K-Pop idol Hyomin stars as a Korean exchange student turned matchmaker in her heartwarming Japanese film debut…
Kaede Yamaguchi: Virgo, Blood Type O. Prefers solitude to the hassles of social life. The last person expecting her table space to be enthusiastically invaded by Korean exchange student Yoon Ji-Ho. A seemingly unlikely friendship develops as Kaede’s reticence fails to deter her new housemate, and Ji-Ho and the audience soon discover her infatuation with her former middle school classmate, Yusuke Nomura. So begins Ji-Ho’s quest to bring them together using Korean romance tactics, and in the process she embarks on her own journey of acceptance for the tragedy she came to Japan to forget.
Romantic comedies are not new territory for director Naoto Kumazawa. With ten films, including the hit adaptation of Kimi ni Todoke, under his belt, it is no wonder that Jinx!!! is one of the better examples of its genre and manages to feel fresh and entertaining in a category often dominated by clichés and lookalikes. The cast is comprised of mostly fresh faces, with T-ARA’s Hyomin playing the bubbly and charismatic Ji-Ho in her first Japanese film, and Kurumi Shimizu taking her first leading role.
The reason Jinx!!! works so well is probably because, despite ostensibly being a romantic comedy, it isn’t really about a romance. Instead, it may be better to consider it a celebration of romance, and of relationships, across locations and forms. To begin with, there is the Japanese characters’— and the audience’s — introduction to Korean dating culture and notions of romance, and the juxtaposition of the clumsy and shy relationship blossoming between Kaede and Yusuke against the romantic seriousness of Ji-Ho’s relationship with boyfriend Tae-Woong. Beyond that, however, is the homage the movie pays to romance in cinema through “re-enactment” scenes between characters, and the importance and parallels given to many of the relationships themselves — from friends and mentors, lovers to lost loved ones, and the overlaps between them.
From a more technical standpoint, the characters and their relationships owe a lot to the solid performances by the cast and the way they adapt to the already well written development in the script. Hyomin’s performance especially, came as a bit of a surprise, as it initially felt a bit stilted and rather more like it belonged in one of her music videos. By the end of the film, however, both the character and her performance had become more realistic and moving, and her final scenes were delivered with an elegant poise that lent gravitas to scenes that could otherwise have felt clichéd or forced. These performances, combined with the warm cinematography and lovely instrumental score created an atmosphere that lifted the film beyond what is possibly its only major failing — the cheesiness and somewhat cringe inducing scenarios that, thankfully, lose much of their prevalence halfway through the film.
It is a testament to the film, its cast and crew, that Jinx!!! is a touching and heart-warming experience that also remains light hearted and amusing, even with the occasional second hand embarrassment. All things considered then, it is safe to say that the film is guaranteed to be an enjoyable and visually satisfying treat for its audience.
