Before the Hollywood remake machine get to it, I thought I’d grab a hold of “My Sassy Girl,” and see what the big fuss is about. A hit in its home country, “My Sassy Girl” is much more than a simple romance comedy. It has a bit of slapstick, a bit of drama, and yes, even a bit of existentialist time travel in the seams. “My Sassy Girl” doesn’t look like much at first glance, but behind the merely simplistic plot, there’s a whole world of complexities. Many American audiences simply won’t understand “My Sassy Girl” and the character’s actions, which is likely why Hollywood is shitting out a remake to cash in on the success.

Now, forced to care for her, he gets himself in deeper than he realizes. Kwak’s film is much more of an unusual romance comedy I’ve ever seen; sure the conventions of the genre are there, but there’s also some surreal sequences including fantasy sequences imagined by “the Girl” who forces Kyun to read her movie treatments involving futuristic heroes, and the two’s rather violent relationship that manages to become more understated as the film goes on. There are pure sentimental moments here that will inspire a tear, but the highlight is the often hilarious physical comedy from Tae-Hyun Cha, who is knocked back and forth often, and yet never turns Kyun into a fool.

Gianna Jun is a beautiful woman who gives an excellent performance as the title character, and also provides a great sense of physical comedy that’s always hysterical. She plays well off of Cha, and really steals the show from the other cast members. She has an extraordinary ability to provide comic relief that’s often degrading and always keeps her sex appeal from minute one. The Girl is a character many audiences may not like at first glance. She’s violent, cold, and cruel, and yet Jun’s portrayal always holds her in a deep sympathetic light as the film explores her personality further.

One of the caveats of “My Sassy Girl” is the often disturbing amount of violence against the male characters. Kwak often presents an astonishing violence towards males that will likely be increased in the remake; though this is really just representative of slapstick which is more known in Asia, it’s a rather disturbing habit in the film that’s most times painful instead of funny. The Girl often beats on Kyun, and Kwak attempts to keep her in a sympathetic light even in the moments where she’s being unusually cruel to the character Kyun, even beating him in one moment. “My Sassy Girl” would have had an easier time keeping The Girl an appealing character were she not so cruel.

In spite of the often disturbing cruelty to males present, "My Sassy Girl" is an entertaining and sad time warp romance comedy, with excellent performances from Tae-Hyun Cha, and Gianna Jun who often steals the show. It's worth a watch, if only to contrast the watered down remake on the way.

• Gianna Jun will soon play Saya in the much anticipated adaptation of “Blood: The Last Vampire.”