Sex Is Zero (2002)

"Saekjeuk shigong" (aka "Sex is Zero") is the South Korean equivalent of "American Pie" in my ways, for better or worse. I must admit that I found "Saekjeuk shigong" to be far more enjoyable than the aforementioned American movie.I watched "Saekjeuk shigong" for the first time during the mid-2000's, and I remember enjoying it back then. So when I got a chance to return to it in 2017, I did not hesitate."Saekjeuk shigong" is very much still an enjoyable movie, one that still has good appeal and still proves to be funny in many aspects.The scene where the law student spontaneously break out in song still cracks me up to the brink of tears. It is just so oddly out of place and hilarious, and the actor looks so amazingly funny while doing that scene. And the scene with the vomiting and kissing is a timeless classic, it is one of those scenes that makes you go "aawwww no, that just didn't happen!"There is an abundance of funny situations, hilarious characters and awkward dialogue in the movie, which all works out well together for a great movie. Some of the scenes and situations will have you curling your toes in disbelief, while others will have you laying flat down from laughing hard.The cast ensemble is good, and they managed to get a group of greatly talented actors and actresses on board for this project. I initially got around to find the movie because I like the talent of Ji-won Ha. And if you are familiar with South Korean movies, then you will see a handful of familiar faces in the movie, in bigger or smaller roles."Saekjeuk shigong" and its sequel stands out in the South Korean comedy scene, because of the sexual tones and concept of the story. And it was refreshing to see a South Korean director branch out to embrace this. And I must say that director and writer JK Youn accomplished this task with perfection.If you enjoy a good comedy that thrives on below-the-belt comedy and delivers hilarious situations with sexual tones, then you definitely have to watch "Saekjeuk shigong". This is a very entertaining comedy that can be watched multiple times.

Sex is Zero centers about the development of an awkward college student and his unrequited love for a beautiful girl out of his league, successively delivering the usual dose of masturbation jokes and penis cracks along the way. On the surface, it's a debauched concoction of raunch and libido, blending together to give frat boys another way to find hilarity in promiscuity.However, at the same time, it cleverly meshes smut and sincerity to form a surprisingly charismatic outcome. A sex comedy --with depth, at that. Something that American Pie and other films in it's genre lacks.While the film explores the sexual exploits of the surrounding characters, it also digs into the plausible outcomes of the loose lifestyles they exude. There are times where it drops it's crude humor long enough to give the film a weighty, sedate factor as well-- making the overall outcome a memorably genuine movie, worthwhile for horny frat boys and curious onlookers alike.

Some movies occasionally try to mix serious drama with absurd humor. Most doesn't succeed at all. SEX IS ZERO does succeed, though! Slapstick jokes, some very funny, some very stupid and some lost in translation are mixed with extremely serious drama towards the end, and then goes slowly into the comedy genre again - with great results.Very nicely done movie that are probably most inspired by movies like BRING IT ON and American PIE. However, this is a Korean movie, and that means it's weirder, better acted, slightly more surprising and original.Be prepared for serious drama mixed with high-school humor, though. And be prepared for lots of cute girls! :) 7 of 10.

Korea's answer to American Pie and the like sees clutzy university freshman Eun-shik falling for dream girl Eun-hyo (Ji-won Ha of Phone and Nightmare fame). But while his rather pathetic attempts to woo her fail to register, Eun-hyo is swept off her feet by dashing - and frivolous - playboy Sangik. With Eunhyo unable to see past her new lover's infidelite ways, Eun-shik must try to mature his image to save his dream girl from making a terrible choice."Sex Is Zero" starts off in hilarious fashion, with Eun-shik and his similarly sex-obsessed friends trying to score with as many college girls as is humanly possible. Throw in a couple of jokes about manhoods and cosmetic implants and we're talking comedy heaven. Unfortunately, as I've noticed with a few Korean films of late, the director chooses to veer off into other, more serious, genres in the final reel and this really puts the dampeners on the humour. There's one particularly shocking revelation around the hour mark which is so serious for a comedy that the film barely recovers - but of course I won't spoil it here. Put it this way, you know in a Hollywood production of this ilke that the good natured guy is always going to get his girl at the end... Korean productions are far more unpredictable!Acting is excellent from all the main cast and the director brings a funky, lively and very energetic approach to his duties resulting in a highly entertaining mix of comedy, drama and weepie rolled into one. Comedy fans should be satisfied with the opening hour - people looking for a little more substance will lap up the finale. All in all, a recommended movie - ***.5 / *****