For anyone who hasn't seen this amazing movie, please do. You will laugh so much, and the acting in it is great. I liked them both but prefer some things from one and others from the next. Just know that the script is the same, there are very slight variations to them.
Both movies start different: the korean version (released in 2014) starts with an analogy comparing women to sports balls while the chinese version (released in 2015) starts with the characters taking a family picture.
The main character is in her 70's and has a son that is currently a college professor and whom she had to raise alone due to the father dying in war. She lives in his house with him, her daughter in law, one granddaughter and one grandson (they are twins in the chinese version, justifying the fact that there are two of them). She only nags the daughter in law and spoils the grandson, who is in a band pursuing his music dream. Both grandsons are a highlight in the movie and play a big part, both are handsome idols that I think even look a bit alike. B1A4's Jinyoung and EXO Luhan (yes, I will keep calling him as a member of EXO).
The daughter in law is so stressed by the nagging that she takes more pills than she should, and ends up in the hospital being prescribed a stress free environment, meaning a no grandma environment.
Granny gets upset and wanders about thinking about life and how short time she got left. She finds a portrait studio and decides to take a picture for posterity.
She takes the picture goes out and before she notices anything she is young and pretty again.
(Completely my opinion here; chinese actress is prettier but the acting from Shim Eun Kyung from the korean version is better. She remembers that she is old during the entire film and her facial expressions are priceless.)
She freaks out but very soon embrace this and starts spending money on new clothes and looks, something she didn't do while being old. All her family and male friend/boyfriend start looking for her very worried at her sudden disappearance. Here, I think that the chinese actor playing her friend/boyfriend did a better job, he looked more desperate, like he was suffering more.
She keeps going to the elderly centre where she spent time with her friends (or worked in the korean). She decides to take the stage and sing a song since she was good at it when young. She sings beautifully and with much feel to it, so she catches the attention of three men: Her friend/boyfriend, her grandson and a music producer that has been looking for a voice just like hers and who walked in completely by coincidence. By the way, the korean music producer is more handsome than the chinese but, hey, just my opinion.
After some following from the boys towards her, she agrees to sing in her grandson's band. They are terrible. They like rock and the songs are bad and don't make much sense. In this aspect the korean band was more 'difficult' to hear. Their songs were really bad, which was more realistic towards the plot. Granny makes them change into a more retro style and they get into auditions and then competitions.
Here she gets closer to the music producer and they fall in love with each other. By now his friend/boyfriend knows the truth about her and what happened. She also discovered that if she loses blood, she will age, at least in the spot where she lost blood.
The band has a very big music festival that could open a lot of doors for them, but they forget some equipment and the grandson (Jinyoung/Luhan) goes to get it in a bike an is ran over by a truck, sending him in a critical state to the hospital. I hated that scene, I knew it was coming but still made me cringe and yelp.
The band sings none the less and the public loves them. I know this sounds heartless but they justify it saying that is what the grandson would like since he worked so hard making that amazing song. After that they rush to the hospital where his family is being told that he needs a blood transfusion and the only person with the same blood type is Granny.
She decides that even if this turns her into an old lady again she will make the blood transfusion since she is the only one who can save his life.
She does and goes back to being an old lady. The grandson is saved and she is left reminiscing about her possible love with the music producer but happy for what she's done.
The granddaughter joins her brother's band and she also sings wonderfully. They are very successful and even have presentations in TV music shows.
This is where all ends in the chinese version, but the korean one has one more funny and pleasant surprise in store for us. Granny's friend/boyfriend finds the portrait studio and has his picture taken. Then he goes meet Granny in his new improved form of younger self.
I mean, wow, Kim Soo Hyun. That guy looked like Kim Soo Hyun when he was young?! How come she didn't look his way back then?! Anyway that was really funny and unexpected.
Like I said, I like both versions. I liked the korean version a bit more since the acting of the main actress was funnier and other things like the band who used to dress dreadfully and saw a real improvement. Also there was a longer relationship with her and the music producer, showing how both of them could fall for the other. Also, I saw the korean version first and everything was new so that makes a big part in which movie I prefer. All and all everyone did a fantastic job and no matter which one you decide to see, I'm sure you will enjoy it.
