“Are you still searching for love?”

“Where’s love? It’s not even visible. You need to see it in order to search for it.”

Those are the words of the movie titled “On the Beach at Night Alone”. Directed by Hong Sang-Soo, the movie depicts the emotional journey of a woman named Young-Hee who is searching for meaning in her life. The movie explores the themes of loneliness, loss, and the search for identity in an introspective and evocative way. In the movie, Kim Min-Hee plays Young-Hee, an actress who is experiencing feelings of confusion and isolation after her relationship with a famous director ends. The story moves forward and backward in time, showing Young-Hee reflecting on her life through deep conversations with her friends and the people she meets along the way.

Hong Sang-Soo is known for his simple yet meaningful directorial style. As in his previous films “Right Now, Wrong Then”, “Hotel by the River”, and “The Day After”, he uses long scenes and natural dialogues to portray the psychological state of his characters. In “On the Beach at Night Alone,” Hong Sang-Soo manages to present an intimate and honest portrait of the life of a woman searching for her inner peace. One of the interesting aspects of the movie is the use of beautiful natural backdrops, especially the scenes in the city in the morning and on the beach at night. This gives a sense of solitude and silence that supports the theme of loneliness explored in the story.

“What I want is to live in a way that suits me. To be strong and whatever happens, to live my on way.”

Young-hee wants to live in a way that suits her own desires. This shows that she has a strong self-awareness and is not easily affected by externalities. The phrase “To be strong and whatever happens” shows that Young-hee wants to have strength and resilience in facing all situations and challenges that may come in her life. By stating “to live my own way,” Young-hee shows her desire to live according to the truth and values she believes in, not just following what is expected by others or society.

Kim Min-hee’s acting as Young-hee also deserves a thumbs up. She manages to bring out the complexity of her character’s emotions very well, making the audience feel connected to Young-hee’s emotional journey. This movie has the advantage of developing its characters with great depth. In particular, the main character, Young-hee, is portrayed with emotional complexity that allows the audience to feel her emotional journey deeply. For example, when she expresses her emotions deeply by crying in front of her friends, or even when she sleeps on the beach sand in the late afternoon.

However, some viewers may find that the movie has slow pacing, with some scenes dragging on without significant story development. This may make some viewers feel bored or lose interest. Some viewers may find it difficult to connect with the emotional intensity presented in the movie. Themes such as loneliness, loss, and the search for identity could be too heavy for some viewers.

“On the Beach at Night Alone” is an evocative and engaging movie to watch with a deep and meaningful story. Loneliness is not something that is entirely wrong. In the midst of solitude, there are certainly opportunities for us to achieve other goals or new meanings in ourselves. The time we spend alone can be an opportunity to explore who we really are, what we want, and what makes us happy. For viewers who appreciate quiet yet meaningful narratives, this movie can provide a captivating and profound experience.