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Jeon Do-yeon, Song Kang-ho, Yeong-jin Jo, Kim Yeong-jae, Seon Jeong-Yeob ... see more see more... , Song Mi-rim , Mi-hyang Kim , Lee Yun-heui , Kim Mi-kyeong , Oh Man-seok-I , Sung-min Lee , Park Myeong-sin , In-beom Ko , Park Sang-gyoo , Lee Dong-yong , Ko Seo-hee , Kim Hye-ji , Choi In-seon , Kim Min-Jae , Kwon Geum-san

In this somber Korean drama, a young mother and widow, Shin-ae, moves with her young son, Jun, from Seoul to a small town called Miryang following her husband's death. Having given up on her career as... read more read more... a concert pianist when she married her husband, she starts up a piano school, but soon it begins to feel like the polite people who inhabit her new home aren't as friendly as they seem on the surface. Judgmental whispers and disapproving gossip begin to reach Shin-ae's ears, and pressure to join the Christian cult that thrives in the town begins to mount. She's hesitant until an unimaginable tragedy alters her life forever, setting Shin-ae on a dark path of withdrawal from society as a whole. ~ Cammila Albertson, Rovi

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78% liked it

3,917 ratings

Critics

93% liked it

27 critics

Unrated, 2 hr. 22 min.

Directed by: Chang-dong Lee

Release Date: December 22, 2010

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DVD Release Date: August 23, 2011

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Stats: 398 reviews

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Do-yeon Jeon and Kang-ho Song Secret Sunshine
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Flixster Reviews (398)

  • axadntpron
    January 24, 2012
    axadntpron
    A brave exploration of grief and the process of forgiveness. We all know those people who seem to attract tragedy. We read about them in the paper or hear about them through a family friend. In yet another great film by director Lee Chang Dong, we are given insight into the lives... read more of one of these perpetual victims. It follows the plight of a young woman as she attempts to move forward in the face of her world collapsing around her.
    This study of the grieving process, made possible by the phenomenal performance by Jeon Do-yeon, isn't just an opportunity to go hog wild with gut-wrenching speeches and tears, but is one of the more honest approaches I have seen in a long time. With this, comes its share of risks.
    For example, It is risky to take a woman, whom the audience feels so much sympathy for, and through the recovery process alienate her so much from the audience. It is hard to understand why she does what she does. but we get the sense that we cannot possibly even begin to understand what she is going through.
    Sometimes there are no tears and as comforting as faith can be for others, it isn't immediate enough to snub out the pain that is sometimes scraping your very nerve and at other times leaving you completely numb. Also, that same faith that can be freeing to many, can be used by others as a more subtle tool of control.
    Maybe I'm just biased due to my love for Korean cinema, but I feel like South Koreans are able to take a more honest look in the mirror than I think most are willing to allow. There is a hell of a lot more to chew on in this one film than the past 20 domestic films I have watched. And for that, I give it a lot of credit.
    It isn't a pleasant watch, but one that is definitely worth your time.
  • fb1216165431
    September 9, 2011
    fb1216165431
    Grieves with sorrow and shines with faith, Secret Sunshine ponders on spiritual maturity and recovery of a woman tormented by loss. Starring 2007 Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Jeon Do-Yeon. Argumentative. Complex. Magnificent.
  • romy861
    March 13, 2011
    romy861
    Another good Korean film (aren't they always good?! I honestly can't think of too many I haven't liked.. not that I have seen lots, but anyhow....).
    Though this is mainly a sad story about loss, (Shin-ae moves to her deceased husband's hometown in memory of him with their smal... read morel son. Not long after, her son is kidnapped and drowned), it also manages to be quite funny in places. Quite an achievement considering the subject matter!
    Well acted, well paced - at over 2 hours long it doesn't wear out it's welcome as you might expect. I was really impressed with the actress who plays Shin-ae (Jeon Do-yeon).
  • kiriyamakazou
    June 10, 2008
    kiriyamakazou
    The first and most striking aspect of this film are the visuals. The bright, golden, crisp glow of this film is almost heavenly. Not a bad choice considering the religious themes tackled. Chang-dong adds another exquisite film to his portfolio even if it is a tad harder to like t... read morehan his previous efforts. It certainly zips by with a well paced story that isn't afraid of not giving any definite answers, much like religion itself. Forgiveness isn't something that comes naturally, nor is it easy. Unlike most films Secret Sunshine refuses to patronize it's audience. It presents a story and there are limitless views that can be taken which is possibly a sign of great art.
  • gator681
    January 5, 2011
    gator681
    "Secret Sunshine" starts with Shin-ae(Do-yeon Jeon) driving from Seoul to Miryang with her eight-year old son Jun(Jung-yeop Seon). On the way, her car breaks down but they get help from a good samaritan and ride the rest of the way with Jong(Kang-ho Song), a kind tow truck drive... read morer. Once settled in town, she quickly gets to business, opening a music school and making plans to buy property on the edge of town.

    At the heart of "Secret Sunshine" is an emotionally complex tale of forgiveness. Much to the consternation of those who know her, Shin-ae has made peace with her late husband who cheated on her, moving to his old hometown in order to feel close to him. Like all small towns, everybody knows everybody else's business which is scary when you realize how seriously the pharmacists are about their religion.(The film reinforces what Karl Marx and Larry Flynt said about religion.) While Do-yeon Jeon is superb, the movie is simply too long for such an intimate story, as there are several places it could have ended without sacrificing any of its well-earned ambiguity.
  • mvieaddict
    February 20, 2011
    mvieaddict
    Lee Chang Dong is one of Korea's talented directors, making his movies so close to reality. Korean cinema could be quite surprising for Western audience, because of the variety of tones and genres you could see in one movie. In Secret Sunshine, there was comical parts, thrilling ... read morescenes and romantic times. It was not just tragedy, but all these genres together brought reality to the experience that this rich movie had to offer. It was surely rare to see such a deep portrait of a woman in pain, which only Lee Chang Dong could bring alive.The performance of the woman in the lead role Jeon Do-Yeo was tremendous.She was captivating showing grief, attempts for moving on, and putting her self into Christianity to clear her conscience of guilt was admirable.To say more would be giving away the movie, so I recommend to those who love Korean cinema, just like me.
  • tamsonhouse
    March 29, 2012
    tamsonhouse
    South Korean cinema just keeps getting better and better for me. Secret Sunshine went places and dealt with issues I wasn't expecting in such an interesting way. Song Kang-ho is such a great actor, he's the Tom Hank's of South Korean cinema - great at drama and comedy alike; and ... read moreJeon Do-yeon is amazing in this film, the first I've seen from her and one of the best performances I've seen in some time.
  • benzim1
    February 7, 2012
    benzim1
    Powerful movie about a South Korean woman's struggles with loss and faith. Starts slow, but draws you in. Do-yeon Jeon gives a shattering performance as a woman faced with a tragedy who accepts the condolence of faith, then rebels against the easy answers that she is expected to ... read moreaccept. Sort of like the "Anti-Shack", if you are familiar with that book.
  • columbiatch
    June 22, 2008
    columbiatch
    One of the better films of 2007. The film hits all right emotional notes in its examination of the conflict between religion and human nature. Much credit goes to Do-yeon Jeon, whose emotionally draining performance is crucial for such a role. Lee does a great job of telling the ... read morestory efficiently and without any cheap melodrama in addition to presenting a critical but not one-sided view on Christianity. If "Forgive thy enemy was one of the commandments then this would have fit nicely as part of the Decalogue. The problems I had were that the killer's motivation (or thoughtlessness) is not quite believable. Also the main character's religious fervor is hard to buy, and the way she denounces God later was silly.
  • sitenoise
    May 28, 2008
    sitenoise
    This film stars two of my favorite Korean actors, Do-yeon Jeon and Kang-ho Song, and is written and directed by Chang-dong Lee, of OASIS fame.

    The plot in a nutshell: Jeon's character moves with her son Jun to Miryang, the town where her recently killed husband was born. As she ... read moretries to start her new life another tragic event turns her world upside down. She looks for comfort in god and religiousness, and then turns a critical towards that.

    The scene where Jeon's character goes to the prison to forgive the man who committed the most heinous of crimes against her is one of the strongest and smartest statements on religious belief I've seen.

    It's a long, slow paced film, but the performances are extraordinary. Do-yeon Jeon won best actress at Cannes for her performance.

View All Secret Sunshine Reviews

Critic Reviews

Colin Covert
February 3, 2011
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune

There is a natural tendency to appreciate movies that are neat and concise. "Secret Sunshine" makes a striking argument for the antithesis. Full Review

A.O. Scott
December 22, 2010
A.O. Scott, New York Times

The cinematic equivalent of prose that is clear, elegant and lyrical. Full Review

Michael Atkinson
December 21, 2010
Michael Atkinson, Village Voice

Buried in the year-end rush but one of the year's best films. Full Review

September 6, 2007
Globe and Mail

This fourth film from Lee Chang-dong, one of the leading lights in the new South Korean cinema, begins as a young widow moves to the small town of Milyang, where her late husband was born and where sh... Full Review

Kirk Honeycutt
May 25, 2007
Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter

Emotionally complex tale of a woman's confrontation with the worst of fates.

Derek Elley
May 24, 2007
Derek Elley, Variety

An ambitious, almost novelistic pic by writer-helmer Lee Chang-dong that ultimately fails to dramatize its lead character's conflicts in cinematic terms. Full Review

Chris Hewitt (St. Paul)
February 4, 2011
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul), St. Paul Pioneer Press

In a performance as raw and naked as I can recall seeing, Jeon navigates the ebbs and flows of Shin-ae's grief. Full Review

David Noh
December 29, 2010
David Noh, Film Journal International

Superbly observed study of a woman's tortured spiritual odyssey, filled with honest drama, unexpected humor and brilliant revelations. Full Review

Christopher Null
December 23, 2010
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com

a wrenching, darkly comic and immersive work Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
December 23, 2010
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

It doesn't touch the heart as much as it thinks it does. Full Review

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