SECRET SUNSHINE

Korea, 2007, 142 minutes, Colour.
Do yeon Jeon, Kang- ho Song.
Directed by Chang- dong Lee.

Director Lee’s film Oasis won the SIGNIS award at Venice in 2002. Lee raised difficult questions about society and relationships in that film and does so here but, ultimately less successfully.

Secret sunshine is the translation for the name of the town in southern Korea where a woman travels with her son in order to settle there. She makes friends with a genial and portly garage man – nothing is too much of a trouble for him when it comes to helping her. She is not so kindly in her response, taking his help somewhat for granted. Actress Jeon Do -yeon won the Best Actress award at Cannes.

When her son is abducted, she is distraught. When the boy’s kidnapper and murderer is apprehended, she is filled with fury. Then the tone of the film changes. She begins to attend the prayer meetings of a pentecostalist Protestant church and seems to gain some solace from the ceremonies, the hymns and prayers and the friendship of the congregation so much so that she is ready to visit the prison to forgive the killer.

This is where the key question is asked, something that Grahame Greene might have asked. When the killer explains that God has forgiven him, the woman is taken aback. This forgiveness seems an affront by God to her. How can she forgive him, she who was personally so hurt, when God has already forgiven?

This leads to disillusionment, to madness, violence and a final scene which is the camera staring at a drain. What might have been explored is turned into melodrama without insight.

1.The impact of the film? Its being well received? Do- Yeon Geon winning best actress at Cannes? The reputation of the director?

2.The Korean settings, the city of Miryang , the countryside? The detail of the town, the shops, homes, garages? The musical score?

3.The title, Miryang meaning secret sunshine? The symbolism of the town? The mother returning where her dead husband was born? Settling? Things being sunny? The irony of the title when the boy was abducted, his death? Her change of character?

4.The introduction to the mother and her son, stranded on the highway, the phone calls, Jong Chan coming to rescue her? His friendliness? His work in the garage, his other jobs around the town? His living with his mother? Thirty-eight and not married? A set-up?

5.Shin-ae and her age, experience, widow, her son, protective of him? Getting a job, her work? Jong Chan and his friendship? Her resistance? Her playing with her son – and the pretend disappearance and her finding him? The lyrical aspects of her life in the town, making friends, a future?

6.The abduction of the son, his disappearance, her becoming frantic? The search for the boy? Jong Chan and his interventions? His friends? The discovery of the body, the arrest of the man, her being frantic?

7.Shin-ae and the aftermath of the abduction, her grief? Her still spurning Jong Chan’s help? The religious woman in the shop, her husband? Her decision to go to the revivalist meeting? The Pentecostal style? The prayer, the hymns? Her gradually being won over? Jong Chan going with her? Her prayer, the transformation, her ability to forgive?

8.The decision to go to the jail to see the prisoner, the women accompanying her, Jong Chan and his driving? The meeting with the killer, her wanting to forgive him, his statement that God had already forgiven him? His happiness? The effect on Shin-ae? Her losing her faith? Her being hurt?

9.The theological question that the film raised – if God has forgiven, what is the role of the offended human party? The film not exploring this theme?

10.Shin-ae and her disillusionment with the revivalist group? The critique of their earnest prayer, faith? Undiscriminating?

11.Her change, her change of character, morose, keeping to herself? The madness? Her trying to get help from people? Jong Chan and his always being ready? Her change of behaviour, not going to Jong Chan’s meal? Her sexual aberrations? The seduction of the religious man at the shop? The return, the revelation of the truth? Her causing scandal?

12.Jong Chan, genial, large, his life, his friends, attracted to Shin-ae, continuing to help, the search, driving her? The meal? The aftermath and his being rejected? His still going to church? A matter of habit?

13.The family, the brother, the timing of the death of the child, his spurning Jong Chan? His coming again, much more favourable?

14.The ending of the film – the pessimism, the madness? The only possibilities being madness, death, conversion? Shin-ae and her attempted suicide and failure, in the hospital? Her madness?

15.The grim ending, the film opening up themes, developing characters, tracing psychological development – and then the melodramatic change – and the end of the film, looking into a stagnant pool, a drain?