The 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) is set to open with the world premiere of “The Table: Day and Night,” directed by acclaimed filmmaker Kim Jong-kwan. This latest addition to Kim’s portfolio continues to explore the delicate intricacies of human relationships, further establishing his reputation for filming quiet emotional narratives.
Exploring Love Through a Café Lens
“The Table: Day and Night” follows four couples as they navigate different stages of love within the same café over a summer and autumn. The film employs low-key, conversational scenes to articulate the nuances of each relationship. Among the featured couples are Yoo-jin (Kim Minha) and Hyeon-oh (Joo Jong-hyuk), who serendipitously cross paths after visiting the café at different times of day. Also included are Sang-mi (Han Sun-hwa) and Young-min (Chang Ryul), whose unexpected reunion as middle school friends sparks new emotions; the creative connection between web novelist Hye-jin (Shim Eun-kyung) and independent filmmaker Dong-nam (Lee Hee-jun); and the bittersweet moment shared by idol trainee Na-kyeong (Jeon So-young) and her boyfriend Jong-su (Kim Dong-hwi). The café serves as a dynamic backdrop, highlighting the characters’ voices, temperaments, and idiosyncrasies in a brisk, engaging manner.
A Flourishing Career
Kim Jong-kwan first garnered attention with his 2004 short, “How to Operate a Polaroid Camera,” which won the jury’s special prize at the Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival. Since then, his trajectory has included various shorts, culminating in his feature debut “Come, Closer” in 2010. His profile surged higher with “Worst Woman” (2016), which was awarded the Fipresci Prize at the Moscow International Film Festival. The director has continued to build a remarkable body of work with films such as “The Table” (2016), “Josée” (2020), and “Shades of the Heart” (2021), in addition to contributions to the Netflix series “Persona” (2019), “Vestige” (2022), and “The Killers” (2024).
A Continuation of The Table’s Themes
In “The Table: Day and Night,” Kim revisits the four-stories-one-space structure he employed in “The Table,” which was featured in the Korean Cinema Today – Panorama section at BIFF in 2016. BIFF, in a statement, praised the film: “The Table: Day and Night is an elegant and assured film in which the cinematic interests, style, perspective, and world that Kim Jong-kwan has persistently explored as a filmmaker reach a provisional culmination. Without relying on excessive setups or dramatic turns, its greatest merit lies in how thoughtfully it captures the unique inner voices and emotions of its characters, as well as the subtle shifts in their relationships.”
Ensemble Cast and Upcoming Projects
Featuring a strong ensemble cast, including Kim Minha, Joo Jong-hyuk, Han Sun-hwa, Chang Ryul, Shim Eun-kyung, Lee Hee-jun, Jeon So-young, and Kim Dong-hwi, the film showcases both established actors and promising newcomers. The chemistry among the cast members enhances the emotive depth of the storytelling. In addition to the premiere of “The Table: Day and Night” at BIFF, Kim is also preparing for the local release of his upcoming film, “Frosted Window.”
Festival Dates
The 31st Busan International Film Festival will take place from October 6 to 15, with the 21st Asian Contents & Film Market occurring from October 10 to 13.
