BURNING/ BEEONING

Korea, 2018, 148 minutes, Colour.
Ah-in Yoo, Steven Yeuen, Jong-seo Jun.
Directed by Chang-dong Lee.

One audience’s classic might be another audience’s non-classic. This has been the case with Burning.

Burning has won extensive critical acclaim and awards. It is a Korean version of the Japanese short story, The Burning Barn, by Haruki Murakami. In fact, the story has been immersed in contemporary Korean society, including the proximity to North Korea, the cultural and social developments of the last decades.

At the centre of the story is a young man, Jong-su, who has studied in college, his ambitions to write, takes on odd jobs, but lives and works out on a farm managed by his father (who is something of a rogue, appears in court trials which his son attends, alienates his son). By chance, at a busy market, he encounters a young woman from his younger years growing up, Hae-mi, who arranges for him to win a prize in a marketing raffle, dates him before she goes off to travels in Africa.

The audience is not sure where this introduction to the young man is going to lead.

However, with Hai-mi’s return from Africa and the introduction to her friend, Ben, Jong-su is tantalised. Attracted to Hae-mi, yet scandalised by her moments of exhibitionism, puzzled by Ben who confides in him that his hobby is setting fire to greenhouses around the countryside, threatening to burn one near Jong su’s house, Jong-su is confused, ready to be obsessed.

When Hai-mi seems to disappear, Jong-su is suspicious of Ben and starts to follow him, driving out the countryside, following his car, visiting greenhouses, even momentarily setting alight to one before extinguishing the fire.

Audiences might guess that this is all going to lead to unravelling of a mystery, some kind of confrontation, possibly violence, especially as Jong-su begins to show more rigid judgmentalism in his approach to people.

Words used to describe the impact of Burning include riveting and mesmerising, a 2 ½ hour feature film absorbing attention and analysis of the central character. For those who have not been riveted or mesmerised, the experience, which can be appreciated intellectually, can be laborious, even alienating at times.

This divided audience response has happened to many classics.

1. A claim for the film? Critical praise?

2. The title, the Japanese novel, the Burning Barn? Transfer to Korea and Korean society?

3. Audiences divided, some finding the film mesmerising and riveting, others and engaged? Pace of the film, character delineation, situations?

4. The locations, the city, the market, shops, the farm of the cows, the countryside? The roads? The views? The musical score?

5. Jong-su, his smoking and the introduction, a portrait of him? Walking, the encounter with the glamorous girls at the store, the raffle, engineered, his winning the watch, giving it to Hae-mi? Their dates, talking, remembering the past? Her pursuit of him? The encounters, the sexual encounter? Her going on the trip, the return, his meeting her, the introduction to Ben? The visit to the country house, smoking the pot, naked? Jong-su and his questioning her about this freedom? The story of going down the well, the hours, his rescuing her? The mother not verifying the story, the local later talking about the dry well?

6. Jong-su, his mother, her leaving, his father and anger issues, in court, Jong-su watching in court? The work at home? His studies? His planning a novel? The relationship with Hae-mi, sexual, falling in love, the return from the trip, the discussions, her exhibitionism, the effect? His reaction to Ben, Ben and his visits? Their talk, Ben and his story of setting greenhouses alight? That he would burn a greenhouse near Jong-su? Jong-su and his travelling the countryside, looking at the greenhouses, the momentary attempt to light one? His following the car, out into the countryside, stalking Ben? Ben confronting him, invitiing him into the party, the guests and their talk, Jong-su discovering Hae-mi’s watch? Leaving?

7. Beg,’s Ben, smug, the relationship with Hae-mi, his girlfriends, lavish apartment, his car, his discussion of the greenhouses with Jong-su? Playing verbal games?

8. Jong-su and the search for Hae-mi, in the church, the shops, discovering her debts, the mother and family?

9. The sudden call from his mother, their meeting, 16 years absence, her wanting money?

10. His dreams, the fantasies, sexual, his being a loner?

11. The final confrontation with Ben, killing him, naked, burning the car?

12. The film is a portrait of Jong-su? The picture of Korean society and the references, North Korea, Donald Trump, the courts, tensions? Jong-su as a symbol of Korea?