301, 302

Very dark and mysterious film that interweaves a relationship between two neighbors, and a present day investigation. The screenplay is pondersome, and yet deliberate, in feeding (pardon the pun) the viewer certain amounts of information at a time. We get to know the characters, and exceptionally so, their quirks. The atmosphere is very dark, and claustrophobic, which adds so much to the film. The memories are haunting. It would be very hard not to talk about this movie after viewing it. Creepy, and at times, rather darkly funny, 301/302 is an offbeat choice very worthy of your consideration. Recommended.

Psychological Foreign (Korean) Thriller

Stimulating cinematography, foreign artistic humor, unconventional yet identifiable characters, cohesive character development and interaction, slow start.. interesting movie.

Humorously misleading packaging (US Version) DVD case reads something along the lines of, "food, sex, and humor" with an image of lovemaking and Korean food. Yes, these are the core themes of 301, 302 but to label this movie as just that for an unprepared audience.. well that's like serving up a plate of stinky tofu and describing it as "healthy Asian food." I absolutely love it, it's genius.

A thin but attractive writer has suddenly gone missing and the only suspect appears to be her comely neighbor in Cheol-su Park's "301/302." The central fascination of "301/302" deals with two decidedly different women – one an extrovert, one an introvert – whose lives have been corrupted by food: the chef (Apt. 301) based most of her husband's affections and later her own inadequacies of providing exceptional meals while the anorexic writer (Apt. 302) can't shed the memories of her sexually abusive father – who worked as a butcher – and refuses to eat as a consequence. Now divorced, 301 meets 302 and transfers her love to her new neighbor, trying against all odds to get the thin, pale woman to eat her meals.

The film has several plot inconsistencies that are never cleared up. 302 appears to have virtually no contact with anyone except for the occasional telephone call from a mysterious editor/writer/friend, but yet the very morning after her disappearance the police have gone looking for her. An unnamed building resident last witnessed 302 going into 301's apartment, but the hallways are always empty and void of other people. Then, in the film's final moments, it becomes clear that 301 has adopted some of 302's physical appearance, cutting her hair to match that of the thin writer; given her desire to eat and eat and eat, why would she suddenly choose to adopt the looks of one who abhorred eating? However, in the broader recipe, these points aren't significant. What matters most is the relationship these two women have with one another and their past lives. Their respective histories are told in effective if not alarming flashbacks, and, despite their differences, it becomes thematically clear why they would be inevitably drawn to one another in the unique environment created by the filmmaker. The viewer can see the conclusion coming, but, like preparing a good meal, it's really more about eating than it is the cooking.

It's an odd relationship, but – if not predictably – these two women are destined to be together. Only 301 can fix 302's problems … with a solution that isn't exactly a five-star dessert.

A policeman rings at the 301 to inquire about the 302, who disappeared. A young woman opens the door and feeds him with fried chicken, wine, salad...

She appears to be only interested in sex, cooking and eating. Where that is just everything the young woman from the 302 hates.

The movie is the story of these two women. How they met and how they made these choices for their lives. They were apparently not meant to meet, but they have in common their extreme loneliness.

The movie is also about love and loneliness.

The very beginning is brilliant: two little girls present their mother's fridge and that is really enjoyable, really. The colors are beautiful (as often in Asian movies). But all in all, I cannot say I completely liked it. It is a bit long some times and comes with no surprise (at least I guessed the end rather early), although a mystery-thriller. The psychology of 302 is not that clear (or maybe not that interesting, or maybe I am only interested in sex, cooking and eating). And another thing very Asian is the close-ups on people's mouth when they are eating. But there are interesting things, still.

At least, you will leave the theater starving or start a diet right away (I am of the first kind...).

For completeness, I shall add that both actresses are beautiful and eventually get naked.

The woman living alone in apartment 302 is a writer who finds food repulsive and indigestible. Her new neighbor across the hall, living alone in 301, is a cook who is obsessed with food to the point where it dictates her life. Upon discovering her new neighbor's dislike for food, 301 makes it her mission to make 302 eat and enjoy her delectable meals. This leads to a very twisted relationship between the two women, as well as an exploration into the nasty experiences that influenced their current relationships with food.

This Korean film is a cinematic oddity that is definitely a unique viewing experience. It is filled with rather disgusting visuals of food preparation (vegetarians, this is a warning!). The close-ups of people gorging on various food items are bound to make anyone squeamish. The DVD I saw was full screen and the transfer appeared poor, but the cinematography is great with an excellent use of vivid colors. Also, the inventive set design deserves praise, as most of the film takes place either in 302 (very sterile, library-like apartment) or 301 (very sleek and vibrant restaurant-like apartment with a futuristic looking kitchen). The two lead actresses give terrific performances and it is perverse fun watching them torment each other.

The story moves at a slow pace but it works. There are various interesting flashbacks that are crucial to the plot, but unlike other movies with stories that are not told chronologically, this timeline is not difficult to follow. However, what actually happens during one of the flashbacks was a bit confusing due to the way that particular scene was filmed. This scene seemed vital to the story, so I think part of this movie was lost on me. One common theme in the movie is a link between sex and food that is not completely explored but still fascinating and provoking.

301,302 is an interesting and original but often confusing film that I would recommend to folks interested in Asian horror cinema beyond the current popular films. As is the case is with swimming, do not view this after or while eating!