My FedEx package arrived in South Korea today. My future boss emailed the good news. Now he’s going to put all my documents together with whatever else he needs and apply for my work visa. He’s also working on scheduling my airplane ticket to Seoul. The ball keeps on rolling and I am another step closer to reaching Korea. I still have tons to do. I’ve been online trying to find all the tips and hints I can about what to bring and what not to bring.
I know that the main thing will be to bring enough clothes and shoes since my size won’t be easily available. I’ve started downloading music onto my laptop as well as photos of family and friends. I’m thinking of packing little keepsakes of home and maybe a few decorative knick knacks to liven up my future studio apartment. I won’t have any idea about the weight limits on the luggage I can bring on the plane until I know what airline I’m flying. I prefer packing light, but I realize it just won’t be possible on this kind of trip.
Recently, in preparation for my trip, I rented the Korean film Lady Vengeance. It rocked on so many levels. Chan-Wook Park instantly rose in my list of favorite directors. Just on a visual level the movie not only pleases the eye with vibrant colors, but it also presents a number of striking images. One stand out scene has anti-heroine Geum-ja Lee, played by actress Yeong-ae Lee, facing down two thugs in the gently falling snow, trying to protect herself and her daughter. The scene hits you in the gut, but at the same time maintains an airy dream-like quality. Brilliant!
Park’s film feels like a painting come to life and not in a over saturated “What Dreams May Come” way. Splashes of color, like a streak of orange on a wall or cotton candy colored prison walls, transforms what could be a perfectly ordinary and serviceable scene into something compelling. His use of color reminds me of Zhang Yimou and that’s always a good thing.
And Park’s an incredible storyteller! The plot flows with twists and turns and the acting of all involved matches the director’s ability. This is a must see film. Even more exciting is that this is part of a trilogy. I’m going to rent all three and watch them in order this weekend.
I would explain more about the plot, but I don’t want to give anything away. Suffice it to say, go rent Lady Vengeance, Old Boy, and Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance right now!
