
Quote arsaib4, "I simply think that the film could've done without such a thing. Do you think it was important in any way?"

* MAJOR SPOILERS *

Why is the rape scene important?
-- Without that scene, it would be difficult to comprehend/appreciate the way most Asian parents who adopt a tough stance on their children ... it would be a one sided view of the parents being too conservative and outdated ... with the incident, it became less clear whether the parents were at fault (i.e., for disallowing their relationship) or the children were at fault (i.e., for failing to believe their parents) ...
-- The scene also reiterated how people are often compelled by circumstances and/or changed by circumstances (e.g., for him and for her) which ties in with the overall theme ... 
-- More importantly, I thought it was also symbolic of the "migrants" who were "raped" of their dreams (like the children's) ...
-- Finally, due to the rape scene and the sequence of events that followed, it allows the audience to ask, "Does he really love her? Does she really love him?" 

Why did I want to figure out the "crying" scene?
-- Well, if she cried only because she was raped, but she was the one who called the police, then she might have ended her love over him ...
-- But, if she cried because her parents have insisted on charging the guy (and eventually caused his execution and death), then she probably still loved him ...

* END OF SPOILERS *