Yeon’s (Yoon Jin-seo) and Jin-ho (Yoo Ji-tae) get caught up in complex family affair in SECRET LOVE
KOREAN MOVIE NIGHT: SECRET LOVE (Kwon Ji-yeon & Ryoo Hoon-I, 2010)
Tribeca Cinemas
54 Varick St. at Laight St.
Tuesday, July 10, free, 7:00
212-759-9550
www.koreanculture.org
www.subwaycinema.com
A soap-opera melodrama that morphs into an erotic thriller, Secret Love tells the intense story of a complex and dangerous love triangle in modern-day Korea. Shortly after a whirlwind courtship, Yeon’s (Yoon Jin-seo) new husband, Jin-woo (Yoo Ji-tae), lapses into a coma that he might never awake from. Yeon is soon shocked to meet Jin-woo’s twin brother, Jin-ho (also played by Yoo Ji-tae), who recently emerged from a coma himself. As Yeon and Jin-ho grow closer, their relationship threatens to go to the next level — but when Jin-woo suddenly and unexpectedly arises from his coma, the love triangle becomes overwhelmed by betrayal, uncontrollable passion, and mistaken identity. Directed by Kwon Ji-yeon and cowriter Ryoo Hoon-I (who penned the screenplay with Park Hyun-soo), Secret Love, which is also known as The Secret River, uses water as an underlying motif, with many scenes taking place over a river, in the shower or bath, or at an aquarium. Although it begins slowly and sappy, the film picks up speed as hidden passions explode and danger lurks at every twist and turn. Secret Love is screening for free July 10 at Tribeca Cinemas as part of the ongoing Korean Movie Night series as well as the New York Asian Film Festival, which continues through July 12 at Lincoln Center and July 15 at Japan Society in conjunction with Japan Cuts. As an added bonus, Yoon Jin-seo, who has also appeared in such films as Oldboy, Chihwaseon, and A Good Day to Have an Affair, will participate in a Q&A following the screening. She had to cancel an earlier appearance at a screening of Oldboy because she was rushed to the emergency room less than two weeks ago after an overdose of cold medication that was initially — and apparently falsely — reported to be a suicide attempt, so it should make for a lively discussion on July 10.