Woman on the Beach

Woman on the Beach is the seventh feature film by South Korean director Hong Sang-soo, and was released in 2006.^[2]^{[unreliable source?]}^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9]

Hangul

해변의 여인

Hanja

海邊의 女人

RRHaebyeonui yeoin

MRHaebyŏnŭi yŏin

Quick facts Hangul, Hanja ...

Woman on the Beach
Theatrical poster

Hangul	해변의 여인
Hanja	海邊의 女人
RR	Haebyeonui yeoin
MR	Haebyŏnŭi yŏin

Directed by	Hong Sang-soo
Written by	Hong Sang-soo
Produced by	Oh Jung-wan
Starring	Kim Seung-woo Go Hyun-jung Song Seon-mi Kim Tae-woo
Cinematography	Kim Hyung-koo
Edited by	Hahm Sung-won
Music by	Jeong Yong-jin
Production company	BOM Film Productions
Distributed by	Mirovision
Release date	31 August 2006 (2006-08-31)
Running time	127 minutes
Country	South Korea
Language	Korean
Box office	$749,147^[1]

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Plot

Film director and screenwriter Kim Jung-rae asks his friend Won Chang-wook to drive with him from their homes in Seoul to the resort town of Shinduri, on the western coast of South Korea. Chang-wook initially resists, but accepts the request on the condition that he can bring Kim Mun-suk, a composer and aspiring singer whom he describes as being his girlfriend. Jung-rae is writing a treatment for a film titled "About Miracles," concerning the mysterious connections that secure everyday life—themes that play a major role in the work of Hong Sang-Soo.

During the journey, Mun-suk quickly makes clear that she does not consider herself Chang-wook's girlfriend, and she finds herself and Jung-rae increasing drawn together. As the three drive on, Mun-suk discusses her years living abroad in Germany and reveals that she has had a number of relationships with Europeans, a fact that greatly disturbs both Chang-wook and Jung-rae. Mun-suk is particularly disappointed in Jung-rae's reaction, claiming, "You're not like your films." Nevertheless, Mun-suk and Jung-rae later kiss on the beach and then sleep together in a low-rent hotel room. The next day, as the three drive back to Seoul, Jung-rae pulls back from his intimacy with Mun-suk.

He returns to the beach alone two days later. Missing Mun-suk despite his actions, Jung-rae hits on two women, one of whom vaguely resembles Mun-suk, by introducing himself as a film director and asking to interview them for his screenplay. Jung-rae proceeds to seduce Choi Sun-hee in much the same fashion as he had Mun-suk just a few days prior. While sleeping with one of the women, Sun-hee, in the same beachside motel where he'd been with Mun-suk, Jung-rae is surprised to find that Mun-suk has returned to Shinduri, found his room, and started banging on the door loudly and very late at night. Jung-rae sneaks Sun-hee out of his room through a separate exit.

The next morning as Mun-suk sleeps at the foot of his door with a terrible hangover. Jung-rae attempts to reconcile with Mun-suk and lies about his night with Sun-hee, although his lie is increasingly transparent to all concerned. Having alienated Mun-suk and left Sun-hee without a goodbye, Jung-rae returns to Seoul with a creative breakthrough on his screenplay.