Was color film really an advancement? Generally speaking, black-and-white movies are consistently more visually arresting. The images tend to be more focused, and the interplay of shadow and light inherently comes into play. And since the monochromatic aspect automatically feels archival, the picture itself feels like a piece of history. Because of that, A Young Zelkova overcomes its corniness and its outdated morality through the gravity of grayscale. For much of Lee Seong-gu's melodrama, conflict looks to be in short supply.
When Suk-hee (Moon Hee) travels to the city to attend Cheonwu Women's University, she leaves her grandparents behind to live with her remarried mother (Joo Jeong-ryeo), her stepdad-professor (Park Am), and her new stepbrother (Shin Sung-il) whose single, handsome, smart, and romantic. The rival (Yoon Yang Ha) for her heart presents no real danger to their happily ever after. Nor do a trio of bike accidents: one when they meet cute; one when he gives a lift to a young friend (Ahn Sung-ki), and one when he teaches her how to ride a two-wheeler on a nearby tennis court. What does threaten their future are societal expectations. You see, you're not supposed to fall for a sibling whether he's a blood relation or not.
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Black and white films definitely create moods that modern ones can't. Thanks for sharing this one.
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