The Flipped Gender Roles in My Sassy Girl

I did not know that My Sassy Girl was based a series of true story that was posted on the Internet. This film was a huge box office hit and became one of the successful movie to be exported to the Asian countries. I think one of the reasons why this movie was so successful is because it portrayed the new female figure that was nonexistent before. This new female figure is introduced to the audience without a name throughout the movie. She is keep referred to as "the girl". I think this was a unique idea because any female audience can relate themselves. This female figure is against all the traditional beliefs of ladylikeness. Traditionally, “the husband legally possessed and dominated the women’s human rights through sexuality” (So-hee Kim 145). This girl is rebellious, bossy, aggressive and takes the control of Gyeon-woo (male protagonist). In this film, even though Gyeon-woo is older than “the girl”, “the girl” is the leader and Gyeon-woo is the follower.  However, there is a reason for these strong and independent actions. This girl is trying to hide her pain.

We can see the flipped male and female figure throughout the film; however, it is very articulated at the amusement park. Gyeon-woo plans a secret birthday party in the amusement park where he used to work before serving the military. While secretly entering the amusement park, Gyeon-woo and “the girl” meet the military deserter who threatens to kill Gyeon-woo, “the girl” and eventually himself. The military deserter held Gyeon-woo hostage when he was surrounded by the armed armies. The armed military tries to take the military deserter down even there’s a risk that could kill Gyeon-woo. It is “the girl” who steps forefront and persuades the military deserter to think differently. In this scene, the armed soldiers and Gyeon-woo are powerless. In the previous Korean movies, it was very rare to see the women take the heroic role. It was always the men’s job. This scene is chaotic. People do not know what to do and they are just lost. I think this also signifies “the girl’s” state of mind. This sounds like a very serious and intense scene but as all the audience noticed, it has many comic elements to it.  Overall, I really like this movie because it balanced between the melodrama, comedy and the hopeless romanticism.  This movie leaves with with few questions. Why was this scene used to articulate the reversed gender roles? If the director wanted to make the audience related them to "the girl", he should have used more "normal scene". This scene is something that is unlikely to happen in real life.