Miryang (Secret Sunshine)
There were only two reasons why I watched this movie: Jeon Do-yeon and Song Kang-ho. Okay, I have to admit that there is a secret third reason, which is that Criterion picked up the film. I set myself the secret goal of watching all Criterion movies, and while my rate of completion is steadily increasing, rising from 10% to nearly 18% now, Criterion is unfortunately having more and more films where I would just go “What, why this movie?” It will take me forever to watch all those films for the simple reason that my tastes are evolving, and they certainly are not always Criterion tastes.
Back to the actual film: I was impressed and surprised. Originally, I was expecting some very good acting performances (which I totally got) and a rather painful story. Husband dead, son dead, woman turns towards mad religiousness – not really the kind of story you expect to be uplifting. Not to mention that the guy who falls in love with her is stuck in one-sided admiration for this miserable main character (what in the world does he see in her?) You’d expect a Korean melodrama, and my last experience with a Korean tragicomedy was disastrous. With these low expectations in the film, I had no idea that it would end up being so funny. The film just has so incredibly many scenes which make me chuckle, carefully dispersed throughout the film so that there always is some uplifting moment even amidst the saddest events.
As mentioned, the two actors make the film. My love for Bae Doona and Lee Young-ae will never waver, but Jeon Do-yeon is just brilliant – a well-deserved third, but not because her acting is worse than the other two. It just so happens that the other two came first. In terms of acting, she’s perhaps the deepest Korean actress out there, so powerful and talented. Wow. But Song Kang-ho is shining even more, in my opinion. It’s the polarization between their two characters – tragic and comical – that the film becomes really great. He is the exact opposite of her, and even though none of what he ever does affects of helps her at all, it seems like, for the movie, his presence is extremely crucial. It contrasts her dreaminess and her self-centered desperation with the down-to-earth character of the guy who is strange yet completely normal, clumsy yet smart, and totally good-hearted.
I also think that the ending, which deviates from the original novel in which the woman kills herself, is very hopeful. Whereas we see the sky in the beginning, the camera points to the ugly trash on the ground at the very end, but it is the confrontation with the ugly reality that will the main character will find true salvation. She is taking matters into her own hands by cutting her hair, which also might be a symbol for some sort of change, and she lets him help her, which might mean that she wants him in her life. Perhaps, after going through all those stages of grief, she is gradually going to get some character development, and allow the possibility of a new relationship. I thought this interpretation of the end would be lovely. (Is it too naive? Hah.)
Despite having written so much about the film, I am not sure if I would recommend it. It’s not my favorite Korean movie, but I think it’s a great example of a good Korean film, and totally underrated. Well, I know only 3 people with a special interest in Korean films. Person 1 has watched the film with me, and person 2 claims “One fine spring day” to be his favorite Korean movie. So “Miryang” is probably not for him.