In 1998, Lee Jung-jae was a 26 years old relative newcomer in the industry when he was cast in Lee Jae-yong's debut feature “An Affair”. A relative success, it became the seventh highest grossing film of the year in Korea, propelling the young actor into the spotlight leading to a year later, when he'd win hearts and accolades in “City of the Rising Sun”.
“Good Person” is screening at Florence Korea Film Festival
The story focuses on Seo-hyun, a late-thirties housewife who has a settled life, a successful architect husband and a loving son. Her day is a set of routines, which is all thrown into disarray by the arrival of Woo-in, her younger sister's fiancé. When her sister misses her flight from LA to Seoul, it falls upon Seo-hyun to show Woo-in around as he searches for houses for the soon-to-be-married couple. As the two spend their time together looking for houses and get to know each other better, feelings take a turn down a different path and the two embark on an illicit affair that both know is wrong and will bear inescapable consequences, yet neither of them can stop it.
There is beauty in simplicity and “An Affair” proves just that, keeping the narrative as realistic as possible and free of any melodrama. The progression of the relationship between the two is organic and thus takes its time to develop. Some might even say painfully slowly, but the time the script takes to get to the actual affair in question helps keep the realism within the story intact and believable. Quiet glances and unspoken feelings are relied upon to convey what the two feel, both for each other and within themselves. There's some interesting questions about the difference between lust and love that are raised, since both Seo-hyun and Woo-in allege that they are in love with each other, yet almost every activity they ever do when together, once their relationship kicks it up a notch, would indicate that it has more to do with sexual excitement than anything else.
The portrayal of this aspect of their dalliance is beautiful, as the sex scenes are plenty and shot in a sensitive yet artistic manner, with these scenes remaining the highlights of Kim Young-cheol's cinematography. It helps that both actors involved in them are exceedingly good looking, with both Lee Jung-jae and Lee Mi-sook looking equally ineffable. The two share a chemistry that is genuine and honest, making the feelings shared between the two come forth. The older Mi-sook particularly brings the conflict of emotions within her across quite well. There's no outbursts from either, no large-scale quarrels that often mire narratives that follow such a storyline. Any show of emotions is expressed not by words but by the body language of the two. Song Young-chan, as Seo-hyun's husband, is the only actor with a substantial role apart from the two, portraying him as someone the audience sympathizes with.
The simplicity also extends to Jo Seong-woo's music in the production, which also works in its favour. The lack of melodramatic moments is reflected in his compositions too, which remain subtle and sensitive, further helping the story flow smoothly.
Twenty-four years since release, one might wonder if “An Affair” ends up being a relic of its times, yet all this while later, it remains an interesting, intelligent watch, thanks to its reliance on its straightforwardness and uncomplicated approach.
