[비즈한국] It is neither flashy nor spectacular. The subject of a youthful love story might seem like a cliché. But once you start watching, you cannot look away. It’s an extremely small and ordinary feeling, yet one so precious that you never want to lose it. This is the story of the Netflix film 'Pavane'.
Kyung-rok (Moon Sang-min), who starts working part-time at a department store parking lot, meets his senior part-timer Yo-han (Byun Yo-han) and Mi-jeong (Go Ah-sung), who works in the basement warehouse. All three have their own flaws and scars. Kyung-rok has a handsome appearance but was abandoned by his father—who left him and his mother to succeed as an actor—while Mi-jeong has been teased and despised for her unattractive looks since she was young, making her prefer being alone. Yo-han is a free spirit with a mix of wit and humor, yet he carries deep pain regarding his family. Seeing Mi-jeong, who is called a 'dinosaur' by others and lives in the darkness of the basement warehouse, Kyung-rok begins to feel pity for her, which turns into affection and, eventually, love. Yo-han, who initially tried to stop Kyung-rok’s seemingly reckless advances, eventually becomes the bridge between the two. However, just as no relationship can last forever, their bond, too, begins to change.
'Pavane' is based on the 2009 novel 'Pavane for a Dead Princess' by Park Min-gyu. As the original work is set in the 1980s, director Lee Jong-pil added several settings while adapting it. First, the characters who were nameless in the book were given names: Kyung-rok and Mi-jeong, and the novelist dream of the original male protagonist was given to Yo-han. More impressive than the minor changes is the delicate direction, which may not be as dramatic as the love and friendship of Kyung-rok, Mi-jeong, and Yo-han, but is deeply resonant. In particular, he calmly tunes the temperature of emotions by emphasizing light and shadow to unfold the characters and their feelings. Director Lee Jong-pil, who proved his ability with 'Samjin Company English Class', 'Escape', and the drama 'One Day Off', does not explain emotions in 'Pavane' either; instead, he lets them permeate, providing a profound lingering impression.
The excellent performances and synergy of Go Ah-sung, Moon Sang-min, and Byun Yo-han are also the film’s strengths. Go Ah-sung calmly expresses the solid scars of Mi-jeong, who hid in deep darkness, and Moon Sang-min, who embodies the freshness and clumsiness of Kyung-rok as he moves from thoughtful kindness to love, truly proves himself a trending young actor. Byun Yo-han is outstanding, exuding charm that keeps the story lively when it might otherwise drag. As he replaces the original male lead as the narrator, he gives the film momentum. While the three leads occupy most of the screen time, the supporting characters, though appearing briefly, are memorable. Park Hae-joon and Lee Bong-ryeon, who play Kyung-rok's parents and open the film with a strong impression, are so compelling that you want to see a spin-off of their narrative. The faces of Lee Yi-dam, who left an impression in 'Can This Love Be Interpreted?' and 'Lady Dua', and Shin Jung-keun, who appears as the owner of the Kentucky Hope diner and talks to the lonely Yo-han, also stay in memory.
Above all, the myriad of emotions that arise in those who watch this film might be its greatest strength. While it starts as a 'story of a man who loved an ugly woman,' the emphasis is not on 'ugly' but on 'love,' or more accurately, the love of youth. In their early 20s, these young people, who have closed their hearts due to their own deficiencies, are clumsy at love and clumsy at life. Yo-han, who gives endless advice to Kyung-rok like a life mentor, is no different. Those clumsy trial-and-error moments are things we have all experienced. There must be countless connections we have lost or let go in the same way. As the recent film 'Our Love Story', which attracted over 2.5 million viewers, succeeded by touching on such emotions, 'Pavane' is also expected to receive a positive response through the universal sentiments that can appeal to everyone.
'Pavane' will be released on Netflix on February 20. The running time is 113 minutes. It begins with the bold declaration that 'all love is a misunderstanding,' but like the film's slogan, 'for you who must love someone,' it offers a chance to ponder love and life once more, making it worth the time investment.
Who is writer Jung Soo-jin?
She has worked for various magazines, covering and writing about movies, travel, and popular culture. She doesn't want to fall behind on trends, but she has become an old-school person who watches the latest dramas only to predict the obvious clichés in the next scenes. She is currently drifting through the vast world of OTT platforms trying to regain her lost edge, and her only wish right now is for an integrated OTT subscription plan.