What a refreshing change of pace. I’ve seen the future of Korean cinema and one of it’s leading lights is director Hur Jin-ho.

Simply put, this a powerful character study of an ordinary man living his life in South Korea.

Spoken in Korean with English subtitles, Christmas in August stars Han Suk-kyu as Jung-won, the sole owner of a photography shop and studio.

We are introduced to his world and are immediately immersed in it.

The film is totally captivating and simply told. The charm of the lead character is clear to see and he really could be anyone we know.

In meeting his old school friends and his ex-girlfriend we gain a further insight into Jung-won’s past life and see the high regard in which he is held.

We discover he is suffering from a terminal illness and at this point, only his family knows.

When we meet his family, his sister (played by Oh Ji-hye) and his dad (played by Goo Shin), it’s clear they have a very close bond.

The impending situation has caused them to rally round ever tighter and you can’t help but feel for their situation.

Again, the character moments are so real that you are totally absorbed in the moment.

One thing in particular I liked about this film was just how we see everyday life taking place as normal.

This film was shot in the regional city of Gunsan and after a while I felt I knew the area intimately. Beautiful in it’s simplicity.

This was in part due to the work of the legendary Korean cinematographer Yoo Young-kil who died shortly after the film was completed. He was honoured posthumously at the 1998 Pusan Film Festival.

This is director Hur Jin-ho’s first film and his aim of ‘portraying tragedy with warm tones’ works perfectly.

By casting two of Korea’s most popular stars, Han Suk-kyu and Shim Eun-ha, in the lead roles, he ensured that the heart of the film was strong.

I enthusiastically recommend this film to all, especially those who have yet to see a Korean film.

It’s the perfect introduction to Korean cinema.