Yet another Korean drama. This one is highly regarded among many critics as being one of the finest Korean films of all time, and I can see why.

The film centres around Jung Won, a terminally ill man determined to enjoy his last moments of life. What we see is very minimalistic, with no obvious pointers as to needless melodramatic moments. Instead, Director Jin-ho Hur just uses simple short scenes and slices of time to convey Jung Won's love for Da-rim - a girl who appears in his life. The two share casual moments, no big sweeping love scenes. They don't even declare their feelings for each other - but we see the pain Jung Won is feeling, a couple of times in the movie. He tells nobody of his condition. He just wants to try and be good to people and enjoy the rest of his time. And the way Da-rim helps with this is very moving.

The first half is almost glacial in pace, but all the while showing the viewer how Jung Won is preparing and coping. There's barely a word uttered in the last 15 minutes of the film, yet it is heart-aching in it's beauty, and what is left unspoken is brilliantly played out on screen. It's a love story in essence, but it's also about death and closure.

This film won't be for everybody, due to it's pacing, sparse dialogue and vagueness. But it ends up being a really rewarding 90 minutes and a must watch for any fan of Asian cinema.

7.8/10