The casts portrayed their characters excellently, and the story wasn’t cliche either. This movie shows how family isn’t always blood, but whom you find love in. This movie was light but also heartwarming, it made you smile but will also make you cry some parts near the ending. It’s beautiful how the writers can sum up this whole storyline and make a great happy ending.
Overall, a 9/10. A great family-movie to accompany you on this quarantine season! ⭐️
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A father is forever a father, but a mother saves the day
"Chronicle of a Blood Merchant" is really a good movie, it tells a story of an ordinary man, Heo Sam Gwan, that wants to marry the most beautiful woman, Heo Ok Ran, in the village. However, eleven years after they get married and have three sons, the rumor starts that he is not the father of his first born son, The heartbreaking story begins after it is confirmed that his first born son, Heo Il Rak, has a different blood type than his blood type. Heo Sam Gwan becomes enraged and ignores Il Rak and wants Il Rak to call him "Ajeossi" instead of "Abeoji". I do not want to tell the story, but all characters in the movie act and perform so well to deliver this heartwarming story. The young Nam Da Reum that portrays Heo Il Rak, interprets his character so well with Il Rak's quiet demeanor, and accepting the cold treatment from Sam Gwan. As usual Ha Ji Won that portrays Ok Ran and Ha Jung Woo that portrays Sam Gwan tell the story and take care of the loose ends beautifully. I would recommend "Chronicle of a Blood Merchant" without any hesitation.Was this review helpful to you?
Sometimes Blood Isn't Thicker than Water
Chronicle of A Blood Merchant (2015)Review:
I didn't read the synopsis, I always thought this was a comedy, but it was so much more. This was adapted from a Chinese novel by Yuhua and changed to Korean setting. Ha Jung Woo is the director and the star of the movie. It's about a guy, Sam Kwan, who sold blood to earn money to marry the prettiest girl in town, Okran. 11 years later with 3 kids, there are rumors that the eldest son is not Sam Gwan's biological son but is from Okran's ex-boyfriend. The movie shows the love between father and son. Even though they were not blood related, Ilrak basically grew up with the family and have always known Sam Kwan as his dad and vice versa.
The first half was light comedy but in the middle, when Sam Kwan found out Ilrak, who is his favorite child, was not actually his, he stopped showing him fatherly affection. It was heartbreaking to see Ilrak look so confused from suddenly being the favorite eldest son to a shunned illegitimate child, whose fathers (real and step) refuse to acknowledge him.
Four major scenes (and SPOILERS so don't read if you want to watch) that made me cry were when Sam Kwan told Ilrak to go away and not join the family's dumpling dinner and Ilrak went to his real father's house, asking for dumpling but he got rejected. Eventually Sam Kwan couldn't resist and found Ilrak crying and hiding in the alleys and brought him home. Another was when the real father was dying and Ilrak was being forced to say "Father come back, don't leave me" as part of a ritual, but then he sees Sam Kwan watching from a window and Ilrak starts begging for Sam Gwan to come back and take him home. Sam Kwan interrupts the ritual and takes Ilrak home. Then Ilrak falls ill with the same illness as his real father, and Sam Kwan almost died going town to town selling blood to earn money for his surgery. They finally meet in Seoul and their reunion was so touching.
I can't believe Nam Dareum was so young in this drama!! So cute and great acting, from him. He had great chemistry with Ha Jung Woo. And now in 2022, he's grown up and serving the army.
Rating: 9/10
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