This post is about the K-movie ‘Decision to Leave’ Review, Backstories, and Short Comments
K-movie ‘Decision to Leave’ Review
I enjoyed watching many movies by director Park Chan-wook and eagerly anticipated his latest work, K-movie ‘Decision to Leave’.
Tang Wei’s Chinese lines were captivating, while the Korean lines seemed a bit awkward. However, the delivery was impressive. Actor Park Hae-il left a strong impression with his performance, displaying a balance of softness and strength. His emotional expression at the end was particularly memorable.
The dynamic between the main characters, where one person’s love ends and the other’s begins, is relatable to anyone. I found some aspects relatable, but the unique environment between them intrigued me throughout. Since each viewer has to imagine this part, I thought the emotional impact of the movie would vary for each person. People might have different preferences, but I found the director’s approach to be engaging.
The portrayal of love in the film was enjoyable, especially the involvement of Tang Wei, whom I already liked due to her chemistry with Park Hae-il. The synergy between the two actors deepened my immersion in the movie. The attraction between two individuals who struggled emotionally with their spouses was interesting. The depiction of subtle emotions was not explicitly exhilarating, but I appreciated the nuanced process.
‘Decision to Leave’ Backstories
Casting Process Behind the Scenes
Park Chan-wook, the director, disclosed that Tang Wei and Park Hae-il were already considered for the roles of Song Seo-rae and Jang Hae-joon, respectively, during the screenplay writing phase with Jeong Seo-kyung. The decision to cast Tang Wei as the female protagonist originated from a conversation with writer Jung Sung-kyung, who suggested making the female lead Chinese. The director agreed and crafted the scenario with Tang Wei in mind, aligning the narrative with a specific date of criminal persecution.
Park Chan-wook chose Park Hae-il for the role of Detective Jang Hae-joon based on the actor’s portrayal of Kim Jang-han in the film “Deokhye Ongju,” appreciating the fictional character’s dignity and spirit. While uncertain about casting Park Hae-il during the screenplay writing, the director expressed the idea by saying, “For example, someone like Park Hae-il,” eventually offering both Tang Wei and Park Hae-il roles before finalizing the script.
Inspirations for the Film
Director Park drew inspiration from David Lin’s classic film “The Secret Life” (1945) and the song “Mist.” The movie incorporates the song “Mist” in Jung Hoon-hee’s version at the beginning and in Jung Hoon-hee’s Song Chang-sik version at the ending credits. Park Chan-wook emphasized the honor of recording by watching two respected teachers. The director recalled a childhood memory of watching a secret meeting on TV, leading to a desire to create a film that started and ended with fog, targeting a 15-year-old audience.
Post-Recording Efforts
Despite pursuing simultaneous on-site recording for perfection, Tang Wei’s Korean lines required extensive post-recording efforts. The lines were repeated numerous times in a closed recording booth, only heard by the production team familiar with the lines. To ensure quality, staff not involved in the film and relatives of non-film staff were invited to check the post-recording.
Tang Wei’s Comments
Following the first screening, Tang Wei expressed to director Park Chan-wook that he had made her life complete. At a press conference in Cannes, France, Tang Wei declared her admiration for Park Chan-wook’s exceptional work and referred to him as a special person, likening the experience to working with a coach.
The Color Theme: “A Dress that Looks Blue and Green”
The central element of the movie is “a dress that looks blue and green,” reminiscent of the dress color phenomenon. Director Park used Seorae to portray something vague and unclear, presenting her as both a murderer and a victim depending on the perspective. During filming, one blue suit and one green suit were created to embody this dual interpretation.
Ratings and Short Comments
- Rating: 10/10 “A sign of my life that I want to remain open to you.”
- Rating: 7/10 “It doesn’t require determination to love, it’s natural. But you need to make up your mind when you leave.”
- Rating: 10/10 “It’s okay for me to drown, so you come to me like water.”
- Rating: 10/10 “You should watch this movie around 4 o’clock afternoon. If you look at the dark sky after the ending credits go up, you can feel the movie continuing with the lingering sensation of the waves.”
- Rating: 10/10 “Love is like a rhetorical play in that it suspects and follows the audience and finally tries to handcuff them. And pending cases are memorable for the rest of your life. Woman turns herself into a pending case… Open it up.”
- Rating: 10/10 “In terms of the storyline, there was no particularly unexpected or new feeling. However, in the process of telling the story, director Park Chan-wook’s unique direction stood out, and in other works… Open it up.”
- Rating: 7/10 “At last.”
- Rating: 10/10 “I saw the Late Autumn and it was so nice… It reminds me of late spring… It’s possible if a person likes a person. Park Hae-il and Tang Wei are beautiful… I think I’m going to fall in love for a while.”
- Rating: 9/10 “Chinese was good to hear for the first time in my life.”
- Rating: 10/10 ” I thought Park Chan-wook was just a perversion, but he’s tearing my heart out.”
- Rating: 10/10 “Spectator ‘I’m completely broken.’ Some words become love without the use of the word love.”
- Rating: 9/10 “The process of two upright people collapsing more than anyone else.”
- Rating: 10/10 “Why did you marry such a man? Is it because you want to make a decision to leave?.”
- Rating: 10/10 “It is mandatory to rewatch the movie. If you watch it second time, you can see a lot of things that you didn’t see at first.”
