“Bleak Night” American DVD Cover
Director: Yoon Sung-hyun
Writer: Yoon Sung-hyun
Cast: Lee Je-Hun, Seo Jun-Young, Park Jeong-Min, Jo Seong-Ha, Bae Jae-ki, Lee Cho-hee
Running Time: 117 min.
By HKFanatic
Over the last decade, Korean cinema has made great strides into the Western market thanks to its tendency for big-budget commercial spectacle and ultra-violent revenge movies. “Bleak Night” is not one of those films. This nuanced and haunting story about three high school friends began as a film school project for writer/producer/director Yoon Sung-hyun, but soon gained global attention after appearing in international film festivals. And it’s no wonder why: “Bleak Night” is beautifully structured and powerfully acted. It’s not just one of the best films of the past three years but one of the best Korean films of all time. This is cinema that leaves a mark.
The plot focuses on three boyhood friends: Lee Je-hoon stars as the defacto leader Ki-tae; Seo Jun-young as his longtime confidant Dong-yoon; and Park Jung-min as ‘Becky,’ the relative newcomer to the group. While at first these three Junior year students seem thick as thieves, soon enough the cracks and strains begin to show. Their relationship is tested by schoolyard posturing, petty jealousy, and a general inability – or unwillingness – to express themselves. Through the lens of his high school setting, director Yoon Sung-hyun is able to tackle a wider array of issues including bullying, suicide, and the pressure society places on individuals to fit in.
“Bleak Night” shares some thematic lineage with Japanese films like “All About Lily Chou-Chou” and “Blue Spring,” which also focus on bullying and teenage violence. “Bleak Night” is perhaps more restrained than those films, at least in terms of what it depicts onscreen, but it is no less affecting. It’s clear that Lee Je-hoon is a young actor destined for greatness; while he’s serving his mandatory military service at the moment, “Bleak Night” and his supporting turn in “The Front Line” show he has the potential to be one of Korea’s leading actors. He takes a character who could have easily been loathsome in Ki-tae and makes him three-dimensional, even sympathetic. Likewise, it’s fair to expect great things from Seo Jun-young, who makes a strong impression as the ‘conscience’ of the group.
The screenplay to this film has a unique ‘middle/beginning/end’ structure that can be a little difficult to follow at first, but it’s one other reason why the film rewards multiple viewings. The unconventional structure helps to underline how tragedy and memory can make time impermanent; towards the end of the film, Seo Jun-young’s character seems to float between the past and present as he remembers the friendship he once had. As in “All About Lily Chou-Chou,” a vacation trip is both an oasis of happiness amidst the pain of the characters’ lives and the beginning of where it all went wrong for these young people. Director Yoon Sung-hyun’s use of post-industrial locations – slate gray apartment complexes, fuming smokestacks, and empty trainyards – depicts a different side of South Korea than we typically see in the movies. The extremely minimalist use of music throughout “Bleak Night” also adds to the film’s stark, sobering atmosphere.
5 Points’ Pictures DVD release includes the option for multi-colored subtitles, which helps in a film where characters’ dialogue frequently overlaps. In addition, there is a short essay from the director, detailing his inspiration for the movie, as well as bios for the director and cast. The picture quality is superb despite being in standard definition; it’s reassuring to see a prestige foreign film like this treated with a respectful localization. If you’re a fan of the ‘teen angst’ genre or simply in search of a good, thought-provoking drama, then “Bleak Night” should not be missed.
HKFanatic’s Rating: 10/10
About “Bleak Night” you are so correct. Why don’t more people talk about this film? It’s genuinely a masterpiece. The tone, the acting, the directing, every beat, its truth, all superb.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the review, but more importantly I’m glad you enjoyed this amazing film. I wish more fans of Asian cinema would give it a watch. Sure, it may not feature the usual action sequences or suspense you expect in a Korean film these days, but it’s wonderfully acted and has a lot to say about life and youth. The word “masterpiece” is probably thrown around too easily these days but you’re absolutely right, “Bleak Night” is the genuine article.
“Bleak Night” is indeed one of the best South Korean movies I’ve seen in the last 10 years. Stunningly good and it went straight to the top ten of my all time favorite films. Just flabbergasted the director has not yet made another film.
I’m glad you enjoyed the film as much as I did. It’s certainly among my favorite films as well, and I share your disbelief that this director has yet to make another movie! I’d love to see what he would do as a follow-up.
Bleak Night and Forgotten just absolutely blew me away. S. Korea puts out so much good stuff and I think some get’s overlooked because the poster images are not “genre” enough. Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned is another genre-defying movie that just rocks.
For some reason I’ve never gotten around to checking this one out, but having now just caught up on reading this review, I think that needs to change quite fast!
Hi! I am korean. I came across this post.
This film is the best Korean Academy of Film Arts(where Bong Joon-ho graduated from) graduation project in history ever. Yoon Sung-hyun became a new rising star filmmaker of next generation by this graduation film among Korean cinephile.
After success of this film, he wanted commercial film debut. But the reason why he haven’t been put out new film so long is because production of his film was canceled.He didn’t compromise with investors who wanted to interfere in. He said in interview 2years ago ” I had a lot of chances to make commercial film but I don’t want to lose my color”. I heard he also ignored advice from professors when he filmed graduation project Bleak Night.
His canceled movie was SF action suspense set in reunited Korea. And he wrote new scenario. It’s also ‘action thriller with a liitle bit fantasy’ by his expression.He said ‘suspense element’ is criterion of commercial film to him. Fortunately, His new movie finished filing in May. It will be released this year.
Synopsis: Set in near future, economic crisis hit south korea. In slum area, four friends plan dangerous crime for seeking new utopia.And a mysterious men chase them.
Lee Je-hoon is the protagonist who make reckless plan new start to leave for island he had been dreamed of.
Every Korean movie fans hope not to be disappointed by his new film unlike Jang chul-soo who became new rising star by his indie feature debut,bedeviled, but made terrible commercial film since then.
Wait his new film! This is the still cut.
http://sports.khan.co.kr/entertainment/sk_index.html?art_id=201805041320013&sec_id=540401
Hi Korean! This is great news, & to hear the director is helming a sci-fi flick next is an exciting prospect (as long as it’s better than ‘Fabricated City’!). Thanks for sharing the link.
You can check out more of cityonfire’s Korean movie reviews here –
http://cityonfire.com/news/reviews/korean/
Loool. You watched korean movies more than most South korean.