No Regret

NO REGRET (HUHWIHAJI ANHA) is an impressive film from Korea, especially in that it is the first venture for writer/director Hee-il Leesong who gives evidence of not only a his ability to create a film that examines life in Korea in a verismo style, but also knows how to cast and direct a crew of actors in a polished manner. He is most assuredly a new artist to watch.

NO REGRET takes many chances with the story of Korean orphans growing to the age of self- sufficiency without the guidance of parents, fending out a life with the sole support of their fellow orphans. The boys in this story come from the country with little exposure to the city life of Seoul and the tough choices that must be made to survive. The other side of the story reflects the wealthy young men who come from homes burdened with high expectations and preordained 'lives' of inheriting the family business, marrying the right girl, continuing the level of 'sophistication' to which they were born. NO REGRET places a member of each of these disparate groups together and the impact of opposite backgrounds is the thread that weaves so well through this love story.

Lee Su-min (the remarkably gifted newcomer Young-hoon Lee) is the orphan who works at menial jobs until he finds a source of good money as a rent boy in a company called XLarge. Su-min adapts well as he is apparently comfortable with his sexuality: his fellow ex-orphans who work at XLarge present the gamut of types that find prostitution monetarily if not emotionally rewarding. At a chance encounter Su-Min meets Song Jae-min (Nam-gil Kim) and while the attraction is one sided at first, Jae-min is bound by family expectations to marry and take over the family business and has not come to grips with his sexuality. Fear and recognition of class differences keeps Su-min from responding to the near stalking Jae- min, but eventually the attraction blossoms and differences seem to disappear. The two young men have found love, but Jae-min must cope with the expectations of his family - the results being devastating to both men in different ways. How the relationship works through this rocky road is the essence of the film and to discuss the ending would be to destroy the impact of the film.

Every aspect of this film - writing, directing, acting, lighting, music, editing - is first rate. No one who sees this film will be able to escape the impact of the characterization by Young- hoon Lee: his screen presence is magnetic and his range of acting is solid. He definitely is a rising star. As for writer/director Hee-il Leesong, here is a man who not only knows the art of story telling but also the sensitive insight as to the parameters of both economy and exposition when each element of the story calls. Highly recommended. Grady Harp

I saw this movie at PIGLFF (Philadelphia film festival). It was an incredible movie and I am so glad that it finally made it to DVD. It is one of the best GLBT Asian films to come out in the past 5 years. I judge a movie on whether it is worth paying full price/matinée/Netflix/"can't give it away" and this movie is definitely worth paying full price to watch. Some may comment it is over the top but American viewers have to remember that Asian sensibilities and their respective story lines are different. This movie is so worth watching and enjoying. I will admit the movie is a bit slow in parts but the overall product is highly satisfying. The actors do an amazing job especially the main protagonist, Lee Su-Min (played by the very cute Lee Young-Hoon). To get the full effect of this movie or any sub-titled movie, it is worth watching twice to capture anything that you miss. You won't be disappointed in watching this!

I was very surprised at the quality of this film. Script, direction and performances were superb. It is a gritty, often violent romance between two young men of different classes and the love that almost destroys them.

Su-Min is an 18 year old orphan who comes to the city of Seoul, Korea to find work so that he can put himself through college and gain an education. He works at a variety of jobs, one of which is a car service. Here he meets the tortured Jae-Min Song, a wealthy closeted young man, who is trapped by his parents into a soon to be heterosexual wedding.

Jae-Min falls hard for Su-Min, who rejects him because of his contempt for the rich and careless. When Su-Min loses his jobs, he turns to a life of prostitution in an all-male brothel, where Jae-Min tracks him down as a client, only further gaining Su-Min's contempt.

It is Jae-Min's true love and constant pursuit of Su-Min that finally wins him over. The jaded Su-Min allows himself to return the love, but the road to happiness is paved with many pitfalls, all arising out of the class hatred and opposite backgrounds of the two protagonists.

The film's first half occurs almost always at night in murky and oftentimes unpleasant locations. When love blossoms it is all sunlight playing over naked bodies. Then night falls once again.

The script is very believable in depicting the conflicts of the main characters, although it has some plot continuity problems at times. The subtitles are poorly written and spelled, but one can grasp what is happening at all times.

Both Lee Young-hoon as Su-Min and Kim Nam-gil as Jae-Min turn in extraordinary emotional performances - every nuance from elation to grief is superbly expressed. Director-writer Leesong Hee-il in his first feature has the firm control over every detail of a veteran film director and does an astonishing job here.

This is the best gay-themed film to come out of Asia and the Pacific Islands thus far and is close to masterpiece status. One of the great film experiences for gay audiences.

This movie gave me one of those very rare and difficult to describe experiences, where I was completely riveted during the film, then literally ecstatic afterward thanks to the artistic brilliance on display here. I saw it at the San Francisco Frameline film festival 6/07. Maybe my experience was personal, and maybe I just enjoyed the movie more than anyone in the audience that night, I really can't say. But wow! I wanted to jump for joy when it was over. So unique, inventive, fascinating, unexpected, beautifully acted (beautiful in all senses of the word), and with direction so insanely brilliant it was a gift to this movie lover. There are some great films coming out of S. Korea; this is one. See it if you can.

I recently purchased this film from dvdfromkorea.com & I have no hesitation in saying that it's one of the best films to have come out of South Korea in the last few years - and certainly the most memorable gay-themed Korean movie. It's also proof that a miniscule budget (of reportedly just US$100,000!) needn't compromise artistic standards. The acting is wonderful (including the superbly talented Lee Young Hoon, who is simply heartbreaking), and Leesong Hee-il's script and direction are top-notch - all the more remarkable when one considers that this was the first feature-length film for both men. Yes, the film does take an unexpected narrative shift toward the end - one that may strike some first-time viewers as implausible - but subsequent viewings should enhance one's understanding of the reasons for this change. And while it's also true that the English subtitles could have been better, I certainly had no difficulty following them.

A great film - and one that I've returned to many times. I can't wait to see what the very gifted Leesong Hee-il comes up with next.