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IMDbPro

Christmas in August

Original title: Palwolui Keuriseumaseu
  • 19981998
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 37m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
3.6K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
35,404
6,562
Christmas in August (1998)
DramaRomance
Hahn Suk-Kyu suffers from a fatal disease. He meets Shim Eun-Ha and falls in love with her. Will their love story have a tragic ending?Hahn Suk-Kyu suffers from a fatal disease. He meets Shim Eun-Ha and falls in love with her. Will their love story have a tragic ending?Hahn Suk-Kyu suffers from a fatal disease. He meets Shim Eun-Ha and falls in love with her. Will their love story have a tragic ending?
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
3.6K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
35,404
6,562
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Jin-ho Hur
    • Writers
      • Jin-ho Hur
      • Seung-uk Oh
      • Dong-hwan Shin
    • Stars
      • Han Suk-kyu
      • Eun-ha Shim
      • Goo Shin
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Jin-ho Hur
    • Writers
      • Jin-ho Hur
      • Seung-uk Oh
      • Dong-hwan Shin
    • Stars
      • Han Suk-kyu
      • Eun-ha Shim
      • Goo Shin
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 32User reviews
    • 26Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
    • Awards
      • 19 wins & 8 nominations

    Photos50

    Christmas in August (1998)
    Han Suk-kyu and Eun-ha Shim in Christmas in August (1998)
    Christmas in August (1998)
    Christmas in August (1998)
    Christmas in August (1998)
    Christmas in August (1998)
    Christmas in August (1998)
    Christmas in August (1998)
    Christmas in August (1998)
    Christmas in August (1998)
    Christmas in August (1998)
    Christmas in August (1998)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Han Suk-kyu
    Han Suk-kyu
    • Jung-won
    Eun-ha Shim
    Eun-ha Shim
    • Da-rim
    Goo Shin
    Goo Shin
    • Jung-won's father
    Ji-hye Oh
    • Jung-sook
    Han-wi Lee
    • Chul-goo
    Mi-seon Jeon
    Mi-seon Jeon
    • Ji-won
    • (as Mi-sun Chun)
    Hye-won Kwon
    • Hyo-jung
    Do-Yoon Kim
    • Police Passerby
    Jae-rok Kim
    Jae-rok Kim
    • Jung-won's Friend 1
    Yong-nyeo Lee
    Yong-nyeo Lee
    • Ballet Auntie
    Yong-jin Park
    • Director
      • Jin-ho Hur
    • Writers
      • Jin-ho Hur
      • Seung-uk Oh
      • Dong-hwan Shin
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Quotes

      [last lines]

      Jung-won: [narrating] I always knew that feelings of love would fade - just like old photographs. But for you... you will always remain in my heart, as you are in my last moment. Thank you, and goodbye.

    • Connections
      Featured in Girls' Night Out (1998)

    User reviews32

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    One of my favorites of all time
    I was very happy and at the same time quite surprised by other positive comments written by non-Koreans below. This movie is amazingly heartshaking, and shows very 'sad but warm' view toward life which is typical to Korean people. I thought other foreigners would not understand this delicate feeling and under-rate this quiet film as a boring one, but I was wrong. The attraction of this film might be hard to avoid to foreigners, too. (Even without subtitle...)

    I would like to mention some points others have missed. Of course, this film depicts love between a man and a woman. However, the very theme is way beyond that. Actually, it is about time, value of remembrance, and death. In this film, the focus is not on the 'love affair' between two people. As some pointed out, they do not kiss, they do not hug each other, even without holding hands. So love itself is not completed (whether positively or negatively) in the film. Rather, what haunts Jungwon (a leading actor) is his impending death. He's running out of time, he can't hold it, leaving a few behind including his father and of course, Darim (a metermaid). So the problem is how he can face the death and leave something valuable in his short life, not how he can make love with Darim.

    This kind of theme sounds very familiar to us. There are lots of movies regarding patients with uncurable disease such as 'Love Story'. However, what makes this film outstanding is the way Jungwon deals his death. He is a loser, but tried to do his best while he's alive, IN A SILENT WAY. He does not tell anybody around him about his death. He hides something in his mind but without rage, hate, vengeance. He just tried to do best while he was alive. This limited communication and obedience to fate is the typical mindset of Koreans and the point most Western people don't understand or at best, misunderstand.

    This theme is very effectively expressed by the director of this film (surprisingly, his debut). Some say he's much influenced by Japanese director Ozu Yasujiro, who directed Tokyo Story. Indeed, I remember I read in some magazine that the director himself admitted he was influenced by Ozu. I'm not that knowledged to analyze his style comparing to Ozu's, but they have some in common and some not. Low angle and static camera, especially remind us Ozu's style. But, in terms of theme again, this Korean director seems to have somewhat warmer and hopeful vision.

    It is expressed concisely with Jungwon's last photograph. Very well done and really heartbreaking scene, I think. Actually, the director first had the idea of this film when he participated the funeral of a very famous Korean folk singer who died young of mysterious suicide. They say he saw the photograph of the singer at the funeral and thought of a film on death and remembrance. (And possibly hope for the remnants, I think...)

    I highly recommend this film to anybody who has deep interest in film art as well as Korean culture. This film, in my opinion, can be rivaled with other movies like Tokyo story, and a sort of American Beauty. It is that great if without language barrier. DVD version is going to be out in the market this February, so it might be a little help for foreigners with English subtitle.
    helpful•34
    0
    • wjjoo
    • Feb 5, 2002

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 24, 1998 (South Korea)
    • Country of origin
      • South Korea
    • Official sites
      • Distributor's official website for private individuals
      • Distributor's official website for professionnals
    • Language
      • Korean
    • Also known as
      • Giáng Sinh Tháng Tám
    • Filming locations
      • Kunsan, Chollapuk-Do, South Korea
    • Production companies
      • Ilshin Capital Investments
      • Uno Film
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 37 minutes
    • Color
      • Color

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