Forever the Moment () is a 2008 South Korean sports drama film directed by Yim Soon-rye and written by Na Hyun. It is a fictionalized account of the South Korean women's handball team which competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics. The Korean title translates as "The Best Moment in Our Lives," and it is believed to be the first film that revolves around the sport of handball.Darcy Paquet, Forever the Moment review, Koreanfilm.org. Retrieved on April 21, 2008.
Plot Kim Hye-kyeong is a retired handball player who has been successfully coaching in the Japan Handball League. When the coach of South Korea's women's national team suddenly quits, she is asked to fill in but is faced with an undisciplined squad of players. Hye-kyeong tries to improve the team by recruiting some of her old teammates, including two-time Olympic gold medalist Han Mi-sook. However, Hye-kyeong's aggressiveness causes friction amongst the players, and she is replaced by former men's handball star Ahn Seung-pil, though she decides to stay with the team as a player. Seung-pil introduces modern European training methods which bring him into conflict with the older players, and things get worse when they lose a game against a high school boys' team.
Cast
Kim Jung-eun as Kim Hye-kyeong Moon So-ri as Han Mi-sook Uhm Tae-woong as Ahn Seung-pil Kim Ji-young as Song Jeong-ran Jo Eun-ji as Oh Soo-hee Cha Min-ji as Jang Bo-ram Namgoong Eun-sook as Jin-joo Lee Mi-do as Hyeon-ja Jo Yeong-jin as Director Song Lee Bong-gyoo as Chairman Jeong Seok-yong as Choong-sik, the office chief Ha Jung-woo as Blind date man Choi Wook as Coach Kang Jeong Se-hyeong as Trainer Jeong Kim Kang-mi as Dong-yoon Kim Jong-eon as Kim Goon Park Hyeong-jae as Myeong-seok Jo Deok-jae as Boss Bae Oh Chang-kyeong as Sang-yeol Kim Do-yeon as Jong-mi Woo Yong as Nutritionist Na Hyun as Director Hakiboo Kim Jin-hyeok as Real estate poker man Sung Ji-ru as Jin-gook, Jeong-ran's husband (cameo) Park Won-sang as Gyu-cheol, Mi-sook's husband (cameo) Ryu Seung-soo as Supermarket manager (cameo)
Danish and French team The Danish and French team players were played by real players from Danish women's handball club SK Aarhus. Miles Meili as Danish coach 1 Tore Hogas as Danish coach 2 Martin Lord Cayce as French coach Iwona Niedźwiedź-Cecotka as French player #3 (V. Pons) Mária Tóth as French player #20 (A. Olivier)
Background
South Korea won the silver medal in women's handball at the 2004 Summer Olympics, following a close game against Denmark that was decided by a penalty shootout. The Koreans had lost a three-point lead in the second half,Danes defend crown in style, BBC Sport, August 29, 2004. Retrieved on April 20, 2008. and at the end of normal time both sides were level at 25–25, taking the game into overtime. After the first overtime the score was still locked at 29–29,Denmark win handball gold after shoot-out, The Tribune (India), August 30, 2004. Retrieved on April 20, 2008. but South Korea was leading 34–33 in the second overtime until a late equaliser by Katrine Fruelund in the final ten seconds forced the game into a shootout, which Denmark won 4–2.Danish women beat South Korea for third straight gold, USA Today, August 29, 2004. Retrieved on April 20, 2008. In a poll conducted by Gallup Korea, 50.2% of respondents said that the women's handball finals was their favourite event of the 2004 Summer Olympics.Women's handball finals most popular among the public, KBS, August 31, 2004. Retrieved on April 20, 2008.
Reception Forever the Moment was released in South Korea on January 10, 2008.The Best Selling Films of 2008, Koreanfilm.org. Retrieved on April 15, 2008. It topped the box office on its opening weekend, grossing $4,407,643,South Korea Box Office January 11–13, 2008, Box Office Mojo. Retrieved on April 15, 2008. and remained at the top for a further two weeks, ahead of Hollywood films Enchanted, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and Cloverfield, all released during the same period.South Korea Box Office January 25–27, 2008, Box Office Mojo. Retrieved on April 15, 2008. By March 23 the film had grossed a total of $27,258,370,South Korea Box Office March 21–23, 2008, Bow Office Mojo. Retrieved on April 15, 2008. and as of July 13 the total number of admissions was 4,043,293.
Awards and nominations Award Category Recipient Result 3rd Asian Film Awards Best Supporting Actress Kim Ji-young 44th Baeksang Arts Awards Best Film Forever the Moment Best Director (film) Yim Soon-rye Best Actress (film) Kim Jung-eun Best Screenplay (film) Na Hyun Most Popular Actress (film) Kim Jung-eun 29th Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Film Forever the Moment Best Director Yim Soon-rye Best Actress Moon So-ri Best Supporting Actor Uhm Tae-woong Best Supporting Actress Kim Ji-young Best Screenplay Na Hyun 17th Buil Film Awards Best Supporting Actress Kim Ji-young Best Screenplay Na Hyun Buil Readers' Jury Award Forever the Moment 9th Busan Film Critics Awards Best Supporting Actress Kim Ji-young Special Jury Prize Yim Soon-rye 16th Chunsa Film Art Awards Best Actress Moon So-ri Best Supporting Actress Kim Ji-young Best New Actress Jo Eun-ji 45th Grand Bell Awards Best Supporting Actress Kim Ji-young Best Editing Moon In-dae Best PlanningShim Jae-myung, Kim Hyeon-cheol and Kim Kyun-hee 7th Korean Film Awards Best Supporting Actress Kim Ji-young 2008 Seoul International Women's Film Festival Park Namok Award Forever the Moment 2008 Women in Film Korea Festival Woman in Film of the Year Yim Soon-rye PR and Marketing AwardForever the Moment
References
External links
Review at Koreanfilm.org