(2006, 114 min)
Country: Korea
Director: Hee-il Leesong
Studio: Here!, Liberation Entertainment
SYNOPSIS:
One of the finest gay films to ever emerge from Asia, No Regret tells the story of a wealthy man
who falls obsessively in love and lust with a poor artist who resorts to prostitution to support himself.
No Regret is hauntingly erotic and splendidly lyrical.
REVIEW:
Hauntingly erotic and splendidly lyrical, this new movie from South Korea is the leading film in a
gorgeous wave of queer film to emerge from this previously repressive Asian country. Reportedly made for
under $100,000, No Regret is made rich with its moving story of gay love and filmic expertise
seldom seen in low budget cinema.
Sumin (Young Hoon-Lee) is an orphan with ambitions. He works two jobs in order to study at art school
and pay his bills. His night job is limo driver, day job at a factory. One night he picks up Jaemin
(Han Lee), a young, very handsome drunken businessman at a bar and brings the man home. Jaemin
propositions the young driver who rebuffs his advances and simply tries to get the man home safely for
the night.
The next day at work Jaemin is part of a tour at Sumin’s factory and he spots the young man
immediately. Unbeknownst to Sumin, Jaemin is the boss’s son and there is to a round of layoffs – Sumin
is set to lose his position. Jaemin intervenes to save his new friend’s job, but Jaemin refuses the
assistance. He’s poor but proud, not about to accept the favors of a wealthy man – favors that may
have strings attached. Instead, out of desperation, Sumin takes a job at a high end hustler bar
prostituting himself. Jaemin tracks Sumin to his new job and becomes obsessed with the young man.
He pays for sex with Sumin and follows him around like a sick puppy dog.
With its heavy doses of gay eroticism and matter-of-fact treatment of homo themes, No Regret is
a true breakthrough in Korean cinema. Not a walk in the park, this stunning Korean masterwork is sure to
become a lasting classic.
(Korean with English subtitles)
-- Scott Cranin
