The Asian Angel

Yuya Ishii goes to Korea. There's been some cross-over between Japan and South Korea lately, though the results have been relatively disappointing. Not that they're bad films, it's just that the mix doesn't seem to add much substantial. The Asian Angel is a pretty standard Japanese drama, only it's set in Seoul, with a handful of Korean actors to boot.

Aoki and his 8-year-old son move to Korea to go and live with Aoki's older brother. Aoki's wife recently passed away, and Aoki is craving something new. Meanwhile, Seol's career is going downhill. Her manager is abusing her, and she needs the money to support her family. The two first meet by accident, but fate will bring them together again.

Tortured souls who don't speak the same language go on a joint trip. It's not a very original premise, the drama feels a little too familiar, and the cinematography isn't all that inspired. The performances are strong though, and there are some lovely scenes scattered throughout. A good Ishii, but it's not selling me on the Japanese collaborations.