Choi Jin-yeong Movies

A handful of Korean émigrés living in Southern California wrestle with the emotional turmoil of their lives in this independent drama. Ji-seok (Park Heui-sun) has come to America in hopes of improving his station in life, and is invited into the home of his old friend Sunny (Bae Jong-ok), who lives in Los Angeles. Sunny makes her living running a massage parlor, and is unhappy with her dormant love life, frequently calling radio talk-show hostess Helen Jung for advice. As it happens, Helen's real name is Yeong-shin (Park Jin-heui), and she used to date Ji-seok when they both lived in Korea; the two bumped into one another not long after he arrived in L.A., and she imagines she wouldn't mind rekindling their romance given the dreary status of her current relationship. Ji-seok, meanwhile, is stuck working at a video rental store and hangs out at a nearby bar, where he strikes up a friendship with a Hispanic woman. As Sunny's loneliness grows deeper, she finds herself reaching out to Ji-seok and Helen Jung for help, unaware of the connections that link them. Reobeu Tokeu (aka Love Talk) was Lee Yoon-ki's second feature, following the critical success of This Charming Girl. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

A conservative South Korean girl who thinks she's got her life fully under control slowly begins to unravel in director Lee Yoon-ki's melancholic drama. Jeong-hae (Kim Ji-su) is a rock. Pretty, neat, and punctual, she takes regular lunches with her colleagues at a Seoul post office and returns to her quiet but well-equipped apartment. Then, a stray cat wanders into Jeong-hae's life, throwing her completely off balance. Later, after catching a glimpse of her dead mother out of the corner of her eye, Jeong-hae crosses paths with her ex-husband, who's about to remarry. A visit to the hospital only reminds Jeong-hae more about losing her mother, and an awkward encounter with an over-enthusiastic show salesman leaves her wondering if she can ever form another human connection. Desperate for companionship, she reaches out to an author who frequents the post office, though her social awkwardness only leads to more disappointment when he stands her up for dinner. Later, Jeong-hae is attempting to steer a drunk away from suicide when she swipes his knife. Sitting on a park bench alone, she ponders the possibility of using it on herself. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Jiltuneun Naeui Him (Jealousy Is My Middle Name) is the feature-length debut of Park Chan-ok. Lee Weon-sang (Park Hae-il) is close to finishing his master's degree in Literature. Although he works as a plumber, Weon-sang begins working for a periodical that is run by Han Yun-shik (Mun Seong-keun), the new paramour of Weon-sang's former girlfriend. Weon-sang develops a crush on photographer Park Seong-yeon (Bae Jong-ok), but she begins carrying on with Yun-shik, whom Weon-sang has grown fond of. Jealousy Is My Middle Name was screened at the Pusan Film Festival. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide