Fly, Daddy, Fly ~ フライ、ダディ、フライ ~ 플라이대디

Yahoo! I'm still very well adapted in Okada Wonderland and with that, I devoured another movie. This time it's his 2005 movie, Fly Daddy Fly. And what do you know, when I'm google this movie, only the Korean version came out, which was released 1 year later. This makes me even determined to find the original work and off course to compare. Which one is better. Both movies main story line is the same. The daddy is a salaryman with a loving family. One fine day, the daughter was physically assaulted by some politician son and the daddy was thrown a hush money so to not to press charges against the son. And after got defeated with it, the worst happened, the daughter didn't want to see him because he didn't defend her when she's at the low point of her life (that's what daddies are supposed to be doing, right?). So, the heartbroken daddy was mopping around alone at home (mommy was in hospital to comfort the daughter), and finally made a decision, to demand an appology from the bastard who violated his daughter. So, what's the plan? The culprit was an interhigh boxing champion, and he's a whobbly salaryman uncle. Gathering all his courage (and some insanity), he charged to a highschool with a knife demanding the boy to apologize... it's just that... it's a wrong high school. So, instead, daddy got knocked off by another boy, Shin, and this boy ended up training this uncle who he just met to beat up the boxing champion for revenge. And the journey of fun and heartwarming movie starts.

OK, that's the main plot, but off course, 2 movies cannot be 100% exactly the same, right? If it is, I'll bash the one that come out later off course. So, what makes you have to watch both? Both movies are interesting and what's more interesting is that you get to see different way of presention. To be honest, I watched the Korean version because the Japanese version doesn't have subs *sobs, not even softsubs!!!* and I only get half of the whole thing, so to make up the gap, I watched the Korean one and that's when I encountered all the differences. BUT, if you were only to watch 1 version, which one you should watch?

So, let's start the battle *clap clap*

 Japanese version off course has Okada (the reason I watched this movie in the first place) as Shin and Shinichi Tsutsumi as Suzuki, the daddy. Who, what? Wait... this line up casting sounds familiar... teleporting to the future... that's right, after this movie, they are together again in the SP franchise. The setting of this movie is in summer, Shin and his gang, the Zombies are having summer holiday (natsu yasumi) when this happens, so the scenes are bright and colorful. The zombies boys though look like weird outcasted delinquents, they are actually very sweet boys. The things that they do when daddy was tortured by Shin with his sadistic training program, are just adorable, and their method and all the handmade charts and so on are so heartfelt, and with that the daughter is also slowly opening her heart back to daddy. Off course, boys will be boys, they have to check on the daughter and inform all members that she's KAWAII (more motivation, yeah!). Daddy's training getup has to be the old GREEN school tracksuit that's obviously too small for him and he has to carry the weight in kiddy RED color bag. You get to see how daddy is determined to get justice for his daughter. He quit his job, train like hell, even going home running instead of taking bus every day. You'll cheer him as you see him improving, from not even able to catch up with the grandpa n grandma jogging at the park till he defeats the bus on the way home (heck, even the salaryman on the bus are cheering for him too!). What I like about the Japanese version is that we get to see glimps of Shin's life at home where he's living almost alone and we can feel his loneliness beneath his cool exterior. And off course, I must mention Shin's slow motion backflip scene, it's so kakkoii that you totally forget... what's the purpose of that scene again? Oh right, to show off that Okada is very cool in doing backflip. Joking aside, I think it's sort of to symbolize the flying theme, since we're also entertained by his semi tai-chi and flying on the ground ala some tai chi guru, but nevertheless, kakkoii!

Now, the Korean version. We have Lee Junki as Seung Suk and Lee Moon Sik as Ka Pil, the daddy. The difference can be felt since the beginning. First, it's winter, so it's all gloomy and not so cheerful. Daddy only take temporary leave of absence instead of quitting his job, obviously not so emo compare to Suzuki character. The Zombies herd is replaced by 2 geeky kids under Seung Suk. These 2 boys are also cute ones, they made charts (not as sloppy as the Zombies) and developed pictures of daddy training and delivered them to the daughter every day. Korea gives this movie a bit more glamour like daddy's training is not just running around at the park but it involves in door rock climbing (or is it outside). Daddy's green tracksuit is replaced with Bruce Lee's yellow tracksuit, and we see all those equipments used to train dad (Shin just happily used dirt and rope to torture dad, at least Seung Suk gives dad more proper fitness equipment). What's interesting in this version is that they shows lots of Korean culture in here, example, it has a scene just to discuss what the boys should call the daddy (it's so Korean here, Shin just happily called Suzuki, oi ji-san, whatever), they can't just lost the respect to elderly just because now daddy is the pupil. Then, daddy just have to buy something for Seung Suk for gratitude or what not, and he literally insist it. Another difference is that Seung Suk was a fighter, though 'retired,' but he has a chance to show off his skill in beating up a group of jerks (hail to Jun Ki's Taekwondo skill!). Another difference is on the final battle scene of daddy against the bastard (which looks a bit tame compare to the Japanese version). In here, it's held in the boxing ring at the school's gym, while the Japanese version, the same scene is happend on the school ground, rough and simple.

So, what's the verdict? To me, the Japanese version has more impact, in terms of both the movie itself and eye candy factor. Junki is pretty but Okada is pretty and sexy and his partner is the cool looking uncle, not a whobbly one. In terms of the scenes themselves, I like summer better than winter because summer has all the fun and color and you'll feel the ending of the summer and it's like the fun has ended and it's time to face the real life for those highschool boys. The Japanese version also focus more about life and relationship than the Korean one. Shin and Suzuki bond looks more heartwarming than Seung Suk and Ka Pil's. I find that the Korean version is just focusing on the violance and I don't get the feel of Seung Suk and Kapil's bond, where as in Japanese version, after the fighting scene, Suzuki is like being liberated and as well Shin learns some lessons of life from Suzuki. And lastly, Junki's flying kick vs Okada's slowmo backflip? Off course backflip wins LOL....