‘Rebound’ with the heart, not the kidneys

Even if you're not a basketball fan, you've probably heard the saying, 'Basketball is played with the heart, not the kidneys.' Although it is a transcendental translation, the movie 'Rebound' (directed by Jang Hang-jun) can be summarized in this one sentence.

'Rebound' tells the miraculous story of the eight days in which the new coach and six players of the weakest basketball team that no one paid attention to ran tirelessly during the 2012 National High School Basketball Tournament. It is based on the true story of Busan Jungang High School's success in the 2012 Korea Basketball Association Long National Middle and High School Basketball Tournament.

Kang Yang-hyeon (played by Ahn Jae-hong), who won MVP in a past national competition, is working at his alma mater, Busan Jungang High School, as a public service worker. Meanwhile, I took on the role of coach of a basketball team that was in financial crisis. The principal appointed Kang Yang-hyeon as coach to save face, but there are no expectations. However, since they do not believe in youth, passion, and ambition, they yell at people to take good care of their students.

There were four students who remained as members of the Busan Jungang High School basketball team. One of them left the group using poor grades as an excuse, and another one followed suit. In an instant, there were two members of the basketball team. Kang Yang-hyeon’s work had just begun. We need to scout players who are lacking. Kang Yang-hyeon plays Soon-gyu (played by Kim Taek) who dreams of becoming a soccer player, Kang-ho (played by Jeong Geon-ju) who used to play street basketball, Ki-beom (played by Lee Shin-young) who was called a genius guard but fell into a slump, and Gyu-hyuk (played by Jeong Jin-woon) who used to play street basketball. collected.

The first competition for those who formed the team was the Gunsan City Championships. The first opponent was Yongsan High School, a renowned basketball school. However, teamwork breaks down and the team loses by forfeit. Although he was suspended for six months, Kang Yang-hyeon changed his attitude and thoughts. Kang Yang-hyeon, who is in good spirits, orders personalized training for each player to make the team 180 degrees different from before. Newcomers Jae-yoon (played by Kim Min) and Jin-wook (played by Ahn Ji-ho) joined the cast. Their first goal as a team again is to advance to the national competition finals. Will Kang Yang-hyun and her six children be able to compete at the national competition?

Because ‘Rebound’ is based on a true story, the results have already been released. There is not much difference between seeing the result knowing it and seeing it without knowing it. Of course, if you watch it without knowing the result, you can feel even more dramatic emotion and resonance. However, that doesn't mean that you won't be impressed when you see the results. As 'The First Slam Dunk' becomes a hit and the passion for basketball is increasing, the appearance of 'Rebound', which is based on a true story, brings another level of fun and emotion at the same time.

What stands out is that basketball terms such as and-one and full-court press are explained with subtitles. Therefore, there is no difficulty in understanding the rules even if you do not know them. If you know the basketball rules and watch 'Rebound', terms you know will appear, and if you don't know the rules, you can learn the basketball rules. What is emphasized in ‘Rebound’ is reality. It doesn't feel that way because the story is based on a true story. The stadium from 11 years ago, the shoes worn by the players, the glasses worn by Ahn Jae-hong, who played coach Kang Yang-hyun, and the red and blue collared T-shirt were all recreated in the same way.

In addition to subtitles and reality, it actively captured the sense of presence that can only be felt by going to the stadium. Examples include the sound of a ball being sucked into the rim and passing through the net, the 'beep' sound made by players running around the court in basketball shoes, and the voice of a player directing a strategy.

Isn’t it often said that what you see through broadcasting and intuition are different? ‘Rebound’ creates the feeling of watching a game from a court seat. This means that you can feel a vivid sense of reality. Commentator Cho Hyun-il, a familiar face from basketball broadcasts, and Park Jae-min, who appears as a caster, provide catchy commentary, and the names of active players Heo Hoon and Kang Sang-jae add fun and welcome. The appearances of director Jang Hang-jun, comedian Kim Jin-su, and actor Park Sang-myeon, both alumni of Seoul Institute of the Arts, also attract attention.

When you think of the basketball cartoon 'Slam Dunk', the first phrase that comes to mind is 'He who controls the rebound controls the game.' Although not absolute, rebounding is important in basketball. There is a reason why players focus on ‘boxing out’. This is because one failure leads to a score due to just one rebound.

The movie 'Rebound' gives strength to youth who rise again after experiencing failure. It delivers a message of encouragement that even if you fall, you can get up again. Not only that, they encourage you by saying that if you enjoy today without regrets, one day you will get a chance. In particular, the inserted song 'We Are Young' by Fun. makes us look forward to tomorrow, where a hopeful and bright sun awaits, just like the lyrics.

'Rebound', with its emotion, fun, and laughter, is similar to 'Basketball is played with the heart, not the kidneys.' The message that Director Jang Hang-jun conveys is that if you have the will and passion, you can do anything beyond the restrictive requirements. However, if you are a basketball fan, there will be a face that always comes to mind. Except for that part and one technique that appears during the game, you can enjoy it comfortably.

Released on April 5th. Running time 122 minutes. Suitable for ages 12 and up.

Kang Min-kyung, Ten Asia reporter kkk39@tenasia.co.kr