What Does That Nature Say To You

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Donghwa is a fledgling poet in his thirties. He rejects material aspirations and seeks to lead a life dedicated to truth and beauty. On a lazy afternoon, he drives his girlfriend, Junhee, back to her parents’ home outside Seoul. In the driveway, they run into her father, who is strangely interested in Donghwa’s dinged up old car. He takes it for a spin around the block, then invites Donghwa to stay and meet the family: him, his wife, who also writes poetry, and Junhee’s reclusive sister, who practices the gayageum, a traditional string instrument. They end up wiling away the day together, visiting a temple by the river, climbing the hill near the house, watching the sunset, and, sure enough, imbibing drinks. Egged on by Junhee’s dad, Donghwa gets progressively more drunk as the day advances. Finally, he makes a fool of himself at dinner. Then everything begins to unravel for the poet: his relationship, his art, his revolutionary ideals.

(Hong Sang-soo, South Korea, 2025, Korean w/ Eng sub, 108 min, DCP)