RUNNING BOY (Marathon)

Note: Spoilers ahead. I received this Korean DVD, Running Boy (Marathon) as my birthday present in advance . Thank you Carrie Anne for this special gift. I absolutely love it! The story is about Cho-won (Cho Seung-woo), our running boy. Cho-won was a special kid who liked chocolate cookies and sweet and sour pork noodles. He had a special interest in zebra. He could recite word by word the commentary from a zebra documentary like a pro. He liked to get his hands onto anything zebra too. Once he snatched a zebra print bag from an unsuspecting lady. He even groped a lady’s behind just because she was wearing a zebra print skirt! That was how special he was. He also shamelessly walked around in a public swimming pool showing off his very own zebra tool. Heheh! But this special fler sure could run. Ran as fast as a zebra, he did. Like any zebra in the African soil, he had no sense of pacing and the importance of hydration during heavy physical activities. He just kept the speed frenzy till he literally dropped to the ground due to extreme exhaustion. Mom initially was very enthusiastic about Cho-won and encouraged him non-stop with cookie bribe and even got him an ex Boston Marathon winner to be his coach. However, after a series of unfortunate incidents (like Mom encounters with death in a swimming pool and a hole in the stomach), Mom decided running was not meant for Cho-won. So, she sent him to vocational training and forbade him from running forever (Insert gasp here!) But like we all know, there is nothing in this world that can keep a passionate runner from running. (Swollen ankle is not it, I know). So, on the day of Chuncheon International Marathon, Cho-won disappeared with his race kit from Yangjaechon Marathon Club. Where did Cho-won go? To feed zebras at the zoo? To grope more ladies in zebra print skirts? Obviously, he went to run the marathon of his life. But the ultimate question is - Did he make mommy proud by finishing in 2:57:33 in chip time or sheepishly take the sweeper bus back home? It is a heart-warming movie. At the end, it was revealed that the story is actually based on an autistic boy, Bae Hyung-jin. At the age of 19 in 2001, he finished Chuncheon International Marathon at 2 hr 57 min. A year later he completed a triathlon 15 hours 6 min for 228,195 km. This is Korea’s National Record set by the youngest person, let alone by a handicapped person. The verdict – a very enjoyable movie with lots of beautiful running shots, lots of tears, lots of drama, lots of laughers and lots of farts (Cho-won had a flatulence problem!!!) and lot of product placement by New Balance (Heheh!) It made me wanna go out and run like a zebra and grab some zebra print tight @sses! Down boy! Memorable Quotes from Running Boy. Teacher: Why a Marathon? It’s so hard. Mom: Well, I don’t think he wants to be a lawyer. Teacher: Does he like running? Mom: Moms can read their children’s faces and just know how they feel He looks different when running. Like… He could not look any happier when he runs Teacher: 36 mins for 10km? Is that your son’s record? A sub 3 might be possible then. (Mom looks puzzled) Teacher: Sub-3. Finishing a marathon in 3 hours or less, a dream for amateurs. Mom: You asked me if I had a wish. I wish Cho-won dies a day before me. Coach: Marathon seems cool, huh? True human victory. Think again, lady. It’s more like running away from reality Mom: Why do you run? To run from reality? Or did your Mom damn you around? Cho-won: My heart is racing. Chow won heart is going pitter-patter Coach: Pounding is more like it It’s pounding like hell How does it feel with your heart pounding? Cho-won: Good! Coach to Mom : You wish he dies a day before you? No wonder. You know why? You can’t survive a day without Cho Won He doesn’t need you It is you who needs him! Mom: Your legs are? Cho-won: Million dollar legs Mom: Your body? Cho-won: A Killer Mom: Can you do it? Chow-won: Yes!!!!