[Review] Champion: The Tough Yet Tender Ma Dong-seok

In the coming weeks, Ma Dong-seok (Don Lee) will be ubiquitous, first with Champion opening tomorrow, and then Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days in August!

First, thanks to Edko Films for inviting me to a preview screening of Champion last weekend. Although I haven't seen many Korean films, I often feel they deliberately inject overly sentimental scenes into every genre. This time, Champion is an exception. The film revolves around the story of Mark (Ma Dong-seok), an arm-wrestler, returning to South Korea. It seamlessly weaves in elements of family, comedy, gangs, and action, essentially satisfying all audience expectations. The film is primarily a comedy for much of its runtime, with the adorable performances of the two child actors, Mark's cultural clashes upon returning home, and his powerful arms all generating considerable humor. However, beneath the laughter, Champion is also a deeply emotional and thoughtfully crafted film.

As the Hong Kong title suggests, the "divine arms" (神臂) play a crucial role in the film. In the movie, Mark was adopted and raised in the United States, deeply influenced by American culture, and possesses a very high sense of self-esteem. At the same time, as an arm-wrestling champion with a pair of strong arms, his physique naturally exudes a sense of strength and masculinity. In traditional society, we are accustomed to being taught that men should be strong, masculine, and that "men bleed, not cry." In Western society, these ideas have even evolved into patriarchal notions, leading to many family and social tragedies. In Champion, Mark's background of growing up in the US and his strong physique inherently imbue him with masculinity. But this story tells us that this masculinity does not necessarily involve oppressing the weak, being tyrannical, or demeaning women. In the film, although Mark is full of masculine strength, he is a deeply kind-hearted person. In daily life, he doesn't mind befriending the weak and is even willing to go through fire and water for them; in competitions, he values principles and avoids underhanded tactics; at home, he loves his children and respects them. In addition to skillfully using Mark's character setting, the film also introduces several gang characters, contrasting two distinctly different forms of masculinity.

Although the film is packaged as a comedy, its core remains the theme of family, and the ending is incredibly touching. While Mark is outwardly a tough guy who rarely shows emotion, he is a character who is tough on the outside but tender on the inside. His heart is scarred from being abandoned by his parents years ago, and his strong exterior is merely a barrier to prevent others from entering his life, protecting his inner self. As someone abandoned by his family, Mark has always hidden his true inner self, only later revealing his longing for love and family in front of his friends and family. Actor Ma Dong-seok's performance throughout the film is layered, starting as a seemingly emotionless tough guy, then gradually opening up to his family and showing glimpses of smiles. His monologue towards the end of the film naturally expresses genuine emotion, incredibly subtle and moving, and I believe many viewers will be moved to tears, especially those who share a similar upbringing with Mark. In the real world, we may have all been deeply hurt by family, friendship, or love, and consequently, to avoid being hurt again, we might have walled ourselves off from the world. Champion tells us that as long as we are willing to believe and open our hearts, we can still experience that love again.

In addition to his layered performance, Ma Dong-seok's efforts in developing his strong arms and mastering fluent English are also evident. As the film's protagonist, his performance and charisma truly carry the entire movie. Simultaneously, the two child actors in the film are very captivating; their performances are natural and incredibly adorable, and I believe audiences will be infected by their enthusiasm. However, although the film includes equally family-related storylines for the other two protagonists, Jin-ki (Kwon Yul) and Soo-jin (Han Ye-ri), they ultimately don't feel as crucial as Mark's main storyline, making it harder for audiences to invest in them. Additionally, with arm-wrestling as its theme, the film features many arm-wrestling scenes. But due to the inherent nature of the sport, these scenes seem difficult to make tense and exciting, which is one of the film's minor shortcomings.