refined manner!




PS:
The KMovie “Remember You” is based on a short film by the same director. Based on this template, crowdfunding was used to raise funds for an international independent cinema film production. $32,000 was donated for this purpose. When it premiered in South Korea, “Remember You” grossed around $2 million already.

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To be honest, it's difficult to write a review about Don't Forget Me. Given the context of the plot, the film strikes many emotional cords, but to discuss them would give the movie away. Here's my best effort:

Don't Forget Me is a film that tackles heavy and sensitive subject matter. It's a story about dealing with grief and struggling to cope with ones reality, and the frustrated dedication of those that love and support the bereaved. The movie is a slow burner. The story takes its time unfolding — you wonder what the intentions of the characters are, what this is really all leading to. Suddenly, the movie comes into its own, and it's like you've been hit by a truck. You were fine, and then you're in tears. You suddenly realise the depth of the movie, that you really were watch a true romance but you didn't know the extent of it til the moment it hit you. Suddenly you see that every character has a purpose, and every character acted the way they did for a reason.

It's a beautiful film, and for those of you, who like me, have tried to be a pillar of strength for someone, this is definitely one you can relate to.

If you're looking for something bright and light, this isn't it. But I urge you to come back again when it suits your mood.

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Wow. This movie really hit me. I cried so much during this film because in the beginning, I had no idea what to expect. The description for what the movie is about is vague compared to what actually happens. It was a little confusing at times, because they switch back and forth between the present and the past over and over. However, once the information becomes clear about why he lost his memory and who the girl is to him, it'll hit you right in the feels. I cried so much at the last few scenes because I finally realized what the storyline was telling me straight from the beginning. The acting was perfect and the ending was just what I hoped for, although I wish I could change the past for them.

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Slow burner - but what a pay-off!!

This movie is amazing. It had such an impact on me, I thought about it going to sleep, during the night and again first thing this morning. It has even driven me to write a review here, although probably no one will ever read this apart from me....

So - please do watch this, it is a beautiful gem of a movie with a plot twist near the end that will make every opaque story development earlier clear and comprehensible and - what is even more important - painfully emotional and sad.
As a viewer you cannot but be drawn into the characters' mysterious life but you have to be patient. If you are someone requiring constant action, linear storylines - this is probably not a movie for you. This might explain some of the unkind comments posted in the comments section.
But if you can give the story the time it needs to fully come to fruition, if you are able to just watch and follow the characters, wondering with them what is going on in some scenes, empathising with their confusion and puzzlement, - then this is the movie for you.
The acting is out of this world brilliant. Jung Woo Sung's facial expressions - a mixture between utter emptiness, curiosity and puzzlement when his charater is faced with yet another weird reaction by the people around him, another person who recognises him, but whom he doesn't - are fascinating. Like an eager puppy he stares into other people's eyes, hopeful, in search of recognition or a memory. Something that, however, usually does not happen.
I never understood why MDL wants you to rate the "rewatch value" of a drama or movie. This is not something I ever took much notice of before I started watching Kdramas. Now I am slowly beginning to see its value...because the rewatch value of "Don't Forget Me" is a full 10 points! I will definitely watch this again tonight! And probably a few more times. It's a movie that will keep on giving, becoming more meaningful the more times you watch it!

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It was more of a Melodrama

Jung Woo Sung was what got me to watch this film, along with the leading lady, whom I also like her in dramas. This is really a Melodrama, with exaggerated slow-paced scenes to create the somberness of one with a loss of memory and trying to learn about who they are.

I came in thinking this was going to be a love film, but it was more sad than uplifting. Cinematography is beautiful through the film, enough to keep you watching. Also, the acting is really good all around.

This is worth the watch if you want to watch a more mature storyline, than all the feel-good films that are out there these days. Feels more relatable and probable, which makes this worth to watch.

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I often think that, whilst most people sympathise with the amnesiacs, those who are with them and have their memories intact, are the ones we should be sympathising with the most. It's harder for them as they remember it all and yet have little they can do - yet they have to live with being treated like a stranger by someone they deeply love.

 That said, I struggled to sympathise with the wife - sometimes loving someone so much is destructive. I can't say too much because...spoilers.  But every time I watch it I come away with the same feeling that she made everything about her;  which is, of course, not helpful to him.. Time is *not* a great healer (if it was it would've cured cancer) but it does pass and yet she doesn't get that going back over and over never works......

I'd like to think the lives of the main couple improve and they're eventually happy again, though I'm not actually that hopeful because the wife refuses to let this depressing cycle end. This is one open-ended movie where I appreciated why they left it that way........

Story - 9.5/10 (I think there were chances missed to explain more of their backstory since the accident as you're lead to believe this cycle has happened before, more than once)
Acting - 10/10 (main couple deserve that alone).
Music - 7.5/10 (very m'eh)
Rewatch Value - 10/10 (I've already watched it 3 times recently; it's the sort of film you keep coming back to to see if things can be done differently for a different outcome.)
Overall - 9.5/10 (again because of the missed opportunity to show the viewer all those other hinted at attempts she's made).

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I decided to watch this movie because it was psychological and i really liked movies with that genre.

The story was good and the actors were good but then how the movie goes is just too quiet. Too quiet in the sense that in the middle of watching the movie I became bored. The twist is a good idea but the execution is poor. It's not like how i would usually expected to wherein it would leave you with tears, goosebumps or just the feeling of contentment of knowing the exact reason of the events in the movie.

If i will be asked if would want to watch again, i would say "no" not only because i really don't like watching the same movie twice or more but also because i can't find the reason to watch it again.

It was not a waste of time but not a great use of time either...

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