Christmas in August (Palwolui Christmas) (1998)

88% of users liked it
(3,000 ratings)

Hur Jin-Ho's directorial debut came with this low-key Korean drama about a photographer, Jung-Won (Han Suk-Kyu), who runs a small studio in the almost rural environs of suburban Seoul. Days pass as he goes about his studio routines, enlarging class photos and taking family portraits. One day,… More Hur Jin-Ho's directorial debut came with this low-key Korean drama about a photographer, Jung-Won (Han Suk-Kyu), who runs a small studio in the almost rural environs of suburban Seoul. Days pass as he goes about his studio routines, enlarging class photos and taking family portraits. One day, Jung-Won meets young meter maid Da-Rim (Shim Eun-Ha) when she enters his establishment with a request for photos of parking violations. They make an unlikely twosome and are not immediately attracted to each other. Even so, they go on a date to an amusement park. Over time, a friendship develops, but Jung-Won has an unspecified terminal illness, a fact which is known only to his immediate family. Shown in the Critics Week section at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 37 min.
Directed By: Hur Jin-ho, Jin-ho Hur
Written By: Jin-ho Hur
Genres: Drama

On DVD: Aug 23, 2005

Critic Reviews

Brian Gibson, Vue Weekly (Edmonton, Canada)
Unfortunately, the film's cloying score trickles through scenes like sap . . . works best when circling quietly around its characters and attuned to the dying strains of faded romance.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Daisy M

This film was amazingly heart shaking, and showed very sad but warm view toward life in Korea. I thought we as foreigners would not understand this delicate feeling and under rate this quiet film as a boring one, But I was wrong. This was without a doubt, one of the most accomplished… More
This film was amazingly heart shaking, and showed very sad but warm view toward life in Korea. I thought we as foreigners would not understand this delicate feeling and under rate this quiet film as a boring one, But I was wrong. This was without a doubt, one of the most accomplished films for any director. The film was only 90 minutes long, but managed to say just everything about life and death. Not much action, and dialogue was minimal, but the movie flowed perfectly and demands your attention due to the wonderfully natural feel of everything going on. The performances by the leads were perfect, and even some supporting characters get strong emotional scenes. This film made you realize that life is fragile and short. and a view for better understanding how precious life is.

Cast

Suk-Kyu
as Jung-Won Han
Eun-ha Shim
as Da-Rim
Shin Koo
as Father

Oh Ji-Hae
as Jung-Sook
Lee Han-wi
as Chul-Ku
Chun Mi-Sun
as Ji-Won

See full cast

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Christmas in August (Palwolui Christmas) (1998)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

Daisy M

Cast

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