Hyung-man is in his fifties and has regrettably never dated. After having lost all his, Hyung spends his monotonous and frustrating life in his photo studio. One day, Hyung decides to pay his fraudulent friend, Ki-hyuk, a visit, after having heard that he is dying of cancer. Ki-hyuk requests that Hyung look after his daughter, Nam-eun, once in a while after he dies. After Ki-yuk passes away, Hyung decides to visit his friend’s daughter. Noticing that Nam is more distressed over the death of her pet cat than her father, Hyung decides to look after her once in a while. Nam-eun too finds her father’s silly and unmarried friend quite interesting. Using Hyung’s dirty laundry as an excuse, Nam frequently visits Hyung, gradually expressing her feelings for him. Although awkward and surprised at first, Hyung too is curious about his feelings for his friend’s daughter. Soon, Hyung who was once simply Nam’s father’s friend becomes her man and they begin a series of unusual dates.
Acting
Ahn Sung-ki's achingly vulnerable middle-aged loneliness
Writing
The cat death as emotional proxy—absurd yet devastating
Director
Shin Yeon-shick
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Director Shin Yeon-shick uses the age-gap romance to critique Korean society's abandonment of middle-aged men, making Hyung-man's social incompetence almost tragic rather than creepy.
The film's tepid reception (6.1/10) reflects Korean audiences' discomfort with its refusal to moralize—the romance isn't endorsed OR condemned, which infuriated critics expecting clearer judgment.
KR
