Kim Da-mi, Jeon So-ni, and Byun Woo-seok's 'Soul Mate'

If the movie ‘Soulmate’ (directed by Min Yong-geun) can be defined in one word, it is the sun. The sun is the entity that shines the brightest light on the day. Kim Da-mi and Jeon So-ni, who look exactly like Taeyang, bring back memories and remind me of my soulmate.

'Soul Mate' is the story of two friends, Miso (played by Da-mi Kim), Ha-eun (played by So-ni Jeon), and Jin-woo (played by Woo-seok Byeon), who recognized each other from their first meeting and shared everything together, including joy, sadness, excitement, and longing.

One summer day with the sound of cicadas, a sleepy and languid day, a smile came to Ha-eun as if it were fate. Miso and Ha-eun pick up an abandoned cat on a rainy day, give it a bath, eat, and sleep together. In that way, we became a family that was always by our side.

Ha-eun, who enjoys drawing, discovers that she can draw hearts thanks to her smile. Miso gives Ha-eun a special gift to commemorate the day she lost her ear. Smile and Ha-eun complement each other, but a rift develops between them. This is because the person Ha-eun likes, Jin-woo, has appeared.

Jin-woo was next to Mi-so and Ha-eun, who were alone together. Just looking at these people, who grew from two to three people, bursts into laughter. Miso, who has a free-spirited charm that Ha-eun envies, leaves Jeju Island and begins living in Seoul, and Ha-eun enters a university to become the teacher her parents wanted. Although they were always together on Jeju Island, as adults, they live lives of their own choosing.

'Soulmate' has many points that any female student can sympathize with. The friendship between female students was depicted so thoroughly that it was just a story between me and my friend. Even though the girl he was friends with has become an adult, it reminds him of the soulmate he had in his heart.

Additionally, friendship and first love were expressed in different colors depending on the smile and Ha-eun's emotions. Just as retouching applications that could express the coolness of Japan were once popular, 'Soul Mate' depicted the beauty of Jeju Island on the faces of Kim Da-mi, Jeon So-ni, and Byun Woo-seok.

The faces of Kim Da-mi, Jeon So-ni, and Byeon Woo-seok, who show their appearances from their teens to their 30s, shine. Dami Kim’s face is truly amazing. The face changes depending on the background and emotion. What stands out the most among them are the eyes. It contains all emotions, including brightness, affection, longing, and sadness. In particular, the chemistry between Kim Da-mi and Jeon So-ni, who have similar drawing styles, shines.

Jeon So-ni exudes the charm of the summer Milky Way, just like her name in the drama. Jeon So-ni, with her soft glow, expresses her emotions firmly yet delicately. From his first appearance, Byun Woo-seok has the face of his first love, as if he was ripped out of a comic book. Byeon Woo-seok stays silently between Kim Da-mi and Jeon So-ni.

In fact, 'Soulmate' is based on the Chinese movie 'Hello, My Soulmate'. It was adapted to suit Korean sentiment. The biggest difference from the original is the 'pictures'. In the original, it was text, but changing it to pictures was a godsend. Meaning is given to pictures that can be recognized at a glance, and questions are asked that viewers can think about as well.

The sun is something that opens the day and makes it shine. ‘Soul Mate’, which contains the friendship between Kim Da-mi and Jeon So-ni, is like the sun. You can see them as being like the sun to each other. It may be lonely because there are no two suns, but it is one sun that shines more brilliantly. ‘Soulmate’ reminds me of my own soulmate, like the sun, that everyone has.

Released on March 15th. Suitable for ages 12 and up. Running time 124 minutes.

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