[PREVIEW] Movie "Paju"

He was my sister's husband. I was in middle school. My sister died. I became an adult. We live together. I am in love with him. Does he love me too?

This is the second film by director Park Chan-ok, her first in seven years, starring Lee Sun-kyun and Seo Woo which was shown at the 14th Pusan International Film Festival. If her debut film "Jealousy Is My Middle Name", containing impressive lines such as "Don't sleep with the editor-in-chief, I'm good too", was about jealous and envious males growing up, "Paju" is a journey of one man and one woman who move and leave tracks of their impressions rather than words.

The film's title and setting of Gyeonggi-do "Paju" is more than just a location. It is a third character within the film and, at the same time, serves as a hub for all the accidents and incidents. A momentary passion causes huge incidents such as an unexpected accident, a mysterious fire and a strike for a removal, which are lined up like bus stops. And the mysterious death of the older sister and forbidden emotions between the husband and sister-in-law are used as two headlights which will very slowly and cautiously proceed, as if driving on a local road at night in fog.

The movie again confirms the strength of Lee as an actor, hidden by his beautiful voice and romantic image, in well-balanced acting as he finds the right temperature for him between the cold (guilt, resignation) and hot (passion, love) emotions. Actress Seo Woo, who displayed both strength and loveliness in MBC TV series "Tamra, the Island", further broadens her spectrum as an actor. Cinematography director Kim Woo-hyung's outstanding photography skills consistently maintains the calm, blue-toned screen and makes even the most subtle texture of fog come alive. It is textbook material on how to maintain the essence of an unattractive scenery but capture it in an attractive way.

Those who were unable to come down to Pusan this year or missed a showing at PIFF may rest assured. The cool and blue journey of love, the road to the city of fog "Paju" will open to the audience throughout around the country on October 27.

Editor in Chief : Beck Una one@10asia.co.kr
Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@asiae.co.kr