''Cafe Noir'' () is a 2009 South Korean romance

melodrama film In film studies and criticism, melodrama may variously refer to a genre, mode, style or sensibility characterized by its emphasis on intense and exaggerated emotions and heightened dramatic situations. There is no fixed definition of the term an ...

starring

Shin Ha-kyun Shin Ha-kyun (; born May 30, 1974) is a South Korean actor. He first gained recognition for his role in ''Joint Security Area'' (2000), followed by notable performances in '' Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance'' (2002), ''Save the Green Planet!'' (2003 ...

, Moon Jeong-hee, Kim Hye-na and Jung Yu-mi. Written and directed by first-time director Jung Sung-il, a well regarded film critic-turned-director, it is a contemplation on love and heartbreak largely based on two works of literature -

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Johann Wolfgang (von) Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German polymath who is widely regarded as the most influential writer in the German language. His work has had a wide-ranging influence on Western literature, literary, Polit ...

's ''

The Sorrows of Young Werther ''The Sorrows of Young Werther'' (; ), or simply ''Werther'', is a 1774 epistolary novel by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Johann Wolfgang Goethe, which appeared as a revised edition in 1787. It was one of the main novels in the ''Sturm und Drang'' ...

'' and

Fyodor Dostoyevsky Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky. () was a Russian novelist, short story writer, essayist and journalist. He is regarded as one of the greatest novelists in both Russian literature, Russian and world literature, and many of his works are consider ...

White Nights White night, White Night, or White Nights may refer to: * White night (astronomy), a night in which it never gets completely dark, at high latitudes outside the Arctic and Antarctic Circles * White Night festivals, all-night arts festivals held in ...

. The critically acclaimed work debuted at the 66th Venice Film Festival in 2009, and Jung was nominated for New Talent Grand Pix at the 2010

Copenhagen International Film Festival Copenhagen International Film Festival (CIFF) was a film festival held annually in Copenhagen, Denmark, from 2003 to 2008. The main prize, the Golden Swan, was awarded for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Script and Best C ...

Synopsis

Young-soo (

), a music teacher, has an affair with his student's mother, Mi-yeon ( Moon Jeong-hee). He becomes desperate when Mi-yeon decides to end their relationship following the return of her husband ( Lee Sung-min). He tries to kill the husband and when it fails, he realizes that for the happiness of the woman he loves, he must leave her. Later, Young-soo meets a young woman Sun-hwa ( Jung Yu-mi) by chance, who is waiting for her lover (

Kim Sang-kyung Kim Sang-kyung (; born June 1, 1972) is a South Korean actor. He is known for his leading roles in '' Memories of Murder'' (2003), ''May 18'' (2007), and '' The Tower'' (2012). Two of his films directed by Hong Sang-soo, '' Tale of Cinema'' (200 ...

) on the bridge for a year. He begins to see her every day and falls for her. Just when she decides to give up thinking that her lover does not love her anymore, he suddenly appears on the bridge. They leave together happily, leaving Young-soo behind.

Cast

as Young-soo * Jung Yu-mi as Sun-hwa * Moon Jeong-hee as Mi-yeon 1 * Kim Hye-na as Mi-yeon 2 * Lee Sung-min as Mi-yeon 1's husband *

as Sun-hwa's lover *

Yozoh Shin Su-jin (; born June 11, 1981), also known as Yozoh (), is a South Korean singer and actress. Yozoh released her first album ''My Name Is Yozoh'' in 2007. For contributing much to bringing Hongik University district's indie music to the mai ...

as Shim Eun-ha * Lee Yong-nyeo as Young-soo's mother / Fortuneteller auntie * Yoon Hee-seok as Man smoking at Seoul Land

Festivals

''Cafe Noir'' was screened for a full year at various events of the festival circuit before it was given a domestic release in late December 2010. The DVD was finally released in June 2012. *Venice International Film Festival (2009) - International Critic's Week *Venice International Film Critics' Week (2009) *Busan International Film Festival (2009) - Korean Cinema Today - Panorama *Copenhagen International Film Festival (2010) - New Talent Grand Pix *LA Film Fest (2010) - International Showcase *T-Mobile New Horizons International Film Festival (2010) - Panorama *Munich International Film Festival (2010) - Focus on the Far East *Hong Kong International Film Festival (2010) - Indie Power *International Film Festival Rotterdam (2010) - Bright Future

Reception

''Cafe Noir'' received positive reviews.

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Cafe Noir 2009 films 2000s Korean-language films South Korean romantic drama films Films directed by Jung Sung-il 2000s South Korean films