Based on a True Story? Seoul, 1988
Lee Jibong, Korea 185 kg Last Attempt
You've got the gold!
Go for it, Jibong!
You're almost there, Jibong!
Just a little more! Jibong!
This is a shocking and unfortunate turn of events.
This just in.
Korea's top weightlifter, Lee Jibong,
will unfortunately have to settle for bronze because of an injury.
But in soccer, Park Byeongju passes the ball!
He passes the ball to Kim Juseong!
To Noh Sujin!
He shoots and scores!
Goal!
He showed the power of Korean soccer!
Are you all right? Bring me a stretcher, quick!
Jibong! Jibong!
This section is called the bursa.
In layman's terms, it's the elbow.
And the white dots are shattered bones.
What's all the fuss?
All I need is physical therapy.
We can reconnect the muscle, but the problem is the bone.
It'll require about three operations.
When can I start training again?
We discovered something else while taking your X-rays.
Your heart is an even bigger problem.
You have what's called a dilated cardiomyopathy.
It's when the heart becomes enlarged
and blocks the flow of blood.
Why do I need this up my nose anyway?
When can I start training again?
You have to wear this for the time being, sir.
So, when can I start lifting weights again?
If you take a look here,
your left ventricle is extremely enlarged.
The condition is about 50% hereditary...
What the hell! Are you deaf?
I asked when I can start training!
I'm sure you could lift heavy things
before your injury,
but it's too much stress on your heart...
You probably only deal with regular people,
but I'm different!
You don't know anything!
- Jibong! - Are you sure this is a sports clinic?
Let go of me, coach!
I'm Lee Jibong!
I can lift anything with these arms!
Jibong!
My arms are fine!
Coach, let's go get a second opinion!
Jibong.
Okay. Let's get a second opinion.
Bronze Medalists
2008 Seoul
You should go to the hospital.
No.
You can't just ignore this pain.
I'd have to give up if I didn't.
You could damage your back
permanently like this.
I know that.
You lost your last competition because of your back.
You can't keep hiding this.
So, should I just tell the reporters they should give up on the gold
because I'm going to lose anyway?
What do you expect me to do?
The mood of the Olympic team isn't good.
How's the weightlifting team?
How do you expect to do?
We've worked hard and hope to give it all we've got.
How have you been feeling since your back injury?
There are reports that the Chinese broke
Park Youngja's record during practice.
I doubt that.
They're trying to psyche us out.
Youngja, is your bad back the reason you didn't attempt
the Olympic record at the last competition?
She was just saving her strength,
especially since gold is virtually assured.
If you don't have any more questions...
Wait a minute.
Any last thoughts, Youngja?
I'm going to live up to people's expectations of gold
and do my best.
Go for it! Go, Korea!
Youngja!
Over here! It's me!
Minhui, what are you doing here?
Congratulations!
How are you doing?
I'm all right. I had something to give you,
but I couldn't get a hold of you.
I came because I thought I could see you.
Here. Make sure to open it on the plane.
We think it'll give you strength.
What are you doing, Youngja? Let's go!
Okay. Thanks. See you.
Take care of yourself!
Go for it, Youngja! Have a nice trip!
We'd like to welcome the Korean national team,
who've boarded Korean Air Flight 851
to participate in the Beijing Olympics.
We wish you all the best in the competition.
I wanted to die at first.
But as time passed, the pain of not weightlifting again
became bearable.
I even felt a sense of freedom.
What was really painful was the fact
that I couldn't do anything
except lift weights.
Maybe I could lose weight weightlifting?
You're not that bad looking.
Don't you know what weightlifters look like?
They're fat.
Weightlifters are downright ugly.
Sir, visit us sometime. We have the hottest girls!
You've got to say something.
We have the hottest girls in town, sir.
And scatter those flyers all over the streets.
It'll take you all day like that.
Come visit us, sir.
We have lots of hot...
Why weren't you answering your phone?
For crying out loud!
You're handing out flyers?
Handing out flyers?
There's nothing wrong with that.
Please visit us sometime.
The association gave me a spot on
their board for Byeonggwan's gold medal.
Come visit me sometime.
Hey! Do you know why I accepted the board position?
Just get your butt down there!
I was just passing by...
This place hasn't changed a bit.
I told you I wouldn't lift weights again.
I haven't done it since the '88 Olympics.
You never even called me.
I don't want you to lift weights!
I want you to teach kids!
But my business is really taking off.
Plus, I don't know how to teach kids.
You know I don't like kids, coach.
I have some extremely good news.
The tennis team's Seo Yeongran
won the Governor's Tennis Championship.
Hyeonjeong.
I bet all you did was pick up the balls there!
You've probably heard
of weightlifter Jeon Byeonggwan, who won gold in Europe, right?
This is Mr. Lee Jibong, who trained with him,
and won bronze in the '88 Seoul Olympics.
Mr. Lee is planning to start
a weightlifting team to follow in the glorious footsteps
of the shooting and tennis teams.
She doesn't even support us enough,
but she's starting another team!
Still, your funding doubled or tripled thanks to it.
It's because of our team's excellent record.
If your team won some medals,
you'd receive funding, too.
We can't win with our shoddy equipment!
Not only in Korea, but in the world!
Now, going back to my main point...
Are you done practicing?
Can I try shooting your rifle?
Be careful with it.
Okay. Thanks for always lending me your rifle.
Youngja.
Yes?
Did you call me, coach?
Didn't you say you were going to buy a rifle?
Imagine this.
You're in a battlefield.
Bombs are falling everywhere and people
are being blown to smithereens.
The enemy is shooting
their machine guns at you,
but you don't have a gun.
Does that mean you should borrow your friend's gun
so you can live, while they shoot your friend full of holes?
I let you get by without a rifle these past few months,
but I don't think this sport is right for you.
Oh! I'm sorry, Hyeonjeong!
Yeongran, stop serving and go do some weight training!
Ma'am, Miseon is talented, but she started tennis late,
so she needs private lessons.
What do you think you're doing? Get back to the roller!
I'm sorry ma'am.
One of my players was slacking off.
If I gave Miseon private lessons,
she could also win.
Hey! Pick the rocks off the court before you use the roller!
There are rocks everywhere!
Hello, ma'am! You're here! You're here too! Oh, my!
Weightlifting Team Orientation
To put it simply,
if you can lift those barbells back there, you win.
If you can't, you lose.
There aren't as many judging controversies as in other sports.
It's a very honest sport, where you can get good results
simply by practicing hard.
I think that about does it for the sport's pros.
But you become unemployed
as soon as you're injured.
Some people think I receive a pension
for winning bronze at the '88 Olympics.
But there's something called pension points.
30 for gold, 10 for silver, and 5 for bronze.
You have to have at least 20 points.
It would be nice to get gold
like Byeonggwan,
but unlike in archery, Korea isn't dominant in weightlifting.
And you can't give lessons
like swimmers or tennis players.
The best you can do is be a trainer at a gym.
But even those jobs go to bodybuilders.
Girls get buff and ugly
when they lift weights,
and they have difficulty finding jobs
after they quit the sport.
Still, it's an all right sport.
What in the world?
But if your child likes sports,
you should have her try it.
How could you scare people off like that?
You want to start a team or not?
Why? All I did was tell the truth.
You don't know anything about kids, do you?
Hello.
This is your vice principal speaking.
Students who weigh over 60 kilograms,
please report to the tool shed,
I mean the weightlifting room.
Shouldn't you go?
Of course not. I only weigh 59.7 kilograms.
Jeez! What's going on?
You can't force the kids to come here.
I thought you knew a lot about kids.
The inspections are right around the corner,
and if the principal finds out...
That's it! I know what I should do.
Second year student Song Suhui,
72.4 kilograms.
Second year student Kim Sunim,
63.2 kilograms.
What the heck?
This should do it.
That's not true!
It's not true! I lost weight!
Second year student Lee Gyeongseon,
72.3 kilograms.
Don't cry. You're not fat. You're just big boned.
Second year student Lee Minja,
138... Oh, that's her height. Sorry, Minja!
Third year student Na Mina, 66.2 kilograms.
What do you think you're doing?
The kids are saying they want to quit school!
Your school needs you." 'Be all that you can be."
What do they think this is, the army?
I like manly things,
and I can buff up.
I'm pretty strong.
But your butt will get bigger
if you lift weights.
Do you like cowboy movies
where they gallop around on horses?
They're manly and carry around guns.
Why don't you join the shooting team?
I want to enter Harvard Law School
and join the FBI when I graduate.
I heard that just studying won't get you into Harvard. You have to
excel in athletics and the arts and do lots of volunteer work.
The pumpkin is opening wide!
That's great!
Pass!
I love sports,
and more than anything else, I want to strengthen my arms.
I think weightlifting is the perfect sport for me,
when you consider my size and athletic abilities.
- I... - Pass!
Please pick me!
Pick me! Pick me!
You pass!
You pass with flying colors!
What do you guys know about sports?
Stand up straight!
Attention!
Salute! Semper fi!
Semper fi!
What are you doing out here in the cold?
We gathered together just like you said.
I said the weightlifting room.
And don't wear tights when it's cold.
And girls should wear white T-shirts under their tights.
We have to select a captain.
I'll do it, coach!
- We already agreed. - What?
Then you're the captain.
Now, let's do some basic exercises.
Whoever runs the most laps
goes home first.
How long do we have to run for?
Until somebody runs the longest. Now start!
How long do we have to run for?
I don't know.
You must be tired.
I'll carry this by myself,
so go back inside.
Really? That's all right. Let's carry it together.
There's no need. This is for all the times
you lent me your rifle.
It's really all right.
Go on in for crying out loud!
Okay.
It's so tiring to carry these sacks. I'll have to rest.
Jeez, I wonder who put this here?
They're so light. They should have filled them up more.
Umm...
Did you really win a medal at the Olympics?
I can easily lift a sack of rice
and I'm strong,
so everybody says I should try weightlifting.
I don't think weightlifting would be right for you.
Coach Lee!
Lunchtime just ended.
I wasn't leaving. I was just...
You should go after classes are over.
But then I have to train the weightlifting team.
Anyway, this girl here
says she wants to join the weightlifting team.
Do you have any extra small weightlifting tights?
Probably.
She's the former mayor's daughter,
and she thinks the weightlifting uniforms are cute.
She's a little cuckoo.
Will you drop by our shop, sir?
What the heck! You almost gave me a heart attack!
Did I startle you?
I'm sorry.
Anyway, how is Inho doing?
Why are you asking about my brother?
Well, I just...
Let's eat!
Jeez! Why are they throwing away good milk?
You want to have lunch with me?
But I already ate.
I don't want to eat all alone. Join me for lunch.
You must really love to fish.
It's just something to do after school.
Do you keep a diary?
Here.
It's margarine. Mix it in with some soy sauce.
I thought you already ate?
Youngja, would you like to join the weightlifting team?
I thought weightlifting wasn't right for me?
Seeing you up close, your arms and legs are strong,
your neck is short and thick,
and you have a round waist.
You're a born weightlifter.
You've finally recognized my talent!
My shoulders are strong from farming.
Nobody can hit my pitches in softball,
and I'm a good soccer player, too.
But don't I have to buy weights to become a weightlifter?
Of course.
A soldier can't go into battle without a gun.
But does that soldier buy his own gun?
Nope. The army buys it for him.
We don't have to feed the other teams,
so it'll look like we're favoring the weightlifting team.
But they don't have weight classes in shooting or tennis.
We need cooking facilities to maintain their weight.
The problem is that the Department of
Education thinks we started the weightlifting team last year.
That's right.
We even filled out the application last year.
But their skin is too white for kids who've been weightlifting for a year.
Their tights look too new and the weightlifting room is too messy.
Plus, their voices aren't husky enough
for kids who've been training with weights for a year.
That's right. You're so perceptive, ma'am!
So, you want to use the kids to scam
the superintendent?
Do you want those cooking facilities, or not?
So that's what you want me to do?
You should have told me.
I'll rewrite the proposal and hand it in again!
Shouting is an important part of weightlifting.
Louder!
That's it.
Stay still.
Why are you frowning?
This will help you tan better.
This is too old.
This is too rusty.
This has a missing part.
Stay still until I catch a hundred fish.
Couldn't you give me the flag for free?
You have to rub harder.
- Why are we doing this? - I don't know.
Weightlifting Team Room
Harder!
We're going to wear these out!
Why do we have to do this anyway?
It'll help strengthen your arms!
One, two, one, two!
Scrub harder!
Today, we're going to start training in earnest.
I'll assign each of you to a position.
- Boyeong. - Yes, coach?
- You lift the barbell. - Okay.
- Youngja! - Yes, coach?
You do sit-ups.
Hyeonjeong, you drink water.
Huh?
Suok, take care of shouting.
Minhui, you're injured.
Hmmm... Yeosun, you be on lookout.
- Huh? - Get ready.
Now, let's say you see the superintendent approaching.
Three, two, one, go!
One, two...
Boyeong, lift the barbell!
Grimace like it's heavy!
Grimace! That's it.
Hyeonjeong, drink your water!
Not like that!
Gulp it down!
Now, wipe your sweat!
You have to breathe more heavily!
That's it! Good! What are you doing, Youngja?
Don't look over here. That's it.
300
When Youngja says 300,
Minhui, you suddenly get up!
Coach, I want to train, too.
You'll end up
fainting again!
This is an order!
Coach Lee! Uh? Who're you?
Oh, superintendent!
Cut!
That's good! Good work!
- Good work! - Good work!
I don't mind eating all this delicious food,
but shouldn't we do some weightlifting?
All we do is eat.
When are we going to learn weightlifting?
You girls are talented, but you're too small.
That's why you should eat like this
until you get nice and big.
Okay!
Wow! That's great!
Do we have to train until we can't bend
our arms to win a medal?
How come you can bend this side?
Girls are flexible, so you'll be able to bend your arms.
Quickly!
Keep on the mat! That's an order!
But I want to train, coach!
Huh?
Who're you?
Oh!
Superintendent!
Attention! Salute!
Semper fi!
Boseong Singing Competition Grand Prize
Superintendent,
this is Coach Lee Jibong, '88 Olympic bronze medalist
and the pride of our weightlifting team.
I know!
He's working hard to train
new heroes for the Olympics.
That was such an unfortunate incident you experienced.
You could have been the best there ever was,
but you chose to become a teacher instead.
I respect that.
I'm sorry.
We were so focused, we didn't notice you coming.
It's quite all right.
It was deeply moving to see
how focused your athletes were.
I think you definitely
deserve more funding.
Thank you so much, sir.
By the way, will your team participate
in the spring weightlifting competition?
Yes! They're training hard
for the competition, sir!
That's great.
I look forward to seeing your athletes there.
There's a saying,
So deep is the teacher's influence that the teacher influences
even the souls of his students.
I'm sure your students will show that good influence at the competition.
Move!
Don't get excited!
How could you enter us in the competition
without even discussing it with me?
We'll give you all the funding you want, so...
Out of my way!
Why don't you just do it?
It'll give your team experience.
They could be injured competing so soon.
Who's going to take care of them then?
I won't do it, and that's final!
Do you think I started the weightlifting team just for extra funding?
I started it to give students more opportunities!
You're right, and I'm sure you're a good teacher,
but you know nothing about sports!
You don't know what it's like to regret being injured
for the rest of your life! I regret getting injured every day!
Do you know that?
If you think I won't give my students opportunities
just because this school is out in the boondocks,
you'd better just pack your bags!
There's a jade rabbit hanging
from the end of my daughter's ponytail
It's hanging from my daughter's ponytail
My daughter!
All right!
What do you think this is, Suok?
The folk singing club?
You'd better eat those fish before they spoil.
- Hyeonjeong. - Yes?
Fill in the training log when it's time and send the others home.
Yes, coach!
I haven't seen Youngja around.
Is something the matter with her?
Goodness!
She took in the girl and raised her as her own,
but the girl died.
Who would have thought she'd die so soon after?
What an unlucky old lady.
She went through such difficulty raising
that girl without anyone's help.
How much is this house worth?
That's no way for a person to act.
You never even visited her while she was alive,
and now you want an inheritance?
How about you two?
It's not like you ever visited her.
- What did you say? - Keep it quiet.
The old bag just died!
Anyway, what are we going to do about her?
We'll have to find an orphanage for her.
They keep kids in orphanages until they graduate from high school.
Crazy old bag!
She had to burden us with a snot-nosed kid...
even in death!
No kidding.
You get rid of her, because I won't.
What the...
Hey! Get rid of her?
I ought to just get rid of you!
How dare you
talk about her like that?
Look long and hard at Youngja's face!
She's going to succeed
beyond your wildest dreams!
Just you wait and see!
Her face will be on every paper and TV in the country!
Youngja, I'm taking care of you
from now on, okay!
Don't worry. I'll take care of you until you get married!
I'll do the competition.
But didn't you say
it was impossible?
It's been my experience
that there are things called miracles
that defy all explanation.
As you said, principal,
I've realized the children
deserve to have opportunities.
You've made the right decision.
But if you want me to train them intensively,
the team will need a dorm.
- A dormitory? - Yes.
But we can't give you preferential treatment over the other teams.
If you build us a dormitory,
my team will stage a miracle
during the competition that'll shock the world!
Thank you for coming.
Suneungdang
Weightlifting isn't a team sport like soccer or baseball,
so why do they need a dormitory?
And did you see that dormitory?
It's practically a five-star hotel!
That money could have bought us a new court.
We don't even have enough bullets to practice with.
Smile for the camera!
Suok, move a little to the left. That's it.
Do you like your new home?
Now smile for the camera.
- Look at the camera. - One, two, smile!
Sit down like you're taking a crap.
Stop giggling and do as I say.
Jeez!
This is so embarrassing.
Ugh, you stink!
It doesn't mean you should really take a crap.
Now, hold your stick,
stick out your butt,
and look in front of you
at an angle of 15 degrees.
Straighten your back so you don't hurt it.
It should feel like you're pulling on the stick.
Stick your knee out.
Suok, you'll get hurt like that.
Stick your butt out.
Stick your butt out!
Stick it out even more!
Hey, Suok! What's the matter with her?
Always poop when you need to,
- or you could get sick. - Our coach is pretty clueless, huh?
If you use weights from the beginning, you could get injured.
He doesn't know anything about girls, does he?
Begin.
I still don't understand, coach.
Couldn't you give us a demonstration?
Coach...
Keep on practicing.
He seems frustrated.
Why did you ask him for a demo?
I just wanted to see how it's done.
Doesn't he remind you of something, beating his chest like that?
You're right. He looks like a gorilla!
Not just any gorilla. He's King Kong!
Minhui!
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels
But have not love
I am only a resounding Gong or a clanging cymbal
Hello?
I'm sorry for calling you so late,
but is this Hyeonjeong's place?
That's right.
I'm calling because
I found Hyeonjeong's diary.
Really? Where did you find it?
My name is Song Inho, and I think she goes to my church.
Are you her mother?
Yes, hold on.
Hello, this is Hyeonjeong speaking.
Then I'll see you there on Saturday.
Didn't I tell you not to come in while I was working?
Is there a girl named Hyeonjeong on your weightlifting team?
Hyeonjeong? What about her?
Huh?
It's nothing. I just...
Anyway, what's she like?
What do you think she's like? She has an awesome body.
I think I'll only
take bronze this time.
You shouldn't set your sights so low.
You should go for the gold.
You're right.
Since this will be your first time,
don't worry about the results.
Just think of the competition as a field trip.
Okay!
Hyeonjeong, you should just eat one at a time.
Anyway, why are you eating garlic when there's so much meat here?
It must be hot.
Why are my legs so thick and short?
What can we do about it? We were born this way.
I know that!
At least we're strong, right?
Who cares if we're strong?
We can't even get guys to like us!
You have to be wafer thin like Kate Moss.
I've been thinking about it, Hyeonjeong.
You're not going to lose 15 years of weight by Saturday.
Why don't you have Suok meet him for you instead?
She's thin and clever.
I'm sure Inho would like her. Oh, the meat's burning.
There's so much meat left!
No Wrestling Teams, Judo Teams, Soldiers, or Weightlifting Teams
- I'm so full right now! - Me, too.
What the heck?
Are you going home in that?
Why?
Is something wrong?
No.
It just looks so good on you.
I know.
She's a little cuckoo.
When I heard you were a weightlifter,
I was afraid you'd look like her.
Anyway, why did you choose a sport like weightlifting?
My dream is to go to Harvard Law School
and work for the FBI in America.
Do you think she's doing well?
I'm so worried she'll do something stupid.
Don't worry. As far as she doesn't sing a folk song...
He grabbed the rabbit's ears and asked,
"Are you the rabbit?"
The rabbit replied, "No, I'm not."
"Then what are you?"
"I'm a dog!"
You won't be able to lose weight like that.
You have to lose weight ahead of time.
Will you look at her!
When do we get to eat?
68.9. Pass.
Oh, my! What are you doing here?
I didn't know the circus was in town.
It's not my fault you got drunk
and missed the Olympics.
If you don't want the kids to hear about your embarrassing past,
go away.
What do you think this is, a pig farm?
I see you're still a big fat jerk.
Beat it!
Okay, okay! Good luck.
Yeosun!
Are you all right? Wake up!
Hey, turn around!
Go, Boseong Girl's Middle School! Go for it!
Hyeonjeong!
Don't cry!
It's not like you did anything wrong.
Stop crying! I enjoyed the freak show.
It was incredible.
You had one kid spin the barbell, one hit her head on a barbell,
and one even crapped in her pants!
You must have trained quite a bit.
Go away!
You'll end up hurting your kids like that.
You shouldn't try to injure your kids
just because you got injured.
What did you say, you bastard?
You piece of crap!
Get up, you bastard!
What the heck?
Coaches Brawl at Weightlifting Competition
They say that when people think
of Namwon, they think of Chunhyang,
when they think of Sunchang, they think of chili paste.
And when they think of Boseong, they think of crap.
When I asked you to promote our region through weightlifting,
I didn't mean this.
Is this the miracle you promised?
It's more like a spectacle if you ask me.
Maybe you could get a diaper company to sponsor your team?
Be quiet!
The shooting team
So what if no one on your team pooped in their pants?
If your team can't win a stupid medal,
you ought to just go hunt some deer!
Don't write down everything I say!
'Crap"? 'Diapers"? 'Deer"?
For crying out loud!
Hey, Hyeonjeong!
I heard you crapped in your pants.
I guess you were just full of crap.
What are you looking at?
Stop going around embarrassing
the tennis team!
Why don't you take a crap here?
Take a crap!
Don't look at me!
What were you thinking?
Aren't my arms strong, mom?
But my weightlifting coach says
that when you lift,
you should lift with your legs and your butt.
Didn't the coach give us a one week break?
There's nothing to do at home and I was worried about you
staying here alone.
Yeosun.
What's wrong?
I just miss my dad so much!
Don't cry.
What's the matter with you, Hyeonjeong?
Guys...
They beat me up for crapping in my pants...
What's the matter with you guys?
Don't cry! I shouldn't have
entered you into that competition.
Coach, why did you pick us when we can't even lift weights?
Hyeonjeong says you picked us because you felt sorry for us.
That's not true!
I picked you for your potential.
I talked to the people at the competition
and no one just eats like us without training.
Do you think we're stupid? Why won't you teach us to lift weights?
It's like you're the director of an orphanage,
giving us food and a place to stay
just because you feel sorry for us.
I wanted to do well so no one could tease me anymore.