How to Use Guys with Secret Tips: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 03:44, 24 October 2015

Revision as of 09:37, 2 December 2015

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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. 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 need to find success and happiness. She initially had doubts but buys the video eventually. 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 start flocking to her (including top [[hallyu]] star, Lee Seung-jae ([[Oh Jung-se]]), who initially treated Bo-na with indifference).

==Cast==

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==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>