Synopsis

Living at the high end of the upper class and working at the secretariat in the colonial Japanese government, Lee Hae-myung is a modern boy who is absorbed in enjoying romanticism and love with the times behind him. One day, he goes to a secret clubhouse with his best friend Shinsuke, a Japanese prosecutor in the colonial government, and meets Cho Nan-shil, a dancer. It is love at first sight. Hae-myung decides to bet his entire life on her. Hae-myung uses any and all means possible and eventually succeeds in starting an ideal relationship with Nan-shil. While he falls completely head over heels for her, Nan-shil unexpectedly steals everything in his house and disappears without a trace. On top of that, the innocent-looking lunchbox that Nan-shil carefully packs for Hae-myung ends up being a bomb that explodes inside the government building where Hae-myung works, putting him in grave danger. Unable to overcome his shock, confusion, longing, and anger towards Nan-shil, Hae-myung scours Kyung-sung searching for her. He later finds out that she is a very enigmatic woman with several names, several different jobs — even several different men. When he hears a rumor that she has a husband named Terror Park, Hae-myung becomes engulfed in jealousy and rage. With the help of a private detective named Baek Sang-huh, he finds a clue to Nan-shil’s whereabouts and races over to find her. 1937, Kyung-sung. A deadly chase, unpredictable happenings... What else is in store for Hae-myung in the uncontrollable whirlwind of the times?

Director

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  • Jung Ji-woo
  • After graduating from the Department of Theater and Film at Hanyang University, Jung Ji-woo began his film career with socially engaged projects in independent film groups such as Jangsan Gotmae and Cheongnyeon. His short films Poem (1994) and Ginger (1996) received favorable attention at domestic short film festivals. He made his feature film debut with Happy End. In 2005, he directed an episode for the human rights project film If You Were Me 2, commissioned by the National Human Rights Commission, and went on to direct his second feature film, Blossom Again. Modern Boy is his third feature-length directorial work.