Because Japanese cult director Takashi Miike is just filming too much (five to six movies a year are no exception) and copying not only old Yakuza movies but also his own style, I left a screening of DEADLY OUTLAW: REKKA at this year's MIFED in anger and went to LOVERS' CONCERTO instead. Oh, how this Korean romanticism once again pleased me! If love could be like this... A young man between two women whose life is pressured by a serious illness that they manage to hide. When the man writes a love letter to one of them, their feelings for each other lead to unexpected turns. As a model to sublime the refusal by a friend this movie reveals not only the power of love letters but also the chance to really become one with a beloved person. It is director Lee Han's (born 1970) debut film and it had a budget of 2.5 m USD. Small means can lead to convincing results.

From the visually colored wide shot outside of a young woman's window that opens the film, we are hypnotized by the extraordinarily visual and emotional beauty that is Lover's Concerto, a feature that should come with a warning label in regards to the reactions audiences are likely to experience when watching this poignant, melodramatic romance. There is not much that can be written without inadvertently giving away the plot, with the exception that this is one of those rare films that simply has to be viewed.

Ji-Hwan (Cha Tae-Hyun),works temporarily at a small restaurant, though his heart exists in photography, the film brilliantly incorporating this part of his life into the story, his appreciation for this art informing the enjoyment that other character's acquire from taking photos. When he meets the beautiful Soo-In (Son Ye-Jin) one day, who is accompanied by her best friend Gyung-Hee (Lee Eun-Ju),he cannot help but immediately fall in love with her. Despite his best efforts, that are as realistic as they are comedic, he is unable to convince Soo-In to begin a relationship with him, however, he does win the friendship of both women. Although the three friends play a terrifically important role in each others lives, Ji-Hwan finds difficulty in trying to discover who each of the women truly are, and in the end, a question to ask is, did he ever really know either of the women at all?

It should be noted, the feature progresses in a non-linear fashion, this directional decision providing the audience with a series of questions over the course of the plot that continuously leaves us attentive, and unlike other films, we are splendidly provided with answers that fit perfectly with the story. Five years after meeting the two women, Ji-Hwan is receiving letters from an unknown stranger, that appear to have a direct link to his past. In a time of e-mail, the choice to have the exchanging of letters in the film appears deeply melancholic, the story appreciating this old fashioned communicative method.

At the same time as Ji-Hwan tries to find answers, his sister, Ji-Yoon (Moon Geun-Young) experiences her first crush on a young bookshop attendant, Suk-Jin (Kim Nam-Jin),this particular sub-plot being one of several, that not only adds to the romantic atmosphere and the varying styles of relationships, but helps to construct an environment where everyone and anyone can experience and find love.

The mirroring of small events, from touching a character's face, to placing a hand outside of a window and feeling the breeze rushing across one's skin, reflect the beauty of reliving deeply impacting moments, the sheer beauty of the romantic climate being heightened by the melancholic piano track that powerfully sets the scene.

The acting throughout the feature is very believable, the conversations that transpire, and the character actions, being incredibly captivating, while at the same time, the film, both realistically and tragically, conveys themes including love, friendship, family, jealousy and loss, none of which ever feel forced or out of place.

The film's conclusion is very intelligently constructed, and contextualizes much of what the audience has previously viewed, and in so doing, becomes a terribly sad, yet brilliantly powerful finish to a dramatically heartfelt story that stays with you, long after the credits have ended.

get your Kleenex. you'll need it.

if you haven't seen this movie, let this be the last review you read before you watch it. don't watch the trailers too; this movie is best seen when you have no idea what it's about. i must have gone "what???" at least four times in this movie. that's a good thing, since most movies nowadays don't have many surprises. one twist? two? try four, or five, depending on how well you can predict what'll happen.

the acting was pretty okay, and the art direction is pleasant. you will have no trouble at all keeping your eyes glued to the screen, except for the necessary dabs here and there. even with the cheesy factor, my sister and i still cried a lot while watching this movie. my brother cried a little, and my cousin who's hell bent on not crying didn't cry but with a lot of effort.

it's funny because i don't think anyone can truly relate to the characters in this movie, because the situation in lover's concerto is pretty unique. but the emotions are familiar and you'll have no trouble at all (crying along with the cast).