Film invites viewers to contemplate what is really important in life

Lee Byung-hun stars in a scene from “Single Rider.” (Warner Brothers Korea)

The man appeared to have everything: a well-paying job, a good reputation in his field, a beautiful wife and an adorable son. At precisely this moment, everything starts to crumble.

Director Lee Zoo-young’s feature film debut “Single Rider” invites the audience to take a look at a man’s life after he loses practically everything he has worked for.

“I wanted the audience to think about what we are giving up now for the promise of a future. ... There are so many things that we give up and I wanted to tell a story through which we can think about what is truly important,” said Lee.

Actor Lee Byung-hun plays Jae-hoon, a stockbroker who loses his fortune, friends and the trust of his clients after a risky investment goes abysmally wrong.

The embattled protagonist leaves for Australia to find his family, only to discover they too are slipping out of his grasp.

The rookie movie director shows off her skills through a “show, don’t tell” technique, demonstrated in her track record as a director of advertisements and music videos. What the flick lacks in dialogue, it more than makes up for through the movements and expressions of its actors, with veteran actor Lee leading the way.

“This movie follows a man’s thoughts and emotions from the beginning to the end. (My acting) is in the subtle change in emotions and facial expressions, which is something that I’ve always wanted to try as an actor,” said the 46-year-old Lee.

(Warner Brothers Korea)

Jae-hoon’s wife Su-jin, played by Gong Hyo-jin, is found to have rediscovered her passion for music that she gave up upon her marriage.

Along with her deepening relationship with a friendly neighbor, she appears to have started down a path of which Jae-hoon is not a part. He watches helplessly from afar as those dearest to him drift away.

As Jae-hoon stalks his family, the camera shadows him every step of the way.

“The camera work and the angle was set at Jae-hoon’s eye-level. I wanted the movie to be shot from a man’s point of view,” said director Lee.

She added that shooting in Australia was a deliberate choice, to contrast with Seoul, which has the opposite season as it is in a different hemisphere.

In the foreign land, Jae-hoon’s midlife crisis takes place with him completely isolated from everyone else. All except Ji-na, a Korean student who develops a friendship with him after being swindled of all she earned working in the country.

“When you get on the bus at five in the morning, you realize that people are saying you’re poor because you’re lazy. ... It’s all bullshit,” says penniless Ji-na, played by singer-turned-actress Ahn So-hee.

(Warner Brothers Korea)

The former idol singer, for the most part, holds her own against the talents of Lee and Gong.

Ahn, whose acting career has been shaky so far, says her sharing many similar traits with her character has helped her focus.
“It’s a movie that helps me think, ‘What am I missing out on?’” she said.

The film is not kind to an audience looking for an immediate payoff, with the main characters acting in a frustrating -- or sometimes downright confusing -- fashion.

It builds up toward the third act, where what had seemed a wild goose chase finally starts to make sense.

“The inaction by Jae-hoon builds up frustration, which means the big reveal in the climax can be cathartic,” said Gong.

Director Lee challenges the audience to think about the true meaning of happiness and what really matters in life.

“I hope this film will be a movie that people think about once in a while, even after it’s over. A movie that has a certain warmth to it,” she said.

By Yoon Min-sik (minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)