Insung is a film producer who is desperate to make a hit. Every weekend, he leaves Seoul and goes to Gangneung to try to forget about his stress. At the same time, Yujung, a nurse, leaves Gangneung to attend cultural events. They both experience accommodation problems. One day, they meet at a Gangneung cafe by chance and the cafe owner suggests they stay at each other places during their visits. A few weeks later, they do so.

 

David CHO’s debut feature Second Half (2010) was invited to the Vision section at the Busan International Film Festival. His second film, The Heaven is Only Open to the Single was invited to the Cinemascope section at the Jeonju International Film Festival. The Winter of the Year Was Warm received support from the Korean Film Council and it was screened at the Panorama section at the recent BIFF along with JEONG Ji-woo’s Eungyo, Byeon Young-joo’s Helpless, HONG Sang-soo’s In Another Country and KIM Ki-duk’s Pieta.

 

The Winter of the Year Was Warm is an autumnal film. Yujung, a woman from Gangneung and Insung, a man from Seoul meet by chance. The film is about the miraculous warmth created by a chance meeting. Gangneung, the backdrop of the film, is an important aspect of the film on which the tone of the entire film as well as the overall atmosphere depend and the wintery sea and beach of Gangneung are perfect in conveying the wintry feel of the film. Director CHO says “Gangneung has a different feel compared to other places on the East Coast of Korea and that is the warmth you feel there even in winter.”

 

The film also shows the relationship between the two characters through food. Food is something through which their closeness is conveyed as well as a way for them to become even closer. Koraro Oshio’s music is also an important feature of the film and he is well known for his acoustic finger-style guitar playing.