| Reviews Beautiful, daring, and haunting, No Regret represents a breakthrough for both Korean queer cinema and independent filmmaking. Opening in only a handful of theaters, the gay-themed film not only garnered great reviews, it also managed to attract 40,000 moviegoers, setting a new box office record for an indie film. No Regret is the debut feature from Lee Song Hee Il, Korea's first openly gay filmmaker. Lee Song has long been a familiar name in the festival circuit, having directed the acclaimed short films "Sugar Hill", "Good Romance", and "La Traviata", which was a part of the omnibus Camellia Project - Three Queer Stories at Bogil Island. In No Regret, he continues to delicately explore universal themes of love and sexuality set against uncommon relationships. No Regret presents complex, well-rounded characters that do not occupy convenient stereotypes. Lee Young Hoon, who starred in Lee Song's "Good Romance", gives a stirring performance opposite Lee Han, who also appeared in last year's award-winning indie film Don't Look Back. The two young actors portray men of vastly different backgrounds, and the film subtly brings out issues of class structure and gay culture with both gravitas and good humor. The story is anything but predictable, capturing both the beauty and sorrow of love, heartache, and a life lived with No Regret. Turning 18 years of age, Su Min (Lee Young Hoon) leaves his orphanage and moves to Seoul, working various jobs to save up money for university. After losing his job at the factory, Su Min ends up working as a male escort at a gay bar. Already close to hitting rock bottom, Su Min's life gets both more chaotic and more meaningful when Jae Min (Lee Han) walks into his life. Coming from a wealthy, conservative background, Jae Min keeps his sexual orientation hidden from his family. Although he is already engaged, Jae Min is willing to give up everything to be with Su Min, and the two fall into a passionate relationship. But when the realities of life catch up, love may not be enough. |
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| NO REGRET 2006 - South Korea - 113 min. - Feature, Color AKA: Huhwihaji Anha Director: Lee SongHee-Il |
| DVD Street Date: February 23, 2007 Language: Korean Subtitle : Korean, English Studio : Fantom Korea Cast Lee Han(a) Lee Yeong-hoon Hwang Choon-ha Kim Jeong-hwa Lee Seung-cheol Plot Synopsis A working-class South Korean homosexual and a factory owner's engaged son embark on a clandestine love affair in director Hee-il Leesong's heartfelt tale of forbidden love. The first-ever South Korean feature by an openly gay filmmaker, No Regret begins as orphan Lee Su-min (Yeong-hun Lee) leaves behind both his rural orphanage and one-time lover. Later finding work at a Seoul factory and sharing an apartment with an unquestionably heterosexual workmate, Lee supplements his income by working nights as a driver for hire. When drunken fare Jae-min Song (Han Lee) makes a tentative pass at Lee during a late-night ride home, the uninterested driver rejects the obvious come-on. As it turns out, Song is the son of the factory's CEO. Later, when a round of layoffs is announced at the factory and Lee's name appears on the list, Song offers to help the struggling worker, to no avail. Subsequently earning his keep as a lap-dancer at a local strip joint, Lee is disturbed to see Song appear at the club and threatens to kill him if he ever dares return. Though Song's parents are pressuring him into marriage, the reluctant groom has no interest in taking a bride, and gradually begins to form a relationship with the down-on-his-luck dancer. Despite the comfort they find in one another's company, simmering class differences soon propel their doomed affair toward a tragic conclusion. - Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide |
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