The Embassy of the Republic of Korea celebrates today this year's Korean Film Festival at the UP FIlm Institute's Cine Adarna. Series of titles are offered including Ditto, Joint Security Area, Taeguk-Gi, Libera Me, and the ones I watched My Heart.

My Heart is an almost an hour and a half film directed by Bae Chang-ho, a Korean national, about a woman who, at an early age of sixteen, is forced to marry a ten-year-old boy. However, because of generation gap, their arranged marriage did not work. The lead star would find her young husband having an affair with a fresher-looking woman, thus ending their commitment. The woman, called 'elder sister' in some parts of the film, found another love in the character of a good potter who lives far from town. The potter fell in love with her, asked her hand, and then made her wife. Fate played again with the main character when her second husband dies after the latter drown in a river. She lived again in solitary confinement until a stranger with her less than one-year-old baby came into her life. In the end, she (elder sister) would raise the baby as an educated, fine, young man as her mother would live again with her rude husband. She spent her whole life for her adopted child, her only source of happiness and fulfillment.

The film was cute. Actually, it really had a romantic tone, somewhat cheesy; especially on the part where the main star met her husband. There were times that both have 'kilig' and sweet moments. The female audience seemed to giggle every time they hug and show acts of love. I think this romantic touch grabbed the interest of the audience. As humans, we love romance--- a certain feeling of affection, giving of attention and acceptance from a person. I think it's human nature that we crave for these things. It had an effect to the audience because it's what we want; it's something we need.

The tragic event that killed her second husband resulted to an air of loneliness. The viewers must have felt the experience of the woman, hence their sympathy.

I was almost teary-eyed when the Korean girl left her baby to go with her husband. She was a battered wife who had no choice but to give in to his husband's commands. This further portrays women as second-class citizens, as an object that gives pleasure. Patriarchy is existent almost in any country. It is a sad thing, though.

I like the film. Good enough to ponder and relax for a moment.

I'm alone. I'm at peace.