Watch Secret Sunshine

Secret Sunshine is a haunting and emotional drama film from South Korea, directed by Lee Chang-dong and released in 2007. It stars Jeon Do-yeon, Song Kang-ho, and Lee Dong-yong in the lead roles. The film explores themes of grief, loss, faith, and redemption through the story of a young widow who moves to a small town with her young son in search of a new life.

Lee Shin-ae (Jeon Do-yeon) is a recently widowed piano teacher who moves from Seoul to the small town of Miryang with her young son Jun. She hopes to start a new life and leave her past behind, but the town proves to be more difficult than she had expected. She takes up residence in her late husband's home and tries to settle into her new surroundings. She begins to find solace in the church and befriends the pastor Kang (Song Kang-ho).

However, Shin-ae's life takes a dark turn when her son disappears, and no one seems to know what happened to him. She is thrown into a deep depression and becomes increasingly isolated from those around her. She turns to religion for comfort and becomes a devout Christian, but even this fails to ease her pain. As she struggles to come to terms with her loss, she is forced to confront the dark side of human nature and her own demons.

The film is a masterful exploration of themes of grief, faith, and acceptance. It is a raw, emotional rollercoaster that takes the viewer on a journey through the stages of grief. Jeon Do-yeon delivers an outstanding and powerful performance as the grieving mother. She is raw, honest, and utterly compelling, bringing a visceral intensity to every scene she appears in.

The supporting cast is equally strong, with Song Kang-ho delivering a mesmerizing performance as the compassionate pastor who tries to ease Shin-ae's pain. Lee Dong-yong is excellent as Jun, the young boy who adds an element of innocence and vulnerability to the film.

Lee Chang-dong's direction is sublime, imbuing every scene with a sense of emotional depth and resonance. He skillfully intertwines themes of religion and faith into the story, creating a nuanced portrayal of the complexities of human nature.

The film's cinematography is also beautiful, with stunning shots of the Korean countryside and the city of Miryang. The use of natural light and color is masterful, creating a dreamlike and hypnotic quality to the visuals.

Overall, Secret Sunshine is a powerful and deeply affecting film that explores the depths of human emotion. It is a film that stays with you long after the credits roll and is a testament to the power of cinema to convey the raw emotion of the human experience. It is a film not to be missed by anyone looking for a profound and thought-provoking movie experience.

Secret Sunshine is a 2007 drama with a runtime of 2 hours and 22 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.5 and a MetaScore of 84.