The Power of Kangwon Province

The beautiful mountains of South Korea's Kangwon Province provide a popular getaway for stressed-out residents of Seoul. The first segment of this two-part drama centers on a trio of young women, one of whom, Ji-sook (Oh Yun-hong), is very sensitive about the recent demise of her latest love affair. During their trip, she has a heated argument with her two companions. Later, she returns to the mountains to be near a handsome young cop they encountered there (Kim Yu-seok). The second story (occurring simultaneously with the first, though this is not readily apparent to viewers until later) follows university lecturer Sang-kwon (Baek Jong-hak) on his vacation. Accompanied by his friend, he rides the same train as the girls, visits many of the same locations, and witnesses the same events. Like Ji-sook (who just may have been his most recent girlfriend), Sang-kwon has an almost-affair with a woman he meets. When that fails, he employs a prostitute. This sophomore effort from filmmaker Hong Sang-soo (The Day a Pig Fell Into the Well), played at several international film festivals, including Cannes, Montreal, and Pusan in 1998.~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide