Crush and Blush

Colour, 35 mm
South Korea, 2008, 101 min
Section: Another View

Synopsis

The central character of this South Korean anti-romantic comedy is an unpopular and unattractive teacher from a girls’ high school, nicknamed by the students Mrs. Radish. Whenever she is on the spot, she turns bright red, something which happens quite often due to her excessive reserve. Nevertheless, even outsiders have their dreams and Mrs. Radish thinks longingly of an older colleague, her secret love since she was his student. Platonic desire suddenly transforms into a radical tactical battle when the heroine’s rival at work proves to be her rival in love as well. The conflict of contending desires gradually widens to include other characters until it leads to an all-out final confrontation. This subtly cheerful ode to an outsider owes its power to the refreshingly egocentric main character. In harmony with her visage, the narration relies on a certain stylized hysteria.

About the director

Lee Kyoung-mi (b. 1973, South Korea) studied film at Korean National University of Arts, where she shot two highly-awarded shorts: Audition (2003) and Feel Good Story (Jal dwaega? Mueosideun, 2004, winner of an unprecedented number of domestic prizes). On the basis of her work, director Park Chan-wook selected the fledgling filmmaker to assistant direct his international success Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (Chinjeolhan Geum-ja ssi, 2005). His production company then helped with her feature debut Crush and Blush (2008), with Park serving as producer and co-scriptwriter. The movie took Blue Dragon Film Awards, given exclusively to popular films, in the categories of Best New Director and Best Screenplay.