''Nobody's Daughter Haewon'' () is a 2013 South Korean
drama film written and directed by
Hong Sang-soo. The narrative is told in diary format and chronicles a few days in the life of a young woman (
Jung Eun-chae) who falls into depression following the departure of her mother to Canada. She falls back on a troubled affair with a professor (
Lee Sun-kyun), who offers to whisk her away.
The film made its world premiere and screened in competition at the
63rd Berlin International Film Festival.
The film was selected as part of the 2013
Hong Kong International Film Festival.
It was named #8 on ''
Cahiers du Cinéma
''Cahiers du Cinéma'' (, ) is a French film magazine co-founded in 1951 by André Bazin, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze, and Joseph-Marie Lo Duca.Itzkoff, Dave (9 February 2009''Cahiers Du Cinéma Will Continue to Publish''The New York TimesMacnab, Ge ...
s list of top films of 2013.
Plot
On March 21, 2012, on the way to having lunch with her mother Jin-joo (
Kim Ja-ok) in
Seochon
Seochon (서촌) is one of the oldest neighborhoods of Jongno-gu in northern Seoul, South Korea. It translates as "West village" or "Western village" as it is west of the Gyeongbok Palace. It is also thought that the name could have derived from ...
(West Village; ),
Jongno District,
Seoul, film student and aspiring actress Haewon (
Jung Eun-chae) bumps into French actress-singer
Jane Birkin in the street and gets her autograph. Birkin says how much Haewon resembles her own daughter,
Charlotte Gainsbourg, which pleases Haewon enormously. Immediately afterwards we find out that this meeting was actually a dream, one of several that Haewon is shown to have during the film. Haewon's mother is about to emigrate to
Canada and stay with her brother, and asks Haewon about her future plans. Afterwards Haewon walks to Jongno Public Library, past ''Yoomyung-jang'' (lit. Hotel Famous) that has special memories for her. Later, in nearby Sajik Park, she meets her married ex-lover Lee Seong-joon (
Lee Sun-kyun), a film director who is also her professor at college. They pass a restaurant, where they have already been spotted by his students, and decide to go in and have a meal with them. When Haewon is away from the table, the other students start gossiping about how she is not pure Korean and comes from a wealthy family.
On March 27, Haewon and Seong-joon drive to
Namhan Fortress ( ko, 남한산성) in
Gwangju, Gyeonggi, where they get into an argument over how he broke up their relationship and how she had an affair with a fellow student, Jae-hong.
On April 3, Haewon falls asleep in the college library and dreams of a fellow student, Yoo-ran, asking whether she's having an affair with Seong-jun. And then, while strolling around West Village, Haewon bumps into Joong-won (
Kim Eui-sung), a professor from
San Diego,
California, who divorced a year ago and is looking to remarry someone like her. Later, while meeting her friend Yeon-joo (
Ye Ji-won) and the latter's boyfriend Joong-sik (
Yoo Jun-sang
Yoo Jun-sang (born November 28, 1969) is a South Korean actor and singer. Yoo is best known for starring in the Hong Sang-soo films '' Ha Ha Ha'' (2010), ''The Day He Arrives'' (2011), and ''In Another Country'' (2012). He was also praised for h ...
) at Namhan Fortress, she tells them about the meeting. And then Seong-joon calls her, demanding to meet immediately.
Cast
*
Jung Eun-chae as Haewon
*
Lee Sun-kyun as Lee Seong-joon, a professor of film studies
*
Kim Ja-ok as Jin-joo, Haewon's mother
*
Kim Eui-sung as Joong-won, a professor from San Diego, California
*
Ye Ji-won as Yeon-joo, a friend of Haewon
*
Yoo Jun-sang
Yoo Jun-sang (born November 28, 1969) is a South Korean actor and singer. Yoo is best known for starring in the Hong Sang-soo films '' Ha Ha Ha'' (2010), ''The Day He Arrives'' (2011), and ''In Another Country'' (2012). He was also praised for h ...
as Joong-sik, a boyfriend of Yeon-joo
*
Gi Ju-bong as Hoo-won, a mountain climber
*
Ryu Deok-hwan as Dong-joo, a bookseller
*
Jane Birkin as herself
*
Park Joo-hee as Student
*
Ahn Jae-hong as Student 1.
Awards and nominations
;
2013 Baeksang Arts Awards
*Nomination - Best New Actress -
Jung Eun-chae
;
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
Buil Film Awards
*Best New Actress -
Jung Eun-chae
*Nomination - Best Film
*Nomination - Best Actress -
Jung Eun-chae
*Nomination - Best Music - Jeong Yong-jin
;2013
Korean Association of Film Critics Awards
*Best New Actress -
Jung Eun-chae
;
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
Blue Dragon Film Awards
The Blue Dragon Film Awards () is an annual awards ceremony that is presented by ''Sports Chosun'' (a sister brand of the ''Chosun Ilbo'') for excellence in film in South Korea.
The Blue Dragon Film Awards considers only blockbusters and popula ...
*Nomination - Best New Actress -
Jung Eun-chae
;2013
Busan Film Critics Awards
Established in 2000, the Busan Film Critics Awards is run by the Busan Film Critics Association (BCFA), a small but independent-minded group of critics based in Busan, South Korea. Each year they announce their choices shortly before the opening o ...
*Best New Actress -
Jung Eun-chae
;2014 KOFRA Film Awards
*Best New Actress -
Jung Eun-chae
;
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
Wildflower Film Awards
*Best Actress -
Jung Eun-chae
*Nomination - Best New Actor/Actress -
Jung Eun-chae
References
External links
*
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Nobodys Daughter Haewon
2013 films
2013 romantic drama films
South Korean independent films
South Korean romantic drama films
Adultery in films
Films about film directors and producers
Films about educators
Films set in 2012
Films set in Seoul
Films shot in Seoul
Films directed by Hong Sang-soo
Sponge Entertainment films
2010s Korean-language films
2010s South Korean films