'NEVER
SAID GOODBYE'
THE CHINESE MOVIE
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGRH6kogodf/?taken-by=actor_jg
FOR A WHILE
NEVER SAID GOODBYE Teaser Trailer 
Lee Joon Gi
Zhou Dongyu
Ethan Juan
On 7 June 2016, a press conference was held for the Chinese
movie, ‘Never Said Goodbye’ at the Crowne Plaza Beijing Lido.
Crowne Plaza Beijing Lido
The
movie, whose title had undergone several changes, ('Under the Sicily Sun', 'Begin
Again'), stars the handsome and talented Korean actor, Lee Joon Gi, the
beautiful actress, Zhou Dongyu and the good-looking Taiwanese actor, Ethan Juan.
Lee Joon
Gi, a multiple movie and drama award winner, plays a
warm-hearted Korean student, Park Jun-ho who falls in love with a Chinese
girl, Gu Xiao You (Zhou Dongyu) in Shanghai, China. Lee has won awards every year since his blockbuster movie, 'King and the Clown' in 2006, a year in which he took home ten awards. His string of awards include the Seoul International Drama Awards for 'Outstanding Korean Actor' (2013 - 'Arang And The Magistrate' & 2015 - 'Gunman In Joseon'), Overseas Star Award (10th Annual International Shanghai Film Festival) and Rising Star Award (Hawaii International Film Festival).
Zhou, a Chinese actress, acted in Zhang Yimou's movie, ‘The Love of the Hawthorn Tree’ for which she won
three awards in 2011 ('Best New performer', ‘Outstanding New Actress’ and ‘Best Actress’), an outstanding feat
for a then unknown actress. Taiwanese Ethan Juan (2010 Best Actor
winner of the 47th Golden Horse Awards for ‘Monga’), plays the role
of Tian Bo.
The
romantic movie, which is about a convoluted transnational relationship, takes
the viewers from Shanghai, China to Sicily, Italy. In
the dramatic teaser trailer, viewers are given a sneak-peek of the the touching love story and the lovey-dovey
relationship of the romantic pair.
      
There
are, however, many scenes that will fire the imagination of the viewers. In one
of the scenes, Park Jun-ho got together some friends to perform a ‘courting
dance’ for Gu Xiao You. Lee
Joon Gi’s dancing skills, as usual, are impeccable. He impresses everyone, including Zhou Dongyu.
Fantastic!
But what is interesting is the painting of the dancing
flamingos on the wall of a house in the movie which aptly reflects the courtship of Gu Xiao You by
Park Jun-ho. The romantic pursuit of the Chinese girl by the Korean
student can be equated with the fascinating mating dance of the flamingos (video).
The Courtship Dance
Background: The Dance of the Flamingos
  
The Flamingo Mating Dance
In another scene in the teaser trailer, Jun-ho
requests for a breakup which has heart-breaking ramifications on their
passionate but fragile romance. If one wants to know the climatic finale, one
has to wait until August to watch the movie.
The movie, directed by the well-known Taiwanese director
Lin Yuhsien and produced by the famous Hong Kong movie producer-director
Stanley Kwan, was shot in late 2014 and completed in early 2015. Lin
Yu-hsien won the Golden Horse Best Documentary Award in 2005 for his
documentary on gymnastic athletes, ‘Jump! Boys’. In 2011, Lin won the
Taipei Film Festival Media’s Choice Award and Audience Choice Award for his
feature-length film, ‘Jump Ashin!’
Lee Joon Gi, Zhou Dongyu and Lin Yu-Hsien
It is said that Lin
Yu-hsien took great pains to persuade Lee Joon Gi, to play the romantic lead. At a
previous press conference for the movie, he expressed that Lee was his
first choice for the role.
‘He’s like a boy next door with his own
unique charm. He is very natural and down to earth.’
It was a difficult task to win Lee over but the director was very determined to cast him. For that purpose, he had to fly to Korea twice to discuss the movie details with Lee but Lin Yu-Hsien added that he was able to ‘trick’ Lee into doing the movie.  |
