Gyeongju (2014 Film)
Gyeongju is a 2014 South Korean drama film written and directed by Zhang Lu. The film follows the journey of Choi-Hyun, a professor living in Beijing, who returns to South Korea for a friend's funeral and subsequently travels to the historic city of Gyeongju. The narrative centers on his search for a mysterious, obscene painting he recalls seeing in a tea house seven years prior.
Plot
After attending a funeral in South Korea, Choi-Hyun (Park Hae-Il) decides to revisit Gyeongju, a city he once visited with friends. His primary motivation is to locate a specific tea house where he remembers seeing a provocative drawing on the wall. Upon arriving, he meets the current owner, Kong Yoon-Hee (Shin Min-A), who purchased the establishment three years earlier. The wall where the drawing once existed has since been covered with wallpaper, leading to a series of interactions between the two as Choi-Hyun attempts to reconcile his memories with the present. The film also features the appearance of his former lover, Yeo-Jung (Yoon Jin-Seo), adding further complexity to his emotional state during his stay.
Production
Principal photography for Gyeongju commenced on August 25, 2013, with filming locations including Bomun Lake Street in Gyeongju. The first scene captured involved Park Hae-Il's character encountering a child, played by Kim Soo-Ahn.
Cast
- Park Hae-Il as Choi-Hyun
- Shin Min-A as Kong Yoon-Hee
- Yoon Jin-Seo as Yeo-Jung
- Kim Tae-Hoon as Detective Young-Min
- Shin So-Yul as Da-Yeon
- Baek Hyun-Jin as Professor Park
- Ryoo Seung-Wan as the florist
- Kim Soo-Ahn as the little girl
Reception and Festivals
The film was screened at several international film festivals in 2014, including the Locarno International Film Festival, the Toronto International Film Festival, and the Busan International Film Festival. Director Zhang Lu received the Best Director award at the 34th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards in 2014.
