Christmas in August (1998): Fleeting love and impending loss
1998 • Hur Jin-ho • 1.85:1 • Jump to Gallery ↓
Directed by Hur Jin-ho, Christmas in August tells the story of a reserved photographer who runs a small studio in Seoul and develops a sweet relationship with a young parking enforcement officer. As their bond strengthens through their daily interactions, the film gradually reveals the man’s terminal illness, casting a shadow of impending loss over their relationship.
Focusing on ordinary routines and understated exchanges, the film implies more than it explicitly dramatises, allowing emotional meaning to emerge indirectly. The result is a more subtle type of romance than overt melodrama. This is reinforced through framing choices that mirror the protagonist’s profession, creating a sense of stilled time. The photography studio itself acts as a space where time is literally ‘captured’ and preserved, serving as a visual metaphor for the photographer’s desire to leave something behind.
Christmas in August is widely considered to be one of the main films that defined the ‘New Korean Cinema’ wave of the late 1990s. A study in restraint, it proves that the most enduring cinematic images often capture the quietest moments of human life.
Technical Specs:
- The Story: A quiet photo studio owner in Seoul, living with a terminal illness, finds unexpected warmth and connection when a parking officer enters his life, bringing gentle joy to his final days. Read my review of Christmas in August.
- Actors: Han Suk-kyu, Shim Eun-ha, Shin Goo, Oh Ji-hye, Lee Han-wi.
- Director: Hur Jin-ho
- Year: 1998
- Cinematographer: You Young-gil
- Origin: Korean Cinema
- Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
- Genre: Drama & Romance
