Normally, the combination of high school, taekwondo, a small budget and a cast of little known actors would be the recipe for a hackneyed summer teen action flick trying to make a quick won. However, while it may not be the most original of films, ``Tollyochagi (Spinkick)" overcomes the odds and turns out to be a surprisingly well-paced and entertaining movie.

``Spinkick" is in the tradition of the classic underdog story, in which a group of misfits learn to work together as a team. The movie has hints of such sports films as ``Bring It On"or ``Slap Shot" but its style and sense of drama are more along the lines of comic books, most notably ``Slam Dunk" the Japanese basketball manga that was all the rage in the late 1990s.

From Top POP singer to Promising Actor - KIM Dong-wan (SHINHWA)

KIM Dong-wan shows us quite a change in his shift from being a leader of a successful pop band, Shinhwa, to a film actor. He admits that his performance in the TV series Kids in Heaven isn't exactly award winning material, and this time around with SPIN KICK, he still thinks of himself as rookie. But there's something special about Kim as a young actor. While taking on the challenge of playing the lead in this film wasn't easy, it was his dedication and genuine passion for the film itself that helped him stand out from the rest.

Laughter, tears, and emotions inspire the first Korean youth oriented sports genre.

Everyone remembers the fun and excitement of sports genre comic books (and films) such as Slam Dunk (basketball ), H2 (baseball), "Waterboys" (Swimming) and "Sumo Do, Sumo Don't" (Sumo). In the same tradition, Spin Kick is another, yet unique sports genre film about the energetic, aggressive, and challenging teenagers who embrace Taekwondo as a sport. Not to mention the thrill and suspense of the sport itself, the originality of the comic story, in addition to the unrivaled uniqueness of the characters, create an exciting film that is filled with thrilling fun and adventure. It is the combination of these elements that provide a style of entertainment that is exclusive to Spin Kick.

You are not Taekwondo fighters. You're just losers!!

Manseh high school used to be well known for its Taekwondo team, but its fame has died with the passing of time. The present team is in chaos much like sheep that have no shepherd. The team is in a passionless state, with no interest what-so-ever in improving their skills. So no one expects them to pass the preliminary round of the national Taekwondo competition which is just two weeks away. Only the principal of the school and the team coach, Koh, fret over the competition, hoping to regain the fame of the school. But, as fate would have it, an unexpected solution presents its self.

The bus incident, a change of fate.

One day in a crowded bus after school. The members of the high school's notorious gang decide to challenge the passengers on the bus by drawing a line on the floor of the bus daring anyone to cross into their marked territory. What occurs next becomes known as the Bloody War of Kang-an. Just as the bus crosses the Kang-an Bridge, unfortunately, some of the Taekwondo students cross the line. So the gangsters brutally attacked and viciously beat the Taekwondo students to a pulp. In the end, the gangsters were hauled away by the police, while the Taekwondo members were taken to the ER.

To survive or get kicked out; the big challenge

The results of the bus incident were much worse than expected. All the gangsters involved in the attack are about to be expelled and, moreover, the Taekwondo team is going to be disbanded because most of the team members are seriously injured. It is at this point that the principal comes up with a cool(?) idea. He suggests that the gangsters represent the school in the Taekwondo competition in exchange for avoiding expulsion. In addition to them, Chung-kun, the chief of the children's Taekwondo gym and Suk-bong, a former ballet dancer, decide to join the Taekwondo team, and suddenly the team's prospects seem good. For the new team, to win the match means survival, so they focus on beating their opponents by any means necessary, rather than trying to acquire the traditional skills of Taekwondo.

A gang of teen misfits send their school's pitiful Tao Kwon Do team to the hospital after a school bus brawl and are forced to replace them under the leadership of a down-on-his-luck coach or face expulsion. Although reluctant to cooperate, they eventually learn the meaning of responsibility and good sportsmanship and rise to take their school to the national finals.