Released on November 26, 2009, director Yoon Jong-chan’s third feature film I am happy it premiered as the closing film of the 2008 Busan International Film Festival. However, the film was not officially released until more than a year later.
Despite gaining attention for the dramatic image transformations of stars Hyun Bin and Lee Bo-young, the film performed disastrously at the box office, drawing only about 7,000 viewers on 29 screens before quietly disappearing from theaters.
“These are the happiest days of my life… but his sad eyes still worry me.”
Unable to bear the harsh reality around him, Man Soo (played by Hyun Bin) develops delusions. Burdened by his mother’s dementia and gambling debts left by his deceased brother, his days in a mental hospital become dream moments where he can finally escape reality.
Man Soo believes that only his signature has a monetary value accepted by banks around the world. Surrounded by friends who believe in him, as well as his doctor and private nurse Soo Kyung (played by Lee Bo Young), life inside the hospital is sweet and comforting. Soo Kyung always stays by his side like a guardian angel, making Man Soo even happier, even though sadness constantly hovers on his face.
“These are the most difficult days of my life… but the moments spent with him make me happy.”
Head nurse Soo Kyung experiences painful days after being abandoned by her lover while taking care of her father, who suffers from terminal colorectal cancer. His miserable reality worsens when his wages are garnished and his relationship falls apart. Yet she finds comfort in Man Soo, who casually gives her large sums of money to help her cover hospital bills.
For Soo Kyung, Man Soo’s disappointments become the very thing that helps her endure life.
As Man Soo undergoes increasingly intense treatments and Soo Kyung is gradually pushed towards emotional collapse, the happiness they shared slowly begins to disappear.
Even just from its synopsis, I am happy it was clearly a dark and deeply realistic film. Instead of showcasing the romantic charm that audiences expected from two leading stars, the film portrayed lost and troubled individuals, making it difficult for mainstream viewers to embrace.
The film focused heavily on the pain that modern people experience in everyday life using mental illness as its central theme. While cinephiles found the film intriguing and emotionally powerful, general audiences were left divided and disappointed.
Viewers later shared reactions such as: “A film that gives comfort to people who believe they suffer the most in this world,” “Hyun Bin’s acting was very impressive,” “I just saw it recently and the tragic reality of Man Soo left me heartbroken,” AND “He’s not just a good actor, but he’s a really great actor. The timing of the release was wrong, which caused the film to be underrated.”
Other viewers commented, “A brutally painful story about life. Are you truly happy? This film was seriously underrated.”
Ultimately, despite gaining attention thanks to the performances of Hyun Bin and Lee Bo Young and receiving critical praise, the film drew extremely divided reactions among audiences before quietly disappearing after its release in 2009.
Even so, the film remains a rare project that shows completely different sides of both actors. For many film fans, I am happy continues to be remembered as an “unfortunate masterpiece” and a “cursed classic” of Korean cinema.
Sources: Daum
