Most of us know Cha Tae Hyun as the funny lead in My Sassy Girl, but few of us (me included) knew that the man was an established singer.
Cha Tae Hyun plays the main lead in the movie “Highway Star”. His character “Dal Ho” is an aspiring rocker who makes his living by playing backup for a Trot singer in the local nightclub (Trot is very much like Korean Country music, its popularity nowadays has resurged thanks to such groups as Super Junior taking their hand in it). One day, whist his band is playing in club after all the patrons have emptied it, a producer Jang (Lim Chae Moo) decides that Dal Ho has the stuff to be the “next big thing” in Trot. Tricking him into leaving his band and coming to the city, Jang signs him up to a contract to make an album.
After a long winded introduction where new characters and a romance to a certain trot singer in his company (actress Lee So Yeon), we find that Dal Ho is ashamed to be singing trot music, and during his album photo shoot he completely hides his face. During his television debut, a make-up mishap and his ashamedness causes him to appear on stage wearing this funky yellow mask (something that you would see possibly on wrestling).
Unknown to the company, the Masked Singer Dal Ho (or as he is now known as “Bong Feel”) is an overnight sensation and his song is broad casted everywhere around the country, with his single selling out in record stores.
In light of his new success, the fame gets to Dal Ho’s head, and we see him battle with his conscience, his mother, his cast-aside band mates and his old friends for the remainder of the film.
The film starts out slow. He doesn’t even put on the mask till well into the second third of the movie, I thought if we had begun there, there would be a lot more fun for everyone involved. The characters were well acted an engaging, his mum in particular was hilarious.
Cha Tae Hyun has quite a voice, I was shocked. It’s almost perfect for the Trot style of music, and he holds his notes really, really well. Besides the slow paced beginning, the movie evolves into something that is thoroughly enjoyable. I would recommend this to anyone, especially if you’re fond of a good laugh. The ending sequence for this movie is one of my favorites of all time.
It also features an awesome soundtrack, mixing Trot+Rock in one of the tracks in a spectacular fashion.
4/5 stars
Trailer:
haz said,
July 5, 2007 @ 8:31 pm
i agree…absolutely…i was mesmerized by his singing performance. cool dude!
ice said,
January 6, 2008 @ 12:08 am
Let me start by saying—–I so love this actor!
Ahm… posting a comment like this is not the usual thing i do because my age tells me so. But this point, i guess i will have to skip or forget about my age (by the way I’m 32 already!)
I started liking him when GMA Network here in the Philippines aired First Love of a Royal Prince. Since that period, I thought he’s really attractive.
His gestures are quite natural. Then, when I learned that he’s a singer, I wanted to find it out myself–which was difficult for me then because that time i didn’t have the internet yet. —And now, I’m super glad that anytime i can see him, act, sing, and dance….
He’s not just handsome but also a very VERSATILE talent Korea possess and must be proud.
Finally, i like him because (again, not one of the usual things i share to people), he quite resembles my husband, especially Mr. Cha’s mannerisms are somewhat similar to my husband’s. He so much reminds me of “my Man.”–yup, maybe just a bit alike in their looks but the gestures/mannerisms are closely similar.
I thank God and Korea for him because I love my husband more! hahaha! (Do I make sense?)–I hope so!
Ok, i’m done here.
ice said,
January 6, 2008 @ 12:17 am
Let me start by saying—–I so love this actor!
Ahm… posting a comment like this is not the usual thing i do because my age tells me so. But this point, i guess i will have to skip or forget about my age (by the way I’m 32 already!)
I started liking him when GMA Network here in the Philippines aired First Love of a Royal Prince. Since that period, I thought he’s really attractive.
His gestures are quite natural. Then, when I learned that he’s a singer, I wanted to find it out myself–which was difficult for me then because that time i didn’t have the internet yet. —And now, I’m super glad that anytime i can see him, act, sing, and dance….
He’s not just handsome but also a very VERSATILE talent Korea possesses and must be proud.
Finally, i like him because (again, not one of the usual things i share to people), he quite resembles my husband, especially Mr. Cha’s mannerisms are somewhat similar to my husband’s. He so much reminds me of “my Man.”–yup, maybe just a bit alike in their looks but the gestures/mannerisms are closely similar.
I thank God and Korea for him because I love my husband more! hahaha! (Do I make sense?)–I hope so!
Ok, i’m done here.
roxanne said,
February 19, 2008 @ 4:04 pm
woooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwww>>..this movie was awesome …i like this movie…especially bong feel n chae young
kiros23 said,
July 30, 2008 @ 10:29 pm
yes i really like the movie..=) ice my kababayan talagang nag-enjoy me and my wife…heheheh=)
bokybokx said,
November 18, 2008 @ 12:32 pm
Yeah.. I love this guy and this movie.. Can’t help but remember the tune of the song and hum it during my freetime.. lolz
Although I will never understand Korean Language.. I loved their movies especially the Sassy Girl, and all those romantic comedies… lmao
Crazy First Love also was one of my favorite movie of Cha..