Rated: G
Release Date: May 19, 2005
Runtime: 117 min
Country: South Korea
Language: English / Korean
Director: Jeong Yun-Cheol
Starring: Jo Seung-Woo, Kim Mi-Suk, Lee Gi-Young

I was watching a Korean television show with my parents which focused on ordinary people doing extraordinary things. This particular episode, I remember showcased two individuals with physical disabilities: a man confined to a wheelchair and a boy with two prosthetic legs who was also missing fingers on both hands. These two were accompanied by a gasoo, or pop singer, in their quest to climb the American Rockies. The most poignant aspect of this show wasn’t that they succeeded after enduring hardships and snowstorms. It was what the boy said at the end. When asked if he would like to return to the US, he said, yes, because there, he wasn’t treated like an outcast. The other kids played with him and didn’t mind being near him. The gasoo also went into detail about how all public facilities in the US had ramps and railings to help people with disabilities and the audience murmured in awe and amazement.

This show highlighted an attitude that Koreans have towards people with disabilities. Most of the time, their solution is to keep all handicapped people hidden. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Because I was aware of this prevailing sentiment in Korea, it was a bit of a pleasant surprise to come across a film like, “Marathon,” whose main character is based on a real person, Bae Hyeong Jin, a twenty-something young man with the IQ of a 5-year old.

The very talented Cho Seung Woo (Haryu Inseng, Chunghyang) plays Cho Won, an autistic young man. As a young boy, Won had a tendency to act out in explosive tantrums. In an effort to help him, Won’s mother, played by television actress, Kim Mi Sook, enrolled him in a school for individuals with disability and also encouraged him to participate in various athletics as a way of dealing with the world around him. After a race in which Won places third, his mother decides to enter him in a marathon. In order to aid her son, Won’s mother enlists the aid of a washed up marathoner to coach her son. Like with any sport movie, the coach is initially reluctant and it is only the mom’s determination that forces him to agree. His disgust is evident in the ways he treats Won. Soon, however, he sees the spirit and enthusiasm Won displays for the sport and he can’t help but begin to feel committed.

But because of her overwhelming dedication to her oldest son, Won’s mother drives a wedge between her husband, who files for a divorce, and her younger son, who becomes involved with the wrong group of kids. Confronted with these challenges on three fronts, she soon becomes confused and unsure of herself and her decisions for Won. What happens next is a role reversal between the coach and the mother as he seeks to persuade her to allow Won to run in the upcoming marathon.

A film like this can easily give in to trite sentiment and emotion. The happy ending is inevitable and it’s only a matter of time before viewers experiences the “feel good” atmosphere that exudes from the conclusion. Luckily, Jeong Yun Cheol skillfully directs this film and prevents it from becoming overly sappy.

Despite Jeong Yun Cheol’s direction, this movie could have easily become unbearable if it hadn’t been for the superb acting of the principals. Cho Seung Woo could have easily given into histrionics and played his character in a stereotyped manner. Instead, he gave a nuanced performance that lent humor and dignity to the role. Kim Mi Sook played the part of the loving, frustrated, and slightly guilt-ridden mother with the right balance.

This isn’t a movie that is so saccharine that it makes the teeth hurt. It’s not a movie with a flashy script or impressive dialogue. This is a simple movie about people and human emotions. It is this simplicity and reality that makes this film so appealing.

A. Kim is the Halfway Senior Editor

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