Christmas In August (Palwolui Christmas)
Tucked away in a corner of Seoul, a 30-something photographer runs a small studio, quietly optimistic about his life. One day, a young parking officer enters his studio and the unlikely couple embark on the makings of a romance.
The relationship between Jung-won (Han Suk-kyu) and Dar-im (Shim Eun-ha) is tested when Jung-won is struck down by an unnamed illness early in the romance. Forced to come to terms with his impending death, Jung-won tries to protect Dar-im by keeping his suffering a secret.
Screened in the 1998 International Critics' Week at Cannes Film Festival, Christmas in August had an enormous impact on dramas throughout southeast Asia, and still holds up as a leader of its genre today. Hur Jin-ho's perfect script has an enduring fan base in Asia and has been used as a teaching method for film students.
