''Lovers Vanished'' () is a 2010 South Korean film, directed by
Cho Chang-ho as both a love story and a character drama. It stars
Kim Nam-gil
Kim Nam-gil (; born March 13, 1980) is a South Korean actor, producer, director, singer and philanthropist. He is best known from leading roles in period drama ''Portrait of a Beauty'' (2008); adventure film ''The Pirates (2014 film), The Pirate ...
and
Hwang Woo-seul-hye
Hwang Jin-hee (; born August 10, 1979), better known by the stage name Hwang Woo-seul-hye (), is a South Korean actress. She made her acting debut as a " dumb blonde"-type character in the critically praised black comedy '' Crush and Blush'' (20 ...
as two people who find love at the edge of life.
Plot
Su-in, an ex master chef, gets falsely accused of murdering his wife and is sentenced to life in prison. After several failed attempts to escape and prove his innocence, he hears that prisoners with
AIDS
The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...
can be freed on compassionate grounds. Su-in approaches Sang-byung, an
HIV positive
The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of ''Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause AIDS, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of th ...
inmate, and deliberately injects Sang-byung's blood into his body, only to discover too late that the rumor is untrue and merely results in his being transferred to the prison hospital. Sang-byung helps the desperate Su-in to escape on condition he pays a visit to a certain remote café by the coast in
Jeju Island
Jeju Island (Jeju language, Jeju/) is South Korea's largest island, covering an area of , which is 1.83% of the total area of the country. Alongside outlying islands, it is part of Jeju Province and makes up the majority of the province.
The i ...
. Su-in succeeds in escaping and confronts his wife's lover and real murderer, who's since become a priest. But after confessing to the crime, the priest commits suicide by jumping over a cliff. With no hope of clearing his name and nowhere to turn, Su-in goes to café Luth, run by Mia, a beautiful magician with a painful past of her own. Mia ends up hiring Su-in as a chef, and the two slowly grow closer, knowing that their time together is limited.
Cast
*
Kim Nam-gil
Kim Nam-gil (; born March 13, 1980) is a South Korean actor, producer, director, singer and philanthropist. He is best known from leading roles in period drama ''Portrait of a Beauty'' (2008); adventure film ''The Pirates (2014 film), The Pirate ...
as Kim Su-in
*
Hwang Woo-seul-hye
Hwang Jin-hee (; born August 10, 1979), better known by the stage name Hwang Woo-seul-hye (), is a South Korean actress. She made her acting debut as a " dumb blonde"-type character in the critically praised black comedy '' Crush and Blush'' (20 ...
as Yeo Mia
*Jung Yoon-min as Sang-byung
*Nam Sung-jin as Ki-yeon
*
Kim Jeong-min as Min-jung
*Kim Jae-rok as priest
*
Yoon Je-moon
Yoon Je-moon (born March 9, 1970) is a South Korean actor. He appears in theater, film and television, notably in the movies ''The Man Next Door'' (2010) and '' Dangerously Excited'' (2012), and the TV series '' The End of the World'' (2013).
...
as Jo, the shopkeeper
*Oh Hye-seok as Jin-ho
*Baek Jung-hee as grandmother
*Jeon Jin-gi as detective
*Han Cheol-woo as detective
*Noh Tae-hyeon as Dong-yeol
*Moon Jeong-woong as hospital police officer
Release
Filming took place in March to June 2009. ''Lovers Vanished'' initially found difficulty gaining a theatrical release, but with the popularity of actor
Kim Nam-gil
Kim Nam-gil (; born March 13, 1980) is a South Korean actor, producer, director, singer and philanthropist. He is best known from leading roles in period drama ''Portrait of a Beauty'' (2008); adventure film ''The Pirates (2014 film), The Pirate ...
's 2009 television series ''
Queen Seondeok
Queen Seondeok ( ; ? – ; day of the lunar month of the year of Inpyeong []) reigned as Queen Regnant of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, from 632 to 647. She was Silla's List of monarchs of Korea, twenty-seventh ruler, and its ...
'', the film secured an April 1, 2010 release date.
References
External links
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* {{IMDb title, 1670690, Lovers Vanished
2010 films
2010s Korean-language films
2010 romantic drama films
HIV/AIDS in South Korean films
South Korean romantic drama films
South Korean LGBTQ-related films
2010s South Korean films
LGBTQ-related romantic drama films
2010 LGBTQ-related films