[TF Cine Review] Kim Min-hee's Lasting Impression in 'No One Knows'

Hong Sang-soo's 35th Feature Film... Wins 3 Awards at the 79th Locarno Film FestivalReleased on the 21st, the film 'Where the Wind Stops' tells the story of Sang-hee, who grew up with her grandparents after her parents' conflict, and heads to Jeju Island with her younger brother to find her mother. /Movie Production Jeonwon Co., Ltd.[THE FACT|Reporter Park Ji-yoon] 'Where the Wind Stops,' which won three awards at the 79th Locarno Film Festival, is meeting with domestic audiences. While the film contains points that may be divisive depending on one's taste, actress Kim Min-hee, whom we haven't seen on screen in a long time, leaves a deep impression with her subtle face, full of complex inner emotions.Released on the 21st, 'Where the Wind Stops' (directed by Hong Sang-soo) is a film that depicts the story of Sang-hee (played by Kim Min-hee), who grew up with her grandparents after her parents' conflict, heading to Jeju Island with her younger brother to find her mother. The film features actors Kwon Hae-hyo, Shin Seok-ho, Park Mi-so, and Choi Myung-gil, including Kim Min-hee, who is credited as the lead actress and production manager.The film shows Sang-hee's 2 nights and 3 days by prominently displaying the weather for that day with orange text: 'Sunny on a cloudy and windy afternoon,' 'Late autumn warmer than spring,' and 'A quiet and warm morning, then the wind picked up.'Sang-hee, whose parents divorced when she was young and who spent most of her time with her grandparents, visits her mother (played by Choi Myung-gil), who has settled in Jeju Island, with her younger brother (played by Shin Seok-ho). Her mother's rice restaurant is a huge success, and her stepfather (played by Kwon Hae-hyo), who makes documentaries, is currently making a film about 'Chobun,' a traditional funeral custom in Jeju Island.'Where the Wind Stops' is Hong Sang-soo's 35th feature film, starring actors Kwon Hae-hyo, Shin Seok-ho, Park Mi-so, and Choi Myung-gil, including Kim Min-hee, who is credited as the lead actress and production manager. / Movie Production Jeonwon Co., Ltd.Sang-hee works at a snack import company and, in her spare time, makes very short films by herself and uploads them to her personal channel. Her stepfather's daughter (played by Park Mi-so), who has just started painting in a plausible studio, admires Sang-hee's work and approaches her in a friendly manner.During the 2 nights and 3 days that Sang-hee spends with her mother, younger brother, and stepfather, only facts she didn't know before, hard-to-accept advice, and cheap compliments are exchanged. In between, awkward silences, subtly flowing air, and eyes that rarely settle in one place, along with narration that allows us to hear Sang-hee's inner thoughts, make it easy to understand the characters' relationships and the emotional context that cannot be read from the outside.There are no major events or significant twists in the running time, which is short yet long. It's just a continuous, long conversation among ordinary family members, with only the days and locations changed. Some parts of the dialogue and narration are not clearly audible, mixed with the sound of the strong Jeju wind, which was intentionally not removed.Nevertheless, the reason we can focus on this story is that in Sang-hee's appearance, unable to fully commit to her family, we discover a feeling that anyone, even if not in the exact same situation, has felt at least once: the feeling of sharing time in the same space but somehow feeling detached.'Where the Wind Stops,' which won three awards at the 79th Locarno Film Festival, shows Sang-hee's 2 nights and 3 days by prominently displaying the weather for that day with orange text: 'Sunny on a cloudy and windy afternoon,' 'Late autumn warmer than spring,' and 'A quiet and warm morning, then the wind picked up.' /Movie Production Jeonwon Co., Ltd.Furthermore, Kim Min-hee, who portrays this character, captures even subtle moments that might be overlooked, imbuing them with emotions that are difficult to explain in words through fleeting expressions and gazes. Her passionate performance, which delicately builds up the character's inner world, allows the audience to gradually immerse themselves in Sang-hee's emotions and, before they know it, exist within them.While it is difficult to grasp all of Hong Sang-soo's intentions with a single viewing, it is relatively more comfortable to accept than his previous works, such as 'In Water,' which consistently shows blurry images as if underwater, or 'The Day She Left,' which repeats an interview-style structure.As you follow Sang-hee's complex and subtle emotions and her attitude towards her family while harboring them, you will eventually become immersed in the story, and it leaves room for the audience to fathom the characters' minds in ambiguous relationships that cannot be easily defined.In addition, the video, enhanced by Sang-hee's narration, 'I've always had nowhere to rest my eyes since I was young. Not long ago, on a very windy day, I was watching a flower swaying in the sunlight. But after watching for a long time, I felt the flower speaking to me. I am gentle. I am quiet. I am always fond of something,' makes us think about where our gaze should rest. It is rated for ages 12 and up and has a running time of 72 minutes.jiyoon-1031@tf.co.kr[Entertainment Department | ssent@tf.co.kr]