Secret Sunshine - Behind Scenes #2

Lee Chang-dong and his star-actors find suffering in the pews, by way of coughing.

Opens 5/24/07 in Korea & Cannes. HP: www.secretsunshine.co.kr
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"Secret Sunshine" asks the fundamental question, "Is life understandable?" Can human beings understand the truth, other human beings and God? Why is it so hard to find an ultimate answer despite all our efforts?

The film follows Jong-chan, played by Song Kang-ho, a confirmed bachelor who owns a car repair shop and falls in love with Shin-ae, played by Jeon Do-yeon. He starts to follow her around. The two could not be more different: Shin-ae moved to the town only because it is the hometown of her dead husband, for whom she still grieves. Jong-chan is an ingratiating snob.

The turning point is the abduction of Shin-ae's son. The little boy, who is everything his mother has left, is kidnapped by the principal of a tutoring institute he attends, and dies. Shin-ae becomes a devout Christian after the tragedy and decides to forgive the murderer. But she is utterly shocked when she visits a prison, where the murderer makes his confession with a smile, saying, "God has already forgiven me." The movie, in other words, focuses on a woman who has been betrayed by both life and religion.

Lee has coaxed great performances from actors including Han Suk-kyu in "Green Fish," Seol Kyung-gu in "Peppermint Candy" and Moon So-ri in "Oasis." With Song Kang-ho and Jeon Do-yeon, he once again has two unforgettable leads. Song Kang-ho gives a fine performance, complete with convincing dialect, and Jeon Do-yeon proves her reputation by projecting the whole range from innocence to sensuality and horror.

The excellent supporting cast are mostly unknowns. Some of them theatre actors from the Ulsan and Daegu region, selected through auditions.

At the end of the movie, Shin-ae's brother comes to visit and asks about the town. Jong-chan answered in his rough dialect, "Not much different from other places. Milyang is the same as other cities where people live." The movie induces a kind vertigo with a sense of how difficult life is to understand.

(from english.chosun.com)

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Secret
• Sunshine
• lee
• chang-dong
• song
• kang-ho
• jeon
• do-yeon

[uwokim93]

What an adorable actress she is!! Jeon and Song's performance is just perfect.

[jvfeng]

very good actress

[thoinet80]

the way she moaned truely, she was such a talent actress

[kitosara]

wow how jeon do yeon get best actress at canness.

[Leonora089]

I am a fan of korean telenovela. This is one film that I would be waiting in the market.