Jil-too-neun na-euh heem (2002)

English title: Jealousy Is My Middle Name
Literally translated title: Jealousy Is My Strength
Gender of the writer-director: female

*spoilers below*
Wonsang, a graduate student, gets a job at a literary magazine whose editor had an affair with his ex-girlfriend. Wonsang starts a relationship with Seongyeon, the magazine's newly hired photographer, who also sleeps with Yunsik, the rude and womanizing editor. At home, Wonsang is coveted by his landlord's daughter, who has family problems -- her father has dementia and her brother shows early signs of it. At work, Wonsang volunteers to do small favors to his boss Yunsik, and the latter starts relying more and more on Wonsang, and getting closer and closer to him on a personal level. Wonsang devotes so much time to Yunsik that this begins to harm his studies and he is unable to deliver his graduation work on time. Also, he is increasingly besieged by his landlord's daughter, who, after having slept with him, pressures him to marry her. His ex-girlfriend tries to reapproach him, but he rebuffs her attempts. He also eventually breaks up with Seongyeon and with his landlord's daughter. Yunsik decides to quit the magazine and start his own, and invites Wonsang to work with him. He also invites Wonsang to live as a guest in his house, where Yunsik's wife and pre-adolescent daughter live as well. In one of the last sequences of the film, Wonsang tries to engage in conversation with Yunsik's daughter, who does not respond; Wonsang eventually leaves the room saying that he hoped they would become good friends.
*end of spoilers*

People who read me must be getting tired of me saying this, but I must say I did not like this movie, although I must admit that it is well-made in regards to scene staging and acting. The overall purpose, to all appearances, is to build up an ominous atmosphere through the most banal of situations. The big problem is that the actions of the protagonist just do not make a whole lot of sense. He must have taken that "Revenge is a dish best served cold" saying in a manner a bit too extreme; also, the wrongdoings he suffered were a bit too mild, to say the least. Also, what does he intend to do? Does it involve his boss's daughter? Everything is very vague. There is even a hint that Yunsik has actually grown into a father, or maybe older-brother, figure to him. Who knows? And, as someone pointed out, who cares?

Rating: 38