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Lee Chang-dong set Cannes ablaze in 2018 with the uneasily beautiful “Burning,” a loose Haruki Murakami adaptation about the folie à troix between an alienated delivery man (Ah-in Yoo), the wily young woman (Jong-seo Jun) he covets, and the handsome charisma machine who blows them apart. The South Korean director’s sixth film made history as Korea’s first to make the International Feature Oscar shortlist (it wasn’t nominated) but is perhaps best remembered for two scenes: the woman, Haemi (Jun), dancing topless for them to the tune of Miles Davis’ “Elevator to the Gallows” soundtrack, and for its abruptly violent ending involving murder and arson in the nude. Then, there’s a missing cat that may have never existed — pure Murakami.

“Burning” remains a new classic of the 2010s, an elusive portrait of loneliness and desire that never spills on its narrative secrets. It grossed an impressive $718,000 at the U.

Last fall, cinephiles were pleased to hear that “Secret Sunshine” and “Poetry” director Lee Chang-Dong was getting ready to shoot his next film. There weren’t many details available at the time, other than the picture was slated to star Kang Dong-won and Yoo Ah-in in what was described as a mystery thriller about a woman who becomes entangled with two men, one rich, and the other trying to make ends meet.

Continue reading Lee Chang-Dong’s Delayed Adaptation Of Haruki Murakami’s ‘Barn Burning’ Now Back On at The Playlist.