Having never watched a Hong Sang Su film, I did not know what to expect as I tore the cellophane off of this DVD. After having watched this film, I am still not sure what to think of it. I was intrigued at first because I like novels and movies about writers, and the character Hyo Seob sums up what it is to be a struggling writer who at one point in his career was not only a successful writer, but also a university lecturer. However, it seems that although he is poor in monetary means he is rich in love. He in fact has two women who love him: A 24 year old former co-worker and a very attractive married woman. However, even with these strings of affection, Hyo Seob still loses control and repeatedly gets drunk which leads to not only physical harm, but also damages his already stagnate career. The only thing that seems to give Hyo Seob even moderately happy is that the married woman, Bo Kyeong, has ceased having sexual relations with her husband which gives him sole possession of at least that.
Bo Kyeong comes off to be a very unhappy woman. There is no affection between her and her husband and the only glimmers of light in her life centers around Hyo Seob, who is "cheating" on her with a young woman 11 years his junior.
Dong Wu, Bo Kyeong's husband, spends most of his time working. He tries to keep a cool facade, but a few times in the film his crafted mask breaks. Because he is no longer having sex with his wife, Dong Wu looks to prostitutes to fill his desires. While on one trip he has sex with a prostitute and does not use a condom which causes much tension throughout the remainder of the film.
The young woman who is dating Hyo Seob, in my opinion, is the saddest character in the film. She gives all of her love to a man, who although a tad affectionate, seems to think of her as little more than a vessel for his sexual desires and a proof reader. She works a number of small jobs just to make ends meet. Even doing voices for pornographic cartoons. One of the bleakest moments in the film is when she goes to see Hyo Seob on his birthday and Bo Kyeong is there. This scene ends with Hyo Seob slapping her viciously several times while she continues to state how much she loves him.
This is definitely not a light hearted film. It is quite heavy and slow, but quite poignant.
