2009-02-06

'Kitchen' Offers Tasteful Romance

Synn Min-a, Ju Ji-hun and Kim Tae-woo in "The Naked Kitchen"

The title says it all: ``The Naked Kitchen.'' Newcomer Hong Ji-young brings a sensuous romance that paints the taste of juicy meals and unforgettable kisses.

After competing at a few international short film festivals with ``Herstory,'' Hong makes her feature film debut both here and abroad through the Berlin International Film Festival, which continues through Feb. 15. The movie's nationwide release in Japan is slated for June.

For local moviegoers, ``Kitchen'' will be a delightful trend-spotting, trend-setting franchise. It capitalizes on the national obsession with fine dining, particularly the recent interest in food styling and things fusion. Martha Stewart can feast her eyes with brunch dished up on Hermes china and Korean court cuisine served in a Western-style multiple-course meal.

Other scenes are like fashion magazine spreads, as the cellophane-thin lead actress Synn Min-a (Shin Mina) struts around trendy neighborhoods in her candy-colored shoes. But the emerging director displays a sense for both style and substance as she delves the meaning of love and infidelity. The movie is a fine asset to the Korean chick flick genre as it sugarcoats the sensitive subject matter with scrumptious dishes, summer sunshine and colorful parasols.

``Kitchen'' can be compared to Gina Kim's ``Never Forever,'' as both show that first loves, or one great love, does not necessarily last forever. The movie also suggests it is possible to love two people at the same time, quite like Chong Yun-su's ``My Wife Got Married.'' >>More

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