Love, So Divine



""If seminarians don't get married... how do they resolve their desires?""

- Bong-hee

Love, So Divine is a 2004 South Korean Romantic Comedy.

This movie is about Kim Kyushik, played by Kwon Sang woo, who is a young seminarian. And Yang Bong-hee, played by Ha Ji-won, a feisty Korean American girl who followed her boyfriend to Korea. After an unfortunate incident at their seminary, Kyushik and his best friend Shin Seon-dal are sent away to rural South Korea for a month to serve Father Nam and his church. There he meets Bong-hee, Father Nam's attractive but bratty niece from America. Kyushik is thoroughly annoyed by Bong-hee's loud and obnoxious personality, but finds himself charmed by her nonetheless. The feeling is mutual though, as Bong-hee is annoyed with Kyushik's prudish and passive demeanor, but is drawn to his kindness. They eventually warm to each other through time and some hilarious events. But his growing attraction to Bong-hee poses a problem. Kyushik is training to be a priest! Does he have to choose a life of celibacy, or is it possible for him to lead a normal life?

""Don't use such a word. he doesn't like it.
 * Adorkable: Kyushik personifies this trope.
 * Bishonen: Kyushik, as he is played by the very popular Kwon Sang-woo, although this is acknowledged only once canon-wise, by Sister Kim.
 * Boy Meets Girl: Kyushik finds the drunken Bong-hee sleeping in the church, and tries to shoo her out. Needless to say, it ends well.
 * Can't Hold His Liquor: When Bong-hee first meets Kyushik, she mistakenly takes a bottle of water full of liquor from him, thinking it was just water, and chugs it down. She then continued walking and immediately began stumbling around. She is so hammered at this point, she passes out in her uncle's church ahead. Much later on,  Luckily, Kyushik is there to take her and flee.
 * Celibate Hero: Deconstructed, as Kyushik is a seminarian. He CAN'T get into relationships. So naturally, he's pretty uncomfortable around girls.
 * Character Development: Eventually Bong-hee stops being so bitchy and selfish and becomes more sympathetic towards others. She retains her love for teasing Kyushik, though.
 * Fan Service: In a movie with Ha Ji-won? Of course. Most notably in the scene where Bong-hee sunbathes in the garden, and Kyushik uncomfortably tries to get her to cover up.
 * Foreshadowing: One of Kyushik's seniors
 * Jerk With a Heart of Gold: An important part of Bong-Hee's characterization. She constantly teases and belittles Kyushik, but is not completely unsympathetic. She
 * Nice Guy: Kyushik.
 * Not What It Looks Like: The drunken Bong-hee passing out on Kyushik, which happens to look like they're on the ground making out. Sister Kim walks in, and...
 * Precision F Strike: Done in a humorous manner. One of the kids under the daycare service hears Bong-hee swear, and imitates her in front of Kyushik.

"The guy up there?" points middle finger, but Kyushik grabs it.

"He doesn't like that either."

"I don't need a lecture from a man wearing a skirt. Pretty Bong-hee likes those words. Shit, fuck, shit, fuck.""


 * Tsundere: Bong-hee has minor shades of this. After  she was given a ride home Kyushik's bike. On the way, she encounters some kids playing "Freeze and Melt" (something like tag,) she tells Kyushik it somehow reminds her of unrequited love. They look tenderly in each other's eyes for a moment, until she smacks him on the head and continues walking.
 * Valley Girl: Bong-hee. Minus the valley-girlish talk (although you probably wouldn't know, just by reading the subs.)