Movie Loner

When you think of Asian cinema the first countries that pop in your mind are usually Japan and Hong Kong/China. While these countries have produced more than their share of memorable films, Korea has begun to make a credible name for themselves since the year 2000. Movies like Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter… and Spring, a caustic meditation about the dangers of lust, and Oldboy, a mesmerizing vengeance tale, have opened the eyes of critics and cineastes alike that Korean filmmakers are carving an impressive niche in the realm of international film. One of the best examples of this is Writer/Director Ji-woon Kim’s A Bittersweet Life, a visceral examination of loyalty set in the urban underworld of crime syndicates.

Sun-woo is a soft-spoken mob enforcer who lets his hands and feet speak for him. His boss, Mr. Kang, is one of the city’s most notorious gangsters. Sun-woo’s latest assignment is too watch Kang’s young girlfriend Hee-soo, whom Kang believes is having an affair. With Kang away on business, Sun-woo pays the young woman a visit and is immediately transfixed by her innocent beauty. A single smile is all it takes for Sun-woo to fall hard, but the revelation that she is guilty of infidelity leaves Sun-woo having to choose between his obligations to Kang and his feelings for Hee-soo. His decision unleashes a brutal string of violence that will pit himself versus Kang and the rest of the city’s kingpins.

A Bittersweet Life is an existential study about man’s choices and how they significantly impact his role in society. Sun-woo lives his life as if he were free of complications. Alone with no friends, he says and does what he likes and has the physical tenacity and skill level to defend himself from objectors. But his life is not his own. He belongs to Kang and Kang’s traditional, albeit warped, sense of honor. Sun-woo’s naivete concerning the consequences of his well-intended actions is what leads to his undoing. The final act confrontation between teacher and pupil is both sad and disheartening. Sun-woo’s failure to comprehend Kang’s vicious retribution causes the vengeful warrior to weep bitter tears, as is he were a little boy crying over a father’s strict punishment.

“A life too harsh…” Sun-woo’s final words serve as a painful reminder that life is a privilege not a promise. Early on, Sun-woo is presented as a ruthless robot with an empty soul committed to duty and nothing else. But he is a man, and therefore vulnerable to the weaknesses of man. A sweet glance from a beautiful woman is all it takes to fill his cold, vacant heart with warmth. The image of a playful, child-like Sun-woo boxing his own reflection while overlooking the cityscape at night deftly juxtaposes his inner battle. Sun-woo isn’t just fighting himself, he’s fighting the entire outside world. He fights for something better. He fights to find a place where he fits.

Ji-woon Kim is first and foremost an action filmmaker. The hand-to-hand combat and shootout sequences are well-executed and intense. The film’s action centerpiece, an escape from a heavily guarded compound, is choreographed in breathtaking detail and stands alone as a stunning achievement in the martial-arts genre. Byung-hun Lee’s icy portrayal of Sun-woo is a wonder to witness; his ability to juggle heartless and sensitive is impressive and utterly believable. A Bittersweet Life combines western elements with a touch of romanticism resulting in a masterful work from one of Korea’s up-and-coming Writer/Directors. It’s a movie definitely worth your time.

The trailer for A Bittersweet Life:

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