ACF 253: Free Screening of Lee Chang-dong's "Secret Sunshine" in New York

I've been singing the praises of Korean director Lee Chang-dong since I saw Oasis, his third film, several years ago. His fourth and most recent film Secret Sunshine (Miryang) came out in 2007 and I saw it at a press screening in conjunction with that fall's New York Film Festival at Lincoln Center. I later reviewed it in my May 6, 2008 post (see ACF 109 in the May 2008 Archives).

The film is about Lee Shin-ae (actress Jeon Do-yeon) who moves with her young son to Miryang, the rural Korean city where her late husband was from. Kim Jong-chan( actor Song Kang-ho) is the owner of a garage who tows their broken-down vehicle into town and falls for Sin-ae. The film seems to be a romantic comedy at first, then a crime thriller, before finally settling into its true raison d'etre, an absolutely amazing consideration of grief and the search for spiritual solace.

Jeon Do-yeon won awards at the Cannes Film Festival, the Asian Film Awards, the Blue Dragon Awards, the South Korea Grand Bell Awards for her role as Shin-ae. Awards most well-deserved, as were the film's other nominations and wins.

In my opinion, Secret Sunshine, like Oasis, will hold its own in comparisons with the best works of the greatest international driectors: Ozu, Kurosawa, Fellini, Antonioni, Truffaut, etc. It is absolutely not to be missed by anyone who cares about great cinema.

The film will be shown free at the ImaginAsian Theatre, 239 East 59th Street, New York, NY. The screening is presented by Korean Cultural Service NY as part of its ChungMuRo Express: Classic Korean Cinema series. Although admission is free, you must RSVP at 212.759.9550 to have your name placed on the guest list.

ACF 109: Lee Chang-dong Retrospective - Secret Sunshine

Jeon Do-yeon (left) and Song Kang-ho (right)

The Asia Society's Lee Chang-dong retrospective continues tomorrow night with a screening of Secret Sunshine, his fourth and most recent film, made after he served as Korean Minister of Culture and Tourism from 2002 until 2004.

Lee Shin-ae ( actress Jeon Do-yeon) and her young son move to Miryang, the rural Korean city which her deceased husband was from and which gives the film its name. There she hopes to start a new life giving piano lessons. When their car breaks down, Kim Jong-chan (Song Kang-ho), who owns a garage, brings them and their car into town.

It's immediately obvious that he's attracted to her and that she is indifferent to his interest. Perhaps because I'm so accustomed to what Hollywood would do with such a situation, the film seemed to be starting out as a romantic comedy. You know, the guy keeps after the woman until she finally realizes that he's her "Mister Right."

Then a crime takes place. My initial reaction was that perhaps this was an incident that was gong to play into the thwarted romance. But it soon turned out to be for real, and to have dire consequences for Lee Shin-ae. The remainder of the film is an incredibly powerful exploration of human suffering, as Shin-ae searches for spiritual peace in the face of one of the worst tragedies that can befall a person. Throughout it all, Jong-chan continues to be there for her.


Like all of Lee Chang-dong's films, Secret Sunshine has won numerous festival awards. Last year at Cannes, Jeon Do-yeon received the award for best actress. Her performance, like Moon So-ri's in Oasis, is one of those rare, magnificent thespian tour-de-forces that I can only term "beyond incredible."

At the inaugural Asian Film Awards earlier this year, the movie won for best film, best director, and best actress. And Song Kang-ho has not come away empty handed. He won the prize for best actor at the 2008 Palm Springs International Film Festival. Complete info about the film's wins and nominations can be found at this link to imdb.com.


Secret Sunshine further solidifies Lee Chang-dong's place in my list of great film directors. Though an emotionally demanding film to watch, it deserves to be seen by anyone who appreciates magnificent film making and story telling.

Screenings for it and the two other remaining films in this retrospective are at Asia Society, 725 Park Ave (at 70th Street), Manhattan. The schedule for the three remaining films, each of which will be shown at 7:00 pm, is:

Secret Sunshine
2007, 142 min
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
- This screening is co-sponsored by The School of Visual Arts
- Director Lee is scheduled to be present

Peppermint Candy
2000, 127 min
Thursday, May 8, 2008

Green Fish
1997, 111 min
Monday, May 12, 2008

For more information or to order tickets, click here.