Korean anthology 'The Table: Day and Night' opens Busan festival

A new Korean romantic anthology film set entirely within a Seoul cafe has opened the Busan International Film Festival, according to Variety. The film, 'The Table: Day and Night,' is directed by Kim Jong-kwan.

The movie presents four separate stories, each a seasonal vignette about different patrons meeting at the same table. The cast features actors like Kim Min-ha, Han Sun-hwa, and Shim Eun-kyung.

The first story involves a man who repairs watches and a woman with a broken heirloom timepiece. Another segment follows a man confronted by an unstable former classmate. A third plotline sees a filmmaker trying to adapt a novelist's work, while the final story revolves around a pop idol and her childhood boyfriend.

Per Variety's review, the director's concept of confining all action to the cafe ultimately overpowers the individual narratives. The report notes that while the film served as a glitzy festival opener, it may only find a limited audience beyond such specialized showcases.