How to Use Guys with Secret Tips: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 14:18, 23 July 2013

Revision as of 14:35, 23 July 2013

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==Plot==

For the past five years, Choi Bo-na ([[Lee Si-young]]) has been overworked and underpaid as a second assistant director for TV commercials. Sorely lacking social skills, self-confidence, fashion sense, and aesthetic polish, she is casually disregarded by her work colleagues and knows that her career is going nowhere but can't do anything about it. One night she hits rock bottom. Stranded on a beach in the middle of nowhere after a grueling outdoor shoot, she comes across an eccentric middle-aged man selling inspirational videos. He urges her to buy his masterwork, "A Manual on How to Use Men," telling her that it will change her life, and give her the skills she needs to find success and happiness. She doesn't believe him for a second, but she buys the video. After reluctantly following the step-by-step instructions of self-styled guru Dr. Swarski ([[Park Yeong-gyu]]), Bo-na's life takes a drastic turn. She begins to experience professional success and men suddenly start flocking to her, including top [[hallyu]] star Lee Seung-jae ([[Oh Jung-se]]) who initially treated Bo-na with disdain, but later falls head over heels in love with her.

==Cast==

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* Park Sung-taek as advertising agency PD

* Yoon Seok-joo as photographer

* Cha Jong-ho as cash replacement

==Production==

This was the feature directorial debut of Lee Won-suk, a graduate of the [[American Film Institute]]. Lee said the film was initially a [[black comedy]], but during its seven-year pre-production, he made compromises in order to make the film more appealing commercially. Nevertheless he retained the [[satirical]] bent and issues he wanted to highlight, such as [[gender inequality]], and the societal practice where shrewd people are more likely to succeed than those who simply work hard. Though classified as a romantic comedy, Lee called it more of a "fantasy," saying, "In the end, she gets everything she wanted. But that does not happen in real life no matter how earnestly people live their lives."<ref>{{cite web|last=Jung|first=Min-ho|title=Lee Won-suk's debut film touches on winning heart|url=http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/people/2013/03/178_131967.html|work=[[The Korea Times]]|accessdate=2013-07-23|date=12 March 2013}}</ref>

Lee's background in advertising was also apparent in his incorporation of [[manga]]-like [[computer graphics|screen graphics]] and [[animation]] in the film's backgrounds and visual patterns.<ref>{{cite web|last=Lee|first=Eun-sun|title=Unusual Love Stories: For 100% Success in Love Affair - ''HOW TO USE GUYS WITH SECRET TIPS''|url=http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/jsp/news/news.jsp?mode=VIEW&seq=2300|work=Korean Film Council|accessdate=2013-07-23|date=8 March 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Young|first=Deborah|title=How to Use Guys With Secret Tips: Film Review|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/how-use-guys-secret-tips-429699|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|accessdate=2013-07-23|date=20 March 2013}}</ref>

==Reception==

''How to Use Guys with Secret Tips'' was released on February 14, 2013. The film produced strong word-of-mouth among viewers, though not enough to make it a hit in a month when it was sharing screens with box office behemoths ''[[The Berlin File]]'', ''[[New World (2013 film)|New World]]'' and ''[[Miracle in Cell No. 7]]''.<ref name=paquet />

''Koreanfilm.org'' praised the film's "great comic timing," the "charismatic" performances by its lead actors and its "multitude of gags that are genuinely funny." The review said it felt "fresh and new, but it is also simply a very well executed film. In a genre that looks easy, but is actually quite challenging, this is a significant accomplishment."<ref name=paquet>{{cite web|last=Paquet|first=Darcy|title=How to Use Guys with Secret Tips|url=http://www.koreanfilm.org/kfilm13.html#howtouseguys|work=Koreanfilm.org|accessdate=2013-07-23}}</ref>

''[[Twitch Film]]'' particularly noted the film's "unique, vibrant and endlessly creative aesthetic," and director Lee's "keen sense of style." It also said "one of the film's great strengths is its excellent [[soundtrack]], which runs the gamut of indie music, pop and club beats, not to mention [[Maurice Ravel|Ravel]]."<ref>{{cite web|last=Conran|first=Pierce|title=Udine 2013 Review: Despite Lame Title, HOW TO USE GUYS WITH SECRET TIPS Is a Minor Revelation|url=http://twitchfilm.com/2013/04/udine-2013-review-despite-lame-title-how-to-use-guys-with-secret-tips-is-a-minor-revelation.html|work=[[Twitch Film]]|accessdate=2013-07-23|date=25 April 2013}}</ref>

In April 2013, the film won the Audience Award at the 15th Far East Film Festival in [[Udine]], [[Italy]], and director Lee Won-suk also received the Golden Mulberry Award.<ref>{{cite web|title=Secret Tips wins at Udine|url=http://www.filmbiz.asia/news/secret-tips-wins-at-udine|work=Film Business Asia|accessdate=2013-07-23|date=28 April 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Ji|first=Yong-jin|title=HOW TO USE A GUY WITH SECRET TIPS Wins Audience Award at Udine Far East Film Festival|url=http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/jsp/news/news.jsp?mode=VIEW&seq=2451|work=Korean Film Council|accessdate=2013-07-23|date=30 April 2013}}</ref>

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* {{facebook|mensmanual.kr|''How to Use Guys with Secret Tips ''}} {{ko icon}}

* {{kmdb film|13377}}

* {{imdbIMDb title|2934568}}

* {{hancinema film|How_to_Use_Guys_with_Secret_Tips}}

{{SouthKorea-film-stub}}

[[Category:South Korean romantic comedy films]]

[[Category:South Korean films]]