I. Introduction
Miracle - Letters to the President is a 2021 South Korean romantic drama film directed by Lee Jang-hoon for Blossom Pictures. Starring Park Jeong-min, Lee Sung-min and Im Yoon-ah (SNSD), the film is based on a true story of a high school mathematics genius Joon-kyeong.
II. Synopsis
Set in the 1980s, the film tells the story of Bo Kyung, the older sister of a math prodigy and high school student Jun Kyung. They both live in the roadless countryside of North Gyeongsang Province. With the help of his girlfriend Ra Hee, Jun Kyung works together with Bo Kyung and the village people to create a train station.
III. Production & Release
On 9 June 2020, it was reported that Park Jeong-min, Im Yoon-ah and Lee Sung-min were considering the proposal of appearing in the film positively. On 25 August 2020, the cast was confirmed. Principal photography began on August 2, 2020.
Lotte Entertainment released a special video clip and handwritten letters of Park Jeong-min and Im Yoon-ah to promote the film. It was scheduled to premiere in June 2021 but the release was postponed due to the pandemic. Later, it was released theatrically on September 15, 2021 coinciding with Chuseok festival.
IV. Cast
| Pic | Name | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Park Jeong-min | Joon-kyeong | |
| Im Yoon-ah | Ra-hee | |
| Lee Sung-min | Tae-yoon, Joon-kyeong's father | |
| Lee Soo-kyung | Bo-kyeong - Joon-kyeong's older sister |
V. Trailers
VI. Reception
On box office it currently ranks 7th among the Korean films released in the year 2021 in South Korea, with gross of US$4.47 million and 567,331 cumulative admissions. The film was released on September 15, 2021 on 1198 screens. As per Korean Film Council (Kofic) integrated computer network, the film ranks third on the Korean box office in opening weekend. It has gotten 7.1 on Mydramalist.
VII. Star News
Kang Min-kyung of Star News reviewing the film lauded the performance of ensemble, especially acting of Lee Soo-kyung, saying, - Soo-kyung is the trump card and core of The Miracle. She liked the scenic beauty of locales and wrote, - Their ensemble and the beautiful background where you can feel the four seasons from spring to summer, autumn, and winter add to the immersion and leave a lasting impression in the heart. Kang wrote about the film in the opening of review, - It touches the hearts of the viewers slowly and permeates. A genius boy's miracle brings laughter and sometimes tears. This is the story of the movie The Miracle. Kim Seong-Hyun reviewing the film for YTN wrote that the performance of the actors was excellent but, despite the strong performances of these actors, the film story is overly dramatic and weakens the narrative link. The conflict structure in the film and the process of resolving it are to the point that it feels forced and artificial. Concluding the review Seong-Hyun said, - The Miracle ends with Richard Sanderson's famous song Reality, which was also used in the movie La Boum in the 80s. The lyrics of the song 'Dream is my reality' are as beautiful as Junkyung's dream, but it is not enough to erase the bitter taste.
VIII. Newsis
Kim Ji-eun of Newsis in her review praised the performances of Park Jeong-min, Yoona Lim, Lee Seong-min and Lee Soo-kyung, writing, - The character shines with the strong performances of the actors. She opined that the film set in 1980s have captured the nostalgic sensibility of that era, and the sentimental atmosphere of a rural village without a train station, with beautiful scenery and colors. Kim wrote - The warmth" of narrative softly pervaded with the landscape in harmony with nature. She concluded, - It started out as a simple station, but in the end it is a story about a dream.
VIIII. News1
Jung Yu-jin of News1 praised the performances of Park Jeong-min, Yoona Lim, Lee Seong-min and specially, Lee Soo-kyung, who in her opinion is the heart of the film. Commenting on the mixing of filial relationship, first love of high school boy and fantasy, she said, - Director Lee Jang-hoon mixed these familiar ingredients with a different seasoning called 'Fantasy' in an unfamiliar bowl based on a true story called 'Simple Station Making', and finished it well enough to eat. Jung felt that - The warm sensibility and humor that flows throughout the film made The Miracle, a cute and moist growth narrative that brightens the heart.
VIIV. Export News
Kim Ye-eun of Export News reviewing the film said, - The Miracle, which started with laughter and flowed into emotion, stimulates the tear glands with the warm story of these families. A strong reversal appears and sometimes adds to the emotion.
