⛈ Follow the Light ⛅ If You Will ⛈ °8.6° °Outstanding°
Every night, she's sitting at the bus stop. He tried to assist her once, but communications broke down. The next night she was there with her suitcase, as usual. She's soaked. It's pouring. She says she's freezing and asks to go home with him. We see her later leave his apartment, suitcase in tow. Blood drips onto the walkway marking her path.
At school, some girls are having a discussion. ‘You know there are students… selfies, photos, & video clips is where they show up, and nobody knows who they are. Every class has empty seats. I think that's where they're sitting. They have to be ghosts.’ Hyeon is mortified.
LS is a 2024 release that is rated 89 on AWiki. It is 1 season consisting of just 8 51-minute episodes. This is the fledgling directing effort of Kim Hee Won who had roles in many features, including Misaeng-9.1 & Moving-8.5. Screenwriter Kang Full co-wrote Moving-8.5, among others. LS is sleepy and hypnotic. It's also scary, but with a dreamlike quality that mutes the fright. It's not agitating. Straightaway, the opening credits are eerily beautiful. I think it's the way things look to the ghosts that haunt the alley. Ep1 is lite bites from varied small plates. It's a sampler. Ep2 is more of the same. They will tie it all together later. In eps1-4 we meet the players, dead and alive. In ep5 we'll meet the ghosts as they lived. Watch to the end. Ep8 is your reward.
“I never noticed the light shop during the day, but it really stands out at night as it's so bright. Are you always open this /late/?” “You could say that.” In between vignettes, customers are coming in and out of the light shop. Jung Won Yeong (Ju Ji Hoon from Kingdom-8.3) is the mysterious proprietor behind the counter in dark glasses. He's all perfunctorily business-like with the patrons until a schoolgirl enters. They're old friends. He offers Hyeon some candy. She mentions that his shop is the only reason she can walk on the street. Otherwise, she'd be too scared: There's rumors of a ghost there! He studies her quietly for quite a while. ‘It seems like you can see things that most people cannot,’ he cautions Hyeon. “It's important that you look at people very closely and if you see something that isn't ordinary, just act like you haven't seen anything. It's best to not let those that you shouldn't be able to see notice that you see them at all. But if they do, make sure you act like nothing important is going on and that you haven't noticed…”
One can't help but notice, it's an all-star cast, folks.
Park Bo Young (Oh My Ghost-10, Strong Woman Do Bong Soon) plays ICU nurse Kwon Yeong Ji. She had an NDE of her own. She's been to the light shop, as not only the dead pass by there, but also the nearly dead. She's met the proprietor. She does everything she can to guide her patients to the light and WILL them to live.
Lee Jung Eun (Oh My Ghost-10, Parasite-9, Our Blues-8.5) is probably my favorite actress right now. She portrays Jung Yu Hui, the mother of Hyeon (Shin Eun Soo from Twinkling Watermelon). Hyeon has an emotional scene with her mother, and she's fantastic. Ms Lee & Mr. Ju put on a non-verbal acting master's class in ep8. I teared up. I recently watched Ju Ji Hoon in Blood Free-8.5 as a romantic ML. He looks meaner, younger, overall completely differently, and it was released in the same year. Here, he looks more ancient and less handsome.
Park Hyuk Kwon (Wonderful World-7.8, Uncle Samsik-8.4) is a bus driver. His performance in Mine-8, is unforgettable. Kim Ki Hae (Duty after School) is a student who seems to be lost. Kim Dae Myung (Misaeng-9.1, Hospital Playlist-9) plays one cool but, according to the detective (Bae Sung Woo), very suspicious short order cook. Kim Seol Hyun (Summer Strike, Awaken-8.7) plays the woman with a suitcase. She spends almost the entire show with long wet hair. Uhm Tae Goo (A Taxi Driver) plays her fiance, Min. Kim Min Ha (The Call, Pachinko) portrays Yun Seon Hae & Kim Seon Hwa (My ID Is Gangnam Beauty-7.5, The Glory) portrays Park Hye Won. There's nowhere to go for them to feel comfortable in their relationship.
LS, on paper, may not be anything particularly special. The script is well written but perhaps not a standout on its own. What makes LS brighter than most offerings in the genre is the superb artistry and acting - it's expertly crafted. Sets, camera angles, cadence, crepuscular light & shadows - it's moving art. The light shop is, at the same time, warm but not too bright, with a variety of lights, lamps, and bulbs. Some are beautiful, some are common. It's hard to describe how the light shop makes me feel. Most of the shots feel closed in and close up. We got a couple pans around, but most shots feel linear and claustrophobic. All I can say is that it's both pretty and unsettling.
LS is old-timey and almost gothic. Is that because the street that the light shop is on is a set? It evokes Hitchcok, being mysterious & soporific. Its cadence is practically narcotic, but it breaks out with genuine scares. There's a big-budget bus crash, which is a big part of the plot. The tall lady ghost in ep2 is super creepy. At one point the detective's eyes are loose. He shakes his head and they move around- it's super freaky. (The Guardians of the Netherworld have reptilian eyes. It feels a little passe but we'll give them a pass). In an ominous touch, a shot of stormy skies fades out and a handprint or clasping fingers fade into a chilling effect. It's super-eerie.
We will frequently see the wet haired Lee Ji Yeong sewing, or weaving some stitches. The whole show is weaved together. Be patient because ep8 is the payoff. These beings are living solitary existences, for the most part. We find out that they're more interrelated than it first appears.
The will to live, or the lack thereof, is the theme. The funeral director looks at his assistant and asks: “Do you know why it is that we hold a three-day wake?” Koreans have had this custom for centuries, he explains. They want to give the dead 3 days to wake back up. (Theologians say: “hmmm”). It's their final goodbye, and a final chance to be reunited with the lost. “Not just the living say goodbye,” he surmises, “but also the dead.” The other theme, obviously, is to not let your light go out. As long as you are alive, let your light shine so that others may also find the way. This is embodied by nurse Kwon. She received a second chance at life and she's not going to waste it.
LS is no waste of time. It's got an old soul while still feeling crisp and fresh. It embodies the longing of humans and the persistent feeling that this life is not all there is. It also reflects the desperation of people living in a pressure cooker society that, with the 3rd highest suicide rate in the entire world, Korea currently is. Park Hye Won & Yun Seonones wish to stay in that dark, creepy alley. It's the first place where they can live together comfortably as a couple. It makes me sad to see people who have been so pressured that their dreams are small. The longer I live, the less appealing this world of woe is. When I think of eternity, I want to experience perfection. The end of misery, sickness, and death. If we'll shine as brightly as possible, perhaps we can get a better taste of the possibilities now.
QUOTE🗣 The light is nice.
IMHO〰🖍
📣8.6 📝8 🎭9 💓5 🦋2 🎨9 🎵/🔊8.5 🔚8.5 🤗7 ▪ 🌞5⚡5 😅1 😭6.5 😱3.5 😯3 🤢4 🤔6 💤0
Age 15+ Language: he!!, f💣, $h!+ - not much but with some regularity. Scary elements, violence, adult themes; Rated 15+
Re-📺? The performances call for it
In order of ~lite&trite~ to ~heavy&serious~ you may also like:
🌐💘 -
Oh My Ghost 10,
It's Okay Not To Be Okay 9,
Familiar Wife-8.5,
Move To Heaven-8.4,
My Liberation Diary-8.9,
My Mister 9.5,
⚡/🚀 -
Flex X Cop-8.5,
Mystic Pop-up Bar-8.2,
Hotel del Luna-8.4,
Glitch-8,
Inspector Koo-8.4,
A Korean Odyssey-7.2,
The Golden Spoon-8.1,
The First 1st Responders-7.8,
Missing: The Other Side-8.3,
Uncanny counter S1 only °S1-8.4 S2-4,
Move To Heaven-8.4,
Daily Dose of Sunshine-7,
Birthcare Center-8.2,
Moving-8.5,
Awaken-8.7,
Anna-8.1,
Hymn of Death-8.4,
D.P.-8.4,
The Cursed 8.3,
Flower of Evil 8.9,
The Man from Nowhere 8.9,
Mr. Sunshine-9,
Oldboy-9,
The Wailing-8.8,
Black 9,
Sweet Home 8.4
Consider a 🇨🇳Chinese 🎎/🔮 fantasy feature: The Romance of Tiger and Rose 9.8, Love Between Fairy and Devil 8.9, Love and Redemption 10 or 🇯🇵Japanese romcoms: Maid Sama 10, Mischievous Kiss Love in Tokyo 7.8, Love, Chunibyo And Other Delusions 8.4, or Toradora 8.5
At school, some girls are having a discussion. ‘You know there are students… selfies, photos, & video clips is where they show up, and nobody knows who they are. Every class has empty seats. I think that's where they're sitting. They have to be ghosts.’ Hyeon is mortified.
LS is a 2024 release that is rated 89 on AWiki. It is 1 season consisting of just 8 51-minute episodes. This is the fledgling directing effort of Kim Hee Won who had roles in many features, including Misaeng-9.1 & Moving-8.5. Screenwriter Kang Full co-wrote Moving-8.5, among others. LS is sleepy and hypnotic. It's also scary, but with a dreamlike quality that mutes the fright. It's not agitating. Straightaway, the opening credits are eerily beautiful. I think it's the way things look to the ghosts that haunt the alley. Ep1 is lite bites from varied small plates. It's a sampler. Ep2 is more of the same. They will tie it all together later. In eps1-4 we meet the players, dead and alive. In ep5 we'll meet the ghosts as they lived. Watch to the end. Ep8 is your reward.
“I never noticed the light shop during the day, but it really stands out at night as it's so bright. Are you always open this /late/?” “You could say that.” In between vignettes, customers are coming in and out of the light shop. Jung Won Yeong (Ju Ji Hoon from Kingdom-8.3) is the mysterious proprietor behind the counter in dark glasses. He's all perfunctorily business-like with the patrons until a schoolgirl enters. They're old friends. He offers Hyeon some candy. She mentions that his shop is the only reason she can walk on the street. Otherwise, she'd be too scared: There's rumors of a ghost there! He studies her quietly for quite a while. ‘It seems like you can see things that most people cannot,’ he cautions Hyeon. “It's important that you look at people very closely and if you see something that isn't ordinary, just act like you haven't seen anything. It's best to not let those that you shouldn't be able to see notice that you see them at all. But if they do, make sure you act like nothing important is going on and that you haven't noticed…”
One can't help but notice, it's an all-star cast, folks.
Park Bo Young (Oh My Ghost-10, Strong Woman Do Bong Soon) plays ICU nurse Kwon Yeong Ji. She had an NDE of her own. She's been to the light shop, as not only the dead pass by there, but also the nearly dead. She's met the proprietor. She does everything she can to guide her patients to the light and WILL them to live.
Lee Jung Eun (Oh My Ghost-10, Parasite-9, Our Blues-8.5) is probably my favorite actress right now. She portrays Jung Yu Hui, the mother of Hyeon (Shin Eun Soo from Twinkling Watermelon). Hyeon has an emotional scene with her mother, and she's fantastic. Ms Lee & Mr. Ju put on a non-verbal acting master's class in ep8. I teared up. I recently watched Ju Ji Hoon in Blood Free-8.5 as a romantic ML. He looks meaner, younger, overall completely differently, and it was released in the same year. Here, he looks more ancient and less handsome.
Park Hyuk Kwon (Wonderful World-7.8, Uncle Samsik-8.4) is a bus driver. His performance in Mine-8, is unforgettable. Kim Ki Hae (Duty after School) is a student who seems to be lost. Kim Dae Myung (Misaeng-9.1, Hospital Playlist-9) plays one cool but, according to the detective (Bae Sung Woo), very suspicious short order cook. Kim Seol Hyun (Summer Strike, Awaken-8.7) plays the woman with a suitcase. She spends almost the entire show with long wet hair. Uhm Tae Goo (A Taxi Driver) plays her fiance, Min. Kim Min Ha (The Call, Pachinko) portrays Yun Seon Hae & Kim Seon Hwa (My ID Is Gangnam Beauty-7.5, The Glory) portrays Park Hye Won. There's nowhere to go for them to feel comfortable in their relationship.
LS, on paper, may not be anything particularly special. The script is well written but perhaps not a standout on its own. What makes LS brighter than most offerings in the genre is the superb artistry and acting - it's expertly crafted. Sets, camera angles, cadence, crepuscular light & shadows - it's moving art. The light shop is, at the same time, warm but not too bright, with a variety of lights, lamps, and bulbs. Some are beautiful, some are common. It's hard to describe how the light shop makes me feel. Most of the shots feel closed in and close up. We got a couple pans around, but most shots feel linear and claustrophobic. All I can say is that it's both pretty and unsettling.
LS is old-timey and almost gothic. Is that because the street that the light shop is on is a set? It evokes Hitchcok, being mysterious & soporific. Its cadence is practically narcotic, but it breaks out with genuine scares. There's a big-budget bus crash, which is a big part of the plot. The tall lady ghost in ep2 is super creepy. At one point the detective's eyes are loose. He shakes his head and they move around- it's super freaky. (The Guardians of the Netherworld have reptilian eyes. It feels a little passe but we'll give them a pass). In an ominous touch, a shot of stormy skies fades out and a handprint or clasping fingers fade into a chilling effect. It's super-eerie.
We will frequently see the wet haired Lee Ji Yeong sewing, or weaving some stitches. The whole show is weaved together. Be patient because ep8 is the payoff. These beings are living solitary existences, for the most part. We find out that they're more interrelated than it first appears.
The will to live, or the lack thereof, is the theme. The funeral director looks at his assistant and asks: “Do you know why it is that we hold a three-day wake?” Koreans have had this custom for centuries, he explains. They want to give the dead 3 days to wake back up. (Theologians say: “hmmm”). It's their final goodbye, and a final chance to be reunited with the lost. “Not just the living say goodbye,” he surmises, “but also the dead.” The other theme, obviously, is to not let your light go out. As long as you are alive, let your light shine so that others may also find the way. This is embodied by nurse Kwon. She received a second chance at life and she's not going to waste it.
LS is no waste of time. It's got an old soul while still feeling crisp and fresh. It embodies the longing of humans and the persistent feeling that this life is not all there is. It also reflects the desperation of people living in a pressure cooker society that, with the 3rd highest suicide rate in the entire world, Korea currently is. Park Hye Won & Yun Seonones wish to stay in that dark, creepy alley. It's the first place where they can live together comfortably as a couple. It makes me sad to see people who have been so pressured that their dreams are small. The longer I live, the less appealing this world of woe is. When I think of eternity, I want to experience perfection. The end of misery, sickness, and death. If we'll shine as brightly as possible, perhaps we can get a better taste of the possibilities now.
QUOTE🗣 The light is nice.
IMHO〰🖍
📣8.6 📝8 🎭9 💓5 🦋2 🎨9 🎵/🔊8.5 🔚8.5 🤗7 ▪ 🌞5⚡5 😅1 😭6.5 😱3.5 😯3 🤢4 🤔6 💤0
Age 15+ Language: he!!, f💣, $h!+ - not much but with some regularity. Scary elements, violence, adult themes; Rated 15+
Re-📺? The performances call for it
In order of ~lite&trite~ to ~heavy&serious~ you may also like:
🌐💘 -
Oh My Ghost 10,
It's Okay Not To Be Okay 9,
Familiar Wife-8.5,
Move To Heaven-8.4,
My Liberation Diary-8.9,
My Mister 9.5,
⚡/🚀 -
Flex X Cop-8.5,
Mystic Pop-up Bar-8.2,
Hotel del Luna-8.4,
Glitch-8,
Inspector Koo-8.4,
A Korean Odyssey-7.2,
The Golden Spoon-8.1,
The First 1st Responders-7.8,
Missing: The Other Side-8.3,
Uncanny counter S1 only °S1-8.4 S2-4,
Move To Heaven-8.4,
Daily Dose of Sunshine-7,
Birthcare Center-8.2,
Moving-8.5,
Awaken-8.7,
Anna-8.1,
Hymn of Death-8.4,
D.P.-8.4,
The Cursed 8.3,
Flower of Evil 8.9,
The Man from Nowhere 8.9,
Mr. Sunshine-9,
Oldboy-9,
The Wailing-8.8,
Black 9,
Sweet Home 8.4
Consider a 🇨🇳Chinese 🎎/🔮 fantasy feature: The Romance of Tiger and Rose 9.8, Love Between Fairy and Devil 8.9, Love and Redemption 10 or 🇯🇵Japanese romcoms: Maid Sama 10, Mischievous Kiss Love in Tokyo 7.8, Love, Chunibyo And Other Delusions 8.4, or Toradora 8.5
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