Koreans' "forever moment" runs and runs

By John Chalmers

BEIJING (Reuters) - It's hard to think of a more unlikely subject for a hit movie than the exploits of a bunch of housewives playing handball, but the team that inspired South Korea's "Forever the Moment" are living up to the hype.

With two wins and a draw in the preliminary round behind them in Beijing, South Korea's women have a sixth Olympic medal in their sights, and a band of raucous supporters behind them.

Based on a true story, "Forever the Moment" stars a group of women in their 30s who trade family life for sport, and make a heroic run for gold in the 2004 Athens Games.

The film, which topped box office takings after its release in January this year, made stars of relatively obscure athletes who had probably thought their handball days were over.

"There are of course some exaggerated moments during the movie," coach Lim Young-chul conceded at a news conference after his team beat Sweden 31-23 on Wednesday.

"But five million people went to see the film, it was exported to Japan. It boosted the popularity of handball in South Korea, and now we have a large number of fans," he said.

Up until the film's release in January, women's handball had been mostly forgotten, even though the national team won Olympic gold in 1988 and 1992, and silver in 1996.

The 2004 team lost to Denmark in a gruelling, extra-time match for gold but the improbable story of ageing athletes taking silver still captured hearts at home.