[Lee Jong-gil's Film Reading] The Ordinary 'Jose', The Fading Story

Director Kim Jong-kwan's 'Josee'

In Isshin Inudo's film Josee, the Tiger and the Fish (2003), Kumiko (Chizuru Ikewaki) wants to be called Josee. Josee is the name of the heroine in the French author Fran?oise Sagan's novel One Month, One Year Later. She sees through the fragile and transient nature of love even as she is swept away by its waves. "One year later or two months later, you won't love me anymore."

As he says, the love that rushes in like the tide silently ebbs away. Bernard is frustrated. "Josee, this doesn't make sense. What have we all done? What meaning does all this have?" Josee gently replies, "You shouldn't think like that. Otherwise, you'll go crazy."

Kumiko also knows that love is not eternal. That is why she introduces herself as Josee to Tsuneo (Satoshi Tsumabuki). This hints that their love will end in futility.

The cynical attitude stems from an unfortunate childhood and a lower-body disability. Josee lived isolated from the outside world until she met Tsuneo. Her grandmother was worried. "Having a grandchild like this, I was afraid she might get into trouble... So I tried to keep her out of sight as much as possible, which is why she took early morning walks."

Director Inudo put a lot of effort into conveying Josee's isolated atmosphere. In the opening scene, the neighborhood people playing mahjong are curious about what the grandmother secretly carries in a stroller. Kumiko's eyes, when she unexpectedly meets Tsuneo, are full of fear. She even brandishes a kitchen knife, afraid he might harm her. She keeps her mouth tightly shut until her grandmother tells Tsuneo to stay for a meal.

The two, who seemed unlikely to interact, communicate through a rolled omelet. When Tsuneo compliments its taste, the natural response is, "I made it, so it would be strange if it didn't taste good. But later, I might get a stomachache. There was chicken poop on the eggshell. Salmonella. Forty percent of food poisoning cases are caused by Salmonella."

Tsuneo smiles and eats heartily. Living alone near the university, he missed home-cooked meals. As his hunger fades, even his instant love begins to change. He was a playboy, sleeping with women who were not his girlfriends. Meeting Kumiko, he realizes the true value of love. So when the moment of parting comes, he sinks into deep sorrow. He blames and resents himself for not having the confidence to continue their relationship.

In the remake Josee by director Kim Jong-kwan, the mediators between Josee (Han Ji-min) and Young-seok (Nam Joo-hyuk) are silkworm pupae soup and grilled Spam. Young-seok barely eats. Watching this, Josee asks bluntly, "Why do you eat like that? Are you afraid I poisoned it?"

Josee is more lively and outgoing than Kumiko. She was not confined to her home. She had an accident when the wheelchair wheel broke while going to buy books. She sees Young-seok and without hesitation says, pointing to a cart, "Please give me a ride on that." Even after arriving home, she kindly says, "Have some food before you go, student." The camera rarely shows her face. Han Ji-min also bundles herself up in several layers of clothing. Josee's personality and even the meaning of their meeting have become ambiguous.

Kim's Josee does not intuitively grasp the essence of love like the Josee in One Month, One Year Later or Josee, the Tiger and the Fish. Rather, she hopes that the hard-won love will not leave. She fears returning to a meaningless life. Even the reinterpretation of the tiger (growth) and the fish (daily life) lacks persuasiveness, reducing her to an ordinary role. The ending, where painful experiences become a new driving force in life over time, is no different. Josee was already out in the world.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.