April Snow (2005) User Reviews

A Good Film

[shayewh · 8/10 · 10 August 2006]

"April Snow" is only the fourth Korean film I have seen and it has transformed my budding interest in that country's cinema to outright obsession. The simplicity and intimacy of the camera work piqued my interest and the two leads -- the movie's only significant characters -- held me there. Ye-jin Son and Yong-jun Bae moved me effortlessly from one emotional swell to another as they found solace, revenge and perhaps more? -- in each other. The question of how they can care for their adulterous comatose spouses falls quickly away as they silently wonder if, through this tragedy and betrayal, they might have found something wonderful.

Sad, lovely and surprisingly sensual, I highly recommend "April Snow" to those who have the slightest interest/curiosity in Asian cinema.

Quiet, realistic look at pain

[simon_booth · 8/10 · 17 March 2007]

Take IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE but have the protagonists meet when their spouses are in a serious car crash, don't be so bloody obtuse about the whole thing, and you're on way to making APRIL SNOW. Writer/director Hur Jin-Ho is certainly not a cheerful chap, with his trilogy of seasonally-named films each taking a depressing scenario and quietly exploring the characters' pain... yet somehow his films don't end up actually being depressing. The situation could easily lend itself to melodrama (and the soundtrack seems like it wants to go there), but the characters and emotions feel too real and natural.

Although the plot of the film is essentially very predictable, it's all about the details... the unassuming direction places the actors in the spotlight - a light that pierces right into the characters, and requires superb performances from the cast. Luckily Bae Yong-Joon and the gorgeous Son Ye-Jin are capable of delivering exactly that.

Very well crafted and enjoyable, though not so innovative as ONE FINE SPRING DAY.

A Nutshell Review: April Snow

[DICK STEEL · 8/10 · 12 October 2005]

The role of the mobile phone, in the making of and destruction of romantic relationships. Hands up, those of you who have used it to flirt, and keep your hands there if you have an archive of secret messages stashed away in one of the electronic folders of your phone's memory. Password protection, afraid of someone dear chancing upon them, aren't you? Bae Yong-jun (geeks of the world, rejoice!) stars as In-su, a man whose wife met with an accident. Terribly shaken, he sees his spouse in the hospital intensive care unit, in a comatose state. Unknowingly, he meets a woman Seo-young (classic beauty Son Ye-jin) at the ward, whose husband too, was involved in the same accident. Slowly, they discover that their spouses were cheating behind their backs, thereby giving both another blow to their emotions.

I'm not really a fan of the bespectacled Bae, but in this film, he has demonstrated his acting prowess somewhat, if not already seen by most fans in his famed TV series Winter Sonata. You see the pain of a man who has dawned upon the knowledge of being betrayed by a spouse, the sadness emoting through his eyes when he reads SMS from the strayed spouse to her lover, and the intolerance viewing the video clip of their tryst in a hotel room. Here's a man who had lived in a web of adulterous deceit.

And in the same boat, Son Ye-jin, ever so vulnerable as the clueless housewife Seo-young, who suffers silently while awaiting for her husband to awaken from his coma. On one hand, she hates him for what he has done, but on the other, still dutifully cares for him. And this duality and fighting of emotions for their respective spouses ring through the state of confusion both In-su and Seo-young are in.

Sure, they want to seek revenge, which I suppose is a normal human reaction in these circumstances, but how? The other party's spouse happens to be a victim too, and hereby lies the dilemma in the inability to exact sweet justice. Or can they? As they meet up more often, by chance or otherwise, to have someone to talk to, to spend time with, to have meals together, each becomes the pillar of strength for the other, while they seek to unravel the rationale of their spouses' illicit affair.

A drunken slip of the tongue became the foreplay, and it's no rocket science that they decide to express their emotions in a physical manner, as promoted in the trailers. Note that I did not mention "love". It doesn't seem so at this point - their body language seemed more like strangers, their movements awkward. It's like for the purpose of releasing pent-up anger and frustration, of getting back and for the sake of getting even. Twisted; weird. Love? No.

But Love, probably, did creep in after a while. But you question if this is love out of convenience, of being there for the other person, just like the other is there for you, in dire straits? And in an attempt to steer this controversial romance theme (Two wrongs don't make a right - love borne out of an affair) into more mainstream acceptance, the filmmakers brought in Fate to decide - to have something identifiable between the two leads, for them to make the decision on their plausible future. Hence the title.

But the one scene which stood out for me, is the one where the confrontation is held. There isn't a need to ask point blank questions. A side remark in passing, and you'll come to understand whether it's worth burying the hatchet, or not.

And it's kinda back to full circle, as the mobile device which destructed one side of the relationship, ended up nurturing another. Such is the electronic era we live and cope in.

A beautiful film (Contains Spoilers)

[gretafye12201978 · 27 July 2009]

From the comments of others on this board, it seems that they are quite confused about the ending; but if you pay close attention, you will see that the ending is very clear: In-Su leaves his unfaithful wife, and reunites with Seo-Young. There are many clues that lead up to this:

1) At one point, when In-Su and Seo-Young are talking about their favorite season of the year, Seo-Young says "Spring" and In-Su says "Winter". Then, as a way of pleasing both of them, he says that it should snow in spring. And she laughs and says "Yeah, like that's ever going to happen". (Keep this scene in mind for later.)

2) When In-Su tells his wife in her hospital room that her lover has died, she breaks down sobbing, and then you see him stepping outside her hospital room closing the door behind him while you hear his wife's sobs. That indicates that he is closing the door on his marriage and leaving it behind.

3) In some versions of this movie, there is a scene showing In-Su briefly back together with his wife (this scene was cut from the US version of the movie). However, the reconciliation didn't work out, and I suppose that's the reason this scene was cut, as it really seems unnecessary.

4) Much later, we see In-Su alone in a room surrounded by boxes, indicating that he has recently moved to a new place (away from his wife) and is now living alone.

5) Finally, in the middle of April (Spring) In-Su looks up and sees the snow coming down. At the same time Seo-Young looks out the window and sees the same thing. The fact that it's snowing in Spring, is a sign to both of them that their love is meant to be (remember the scene I mentioned above). Then we hear the phone ring... (representing In-Su calling Seo-Yeong).

6) Immediately thereafter, you see a car moving, and although you don't see who's inside, you hear In-Su's voice asking "where do you want to go" and you hear Seo-Young's voice responding "wherever you want to go". They end up together at the end!

Married people will surely like this film ! Young boys and young girls too.

[FilmCriticLalitRao · 7/10 · 12 June 2007]

South Korean director Hur Jin Ho is unique. At a time when most of the Korean directors are making more or less violent, thriller films,he has decided to follow his own path. This can make viewers aware that as a filmmaker he likes to do something different. That is why he likes to make romantic films. This is fine as 2 of his previous films "Christmas in August", "One fine spring day" have been very soft,lovely,a bit melodramatic and pure romantic films. This is also the case of "April Snow". It is a film which would immensely appeal to both boys as well as girls.Yeah, it would captivate married people too.The film is a pure reflection on what love is. Of course, love experienced under normal circumstances is good. However any kind of love experienced under pain,bitterness, trouble or hardship is the truest,everlasting love and is pure in all its form. This is the main premise of this film. For those who have seen "In the mood for love" by Wong Kar Wai there is something in store. What it is ? Just go and watch this film.

Snow, Silence and a Slow-Burning Romance..

[Valar_MorghuIis · 7/10 · 6 May 2014]

After a long time I've seen a romance movie that does not seem like a piece of fiction to me.. what I love the most about this movie is the development of the relationship between the two people.. the way their budding relation evolved taking time & patience was convincingly believable.. and also that how perfectly their body languages were in harmony with their intimacy level at that particular stage of their relationship..

Dialogs are few and one needs to pay attention to so many subtle details in each and every scene.. the psychology of multi-layered characters torn between contradictory sentiments, their restrain and painful outbursts and a struggle for solace.. the delicate treatment of highly dramatic events and complex emotions make it feel so close to reality..

Throughout the movie there is an air of melancholy that never lifts till the end.. filmed in muted colors, aided by the heartrending soundtrack accompanied with a more than perfect use of silence.. one feels like a quiet observer of their sadness.. perhaps some people may find it boring because of its slow pace and few dialogs but for me this is the most preferred and adored setting for a romantic movie for sure..

What do You Want to Do?

[Meganeguard · 7/10 · 8 January 2006]

One day while preparing the lights for a concert, In-su receives a phone call that informs him that his wife has been in a car accident and that she is in a coma. Things go from bad to worse when he learns that not only was his wife drunk but she was also in the company of another man. In-su's suspicions that his wife was having an affair become even stronger when he calls her workplace, he thought she was away on business, and learns that his wife was on vacation when the accident occurred.

During this trying time, In-su meets Seo-young, the young wife of his wife's lover. The two are quite repulsed by each other at first, but they have to stay within each other's proximity for the time being because their spouses are at the same hospital. Seo-young's husband is also in a coma. After recovering their respective spouse's belongings from the police station, both In-su and Seo-young learn about their spouses adulterous affair through electric devices: In-su through his wife's cell phone and Seo-young through her husband's cell phone and a camera. The couple's text messages proved their infidelity with such lines as "I'm worn out from last night." With their lives torn to shreds, In-su and Seo-young reside in the same hotel and care for their comatose spouses. They begin to see each other more often outside of the hospital and of course they become affectionate for each other. However, can a romance like this truly last when the danger of a spouse coming to looms? The story told in April Snow is nothing new. It is one that has been told time and time again in films and novels. However, April Snow adds new blood to this prosaic theme. Filmed in muted colors the film has an air of melancholy that never lifts throughout the entire film. Aided by the beautiful soundtrack one feels like a quiet observer of the sadness In-su and Seo-young experience when they learn of the affair and one can feel the light of hope they experience when they find joy in each other's arms. Add in a few love scenes that are erotic without showing the naughty bits April Snow, while not a wonderful film by any means, is a decent film that can tug at the heart strings and make one wonder how well one truly knows their significant other.

Star vehicle without a proper ending

[phd_travel · 6/10 · 1 April 2020]

The star quality of Som Ye Jin is apparent from this 2005 movie with then leading Korean romantic actor Bae Young Joon. There was a Harrison Ford movie like this which wasn't good because the two leads weren't good as romantic leads. In this movie the two stars are attractive so you root for them together. The love scenes are more explicit than expected for a Korean movies. The ambiguity of the ending is annoying.

Very satisfying

[jeansheridan · 8/10 · 11 November 2008]

Yes, it's a bit like Random Hearts and I guess In the Mood for Love, but I liked the realism of it. I liked that they had a reason to stay near each other because their spouses needed tending (best looking coma victims, ever!). I like a bit of logic in my romances.

I really enjoyed the lead actress. In the few Korean movies I've seen, the lead actresses always seem too done-up (hair, make-up, perfect clothes and shoes). This actress was just a bit messier and a bit more average in her appearance, which made her all the more attractive. I could relate to her numb anger. She's mad, but she also has an ill husband to watch over. I like too that she's the one who approaches the other man first. That she reaches out and doesn't stay all locked up in her grief. I hope I can find more movies she's been in.

My favorite moment at the very beginning is when she spots the condom in the basket and just freezes and knows. She just knows in that instant. And he just grabs it to hide it away.

It was romantic without going over the top. Very cool.

An affair in a more mature and realistic manner

[shu-fen · 6/10 · 25 December 2006]

Very quickly "In the Mood for Love" and "Random Hearts" rushed into my head while I was seeing Oechul, all three talk about cross-affair between two couples.

RH truly makes me feel impatient because from story to acting, I find nothing impressive about it at all. ML is a refined and likable miniature that lures you to watch it again and again, get closer and closer (yet you may fear you get too close to it) for the beauty on the screen and also the music. And this Korean affair is one that makes you think about it once in a while even without any desire to watch it again.

It is an uncommon story on two ordinary lives. The story is uncommon as its English title displays "April Snow", we do not have much snow in springtime. Ordinary is that we have no "rare" figures like Congresswoman or fiction writer but ordinary people, concert technician and housewife. (Which probability is higher: bumping into a housewife or a Congresswoman in the street?) The affair is a controlled spark, and unplanned sweet-bitter "revenge", a quiet but unforgettable episode just happens to take place at a point of their lifetime. It is an unexpected affair out from an unexpected accident of a premeditated affair. Tranquillity is the specialty of the director. All though out the film, serenity rules, even the struggle at separation (the bye-bye moment) and the embarrassment at the husband's funeral are dealt with an uneventful presentation, though their sobs for losing their love really cut one's heart.

Both the endings of ML and Oechul are highly realistic in Asian culture: reunites with the spouse after the doom. Marriage in conservative cultures is generally handled with a more serious grip and tolerance. The film exhibits how mature and sensible can people manage their passion in real life. Perhaps we should feel happy for the two persons in RH. They are far much luckier as their unfaithful spouses have already been deservedly killed in the accident and the left-behinds do not have much to worry about if they decide to spend their lives together afterwards.

Other works on affair like "The Bridges of Madison County" and "Brief Encounter" also sprang up my head. Robert and Francesca, Alec and Laura cannot be together at the end of their lives. What different is Seo-young and In-su have higher chance, more hope to come together again because they have time and fewer constraint. After all, no one can tell how long the wife can bear living with her betrayed husband with "shame" and "guilt" as attachment.

Love Of The Common Man (And Woman)

[crossbow0106 · 8/10 · 11 June 2011]

This film's presence is simple but effective: After hearing that two people, a man and a woman, were involved in a very serious car accident, their respective spouses rush to the hospital. They find out that these two people were having an affair. Since they had to stay in a hotel while their spouses remain in comas, they see each other all the time and eventually begin having their own affair. The good thing about this film is how director Jin-ho Hur makes this not only believable a premise but also makes it seem completely natural. However, he needed good actresses to make his vision work and he found them: Yong-joon Bae plays the husband of the crash victim and the quite pretty (actually, both are good looking)Ye-jin Son the wife. Both take this necessarily slow moving film to a very dangerous but somehow natural place. The film has a refreshing subtlety, and the film is shot beautifully, great cinematography. While not a great film, it certainly conveys the themes of sadness, betrayal and eventually lust quite well. I would recommend this, it kept my interest throughout.

Not something from the 60's

[Spuzzlightyear · 6/10 · 9 October 2005]

This is a rather simple movie that I'm not 100% sure works or not. When a man and a woman get into a car accident, their corresponding spouses go to the hospital, but trouble brews when they figure out that the two were having an affair. While they talk (and talk) about what happened between their spouses, they TOO start getting frisky with each other, and they have an affair. But then, one of their spouses wakes up from their coma.

So what you have here is a weird hybrid of the 60's swingers movie. I really did like the premise of the movie, and the lead actors are all great, the main problem here was the story is handled in the most extreme schmaltzy way possible, with plot turns that you can see from a mile away. (eg this love is doomed from the start!)

Third time reasonably lucky

[harry_tk_yung · 21 September 2005]

"Oechu", or "Wae Chu" according to the Toronto IFF, means "going out". The English title for both Toronto and Hong Kong is "April Snow". It seems that director Hur Jin-ho has a high awareness of the seasons as the titles of his two previous movies were "Christmas in August" (1998) and "One fine spring day" (2001).

To many regular viewers of Korean movies (a few movies each year), "Christmas" was their first introduction and is still considered among the best (while the tombstones of those who died of boredom watching it would already be showing signs of weather erosion). "Spring" has mixed reviews, with many considering it a setback from "Christmas". "April snow" is sort of a comeback, although it does not have the depth of "Christmas" in which death is the subject matter rather than a plot device.

The plot of Oechu is simple. His wife and her husband, who are having an affair, got in an accident during their escapade and are both in a coma. Encountering at the hospital, they gradually find out that their respective spouses, who where college classmates, have been cheating on them. Starting with understandable animosity, they wind up falling in love.

The key to the success of the movie is the development of the relationship between these two people, which takes time and patience to render believable. With this director Hur has done a splendid job. For the critical turning point, he cleverly utilizes a situation where the two attend together the funeral of a third victim of the accident, a young chap. As the spouses of the careless drivers (it could not be established which one was driving), they obviously are met with extreme hostility from the family of the deceased. This incident creates the necessary empathy which breaks the ice between them.

There are some lovemaking scenes, which are more sensual than erotic. Very palpable together with the pleasure is also a sense of agony and pain. And those who think that these scenes are daring for a Korean movie have obviously not seen "Happy End" (1999).

One scene that left me with the deepest impression was when his father-in-law knocks on his hotel room door while they are in the room, not making love but simply enjoying being with each other. Millions of similar scenes must have been seen in movies and yet I've never seen one that moves me so deeply. There's light tension, but no panic, as he asks the father-in-law to wait a second, gathers her telltale belongings and leads her gently into the bathroom and closes the door, gently. He then meets the father-in-law at the door and suggests that they go out to lunch together. On the stairs, he asks the father-in-law to wait downstairs, saying that he has forgotten something. Back in the hotel room, he opens the washroom door. She is still standing there, coat in hand, looking very stoic. She then turns and faces him and very mildly, but reassuringly, says, "I'm OK". The scene ends in a light, affectionate embrace.

This scene says so much. There is nothing that they are ashamed of or need to hide, but tradition dictates that they should not be found together in his room. They face the situation together, with sensible and sensitive consideration for each other.

Since Lover's Concerto, Son Ye-jin has been the most sought after young Korean actresses. Personally, I think her most popular "Classic" (2003) is over-rated. "April snow" is where Son has attained a breakthrough in her performance.

Bae Yong-jun is a victim of his own popularity as I've seen more than one criticism of his acting that reflect the writers' "hate-celebrity" syndrome, from which I'm happily immune as I can't tell him apart from the guy next doors. The only other movie I've seen him in is "Untold Scandal" (2003), in which he wears a mustache and beard. In that picture he comes short, not having enough maturity and charisma to play a character brought to life by John Malkovich in "Dangerous Liaisons" (1998). He is much better cast here in "April snow" as a melancholy sort-of artist (stage light designer, particularly for concerts).

One thing I must say is that you'll be hard-pressed to find a better looking (in a very literal sense) Asian couple than this pair.

Love and everything else

[gothic_a666 · 8/10 · 26 August 2011]

'Oechul' takes a premise that may seem forced and elevates it to a heartfelt yet very sober movie. One of the strongest points is precisely the subtle treatment of highly dramatic events so that they feel closer to reality. Feelings are captured in a natural way that allows for their complexity to shine through.

All this goes into exploring the psychology of multi-layered characters. Torn between loyalties and wounded by betrayal, the main couple is placed in a highly stressful situation. Restrain and painful outbursts are tensely balanced. The budding relationship evolves with the natural flow of the cinematography, with increasingly intimate moments assisted by smart camera work.

There are also scenic shots of great beauty and an interesting play on outside scenes and inside ones. It all invokes an atmosphere charged with human emotion in which love is believable as a struggle for happiness. With a brilliant conclusion that ties in the title of 'April Snow' to the story, 'Oechul' is not to be missed and especially recommended to fans of romance that is true to life.

A winter with not end

[plinio-cabrera · 9/10 · 10 July 2008]

It is a Korean story which us of others about cross couples love affairs, but this has not the flamboyancy of American cinema, on the contrary it is a very peaceful film. Which at the end only "suggests" that the widower woman leaves "empty handed" and the guy (il cornutto) allows his unfaithful wife to decide their future.

Both lines are difficult to believe once one see how well the film main couple functions.

May be Asian conservative media would not show the evident end to this story and the director or producer decided to leave it sort of "unfinished".

My opinion is that "the end" is not shown in the film.

A simply beautiful film..........

[michaelquinn1966 · 10/10 · 22 August 2021]

I have become engrossed with Korean cinema and television of late and have watched many wonderful dramas and films but April Snow for me is on another level

It's just a beautiful love story, about how fate can bring unexpected love into your life. The film has very little dialogue but the chemistry between the two leads is a beautiful thing to watch, that matched with the slow burn building of their relationship and excellent cinematography just enhance the experience

It was also very refreshing to see such sensual and erotic love scenes, they were very well done and I would compare the first one to the lovemaking scene between George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez in Out of Sight, which for me is the absolute pinnacle of a sensual love scene put on film but this comes very close to it

I also loved the ending, which I believe makes it very clear that they end up together in the end, with a reversal of their conversation at the beach before they head to the hotel room for their first encounter.

Some reviewers have panned the film but for me it was just about perfect and a must watch for anyone who loves Korean cinema as I do.

An ok film

[casey8818 · 8/10 · 27 June 2021]

There was another Hollywood movie by Harrison Ford, forgot the title, same synopsis, husband (Ford) wife in horrific accident and she was cheating on him with the other man, also injured. He also got close to the man's wife.

The K version gets up close and personal with the respective wife and husband. Btw the characters are so good looking, they cheating couple must be out of their minds. As K movies tend to be, this is slow and agonizing, with long pauses. Had to deduct two points for this. Sometimes they even show an empty long corridor for whatever reason best known to the Director.

Good acting by the two main actors. The ending was inevitable. For die hard romantics maybe a stab in the heart?

A story of grief, betrayal and solace

[refresh_daemon · 8/10 · 5 July 2008]

April Snow is the third film by Corean melodrama auteur Hur Jin Ho and features none other than Bae Young Jun, whose turn in the popular Corean drama series "Winter Sonata" made him an icon of the Corean Wave exported all over Asia and sometimes further. However, since I couldn't bear watching the series, my only context for the Bespectacled One was his rather capable performance in the Corean adaptation of Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Untold Scandal.

The story is related to both the stories for In the Mood for Love and Random Hearts, in which two people come to realize that their spouses are having affairs with each other and in this shared knowledge, develop a relationship with each other. While I haven't seen Random Hearts, I can say that the same tensions that run through In the Mood for Love also run through April Snow, but they are different movies. April Snow is definitely a Hur movie, as it's primarily composed of moments of silence and watching the protagonists do what they do and seeing the subtle messages implied by how they do it.

One thing that struck me while watching the relationship form between the pair was just how aware they were of the irony of their situation and how their relationship was a sort of escape for them. A strong empathy pours out between the two characters as they deal with their grief and their betrayal. But all things are not even. While the Bespectacled One's character, In Ju, should be the primary protagonist, his performance was a little underplayed which allowed Son Ye Jin's Seo Young to capture more emotion and depth, and consequently steal the focus.

But, the pictures were gorgeous, the acting still good (again, Son Ye Jin really pulls it off), and the way that director Hur captures it all managed to remind me just how much I like his approach to storytelling. This is a quiet melodrama that, while reserved in expression, can't help but leak out the grief, pain, and longing in the two characters. I kind of the wish that the end of the movie cut back more like In the Mood for Love does, but I imagine that audiences more adapted to mainstream Hollywood fare will appreciate the degree of closure provided. While this isn't a masterwork like Hur's previous two films, it is still, I believe, a solid entry into his filmography. Great for lovers of art films. 8/10.

Hur Jin-ho film overshadowed by 'Yon-sama'

[Woody A · 8/10 · 20 September 2005]

With only two feature films, director Hur Jin-ho has won quite a huge following in Korea. Slow and quiet, his characters and stories gently let us the audience take a good look into the "things" of ordinary life. Actors and actresses in his films, no matter what level of movie-star status they may enjoy in the showbiz world, get to look and sound like your next-door neighbors in Hur's films...until this one.

Mr Bae Yong-jun or 'Yon-sama' as they call in Japan these days, should probably be a good actor, capable of leading an average romance movie. Unfortunately, however, his 'larger-than-life' fame as 'Yon-sama' makes it almost impossible for me (at least) to empathize with the character he plays, which is supposed to be an ordinary man going through a life's ordeal in this movie. I couldn't help feeling very sorry about the casting choice they had to make. Throughout the movie, I kept wondering what if such and such played this role (anyone else would have been better for that matter). What I expected to see was a Hur Jin-ho film but alas...'Yon-sama' overshadows it way too much.