A scene from the romantic film "A Good Rain Knows" [Photo: yule.sohu.com]
In one of his most famous poems, ancient Chinese poet Du Fu extols the spring rain with a classic line - "A good rain knows its season."
Dong-Ho, a modern-time businessman in South Korea, probably thinks he is irrelevant to this Chinese saying until he travels to Chengdu, where Du Fu composed his poem.
While Dong-Ho strolls through a park where Du Fu once lived, a drizzle arrives in time for a romantic encounter - he bumps into his college love.
The film "A Good Rain Knows" is about the reunion of a traveling Korean businessman Dong-Ho (Jung Woo-Sung) and his Chinese schoolmate May (Gao Yuanyuan), who works as a tourist guide in Chengdu.
While Dong-Ho insists he has dated May when they studied in the U.S., May seems to be denying their past. They enjoy a few days together before Dong-Ho has to leave for home. And when he is on the way to the airport, Dong-Ho finally discovers why May has been blowing hot and cold towards him.
The film, directed by South Korean filmmaker Hur Jin-Ho, was originally planned as a segment of another film named "Chengdu, I Love You", which would feature Chinese and Korean directors telling three separate stories. But after Hur arrived in Chengdu, he decided to extend his part into a full-length movie.
"Chengdu, I Love You", with only two stories directed by Fruit Chan and Cui Jian respectively, premiered at the 2009 Venice Film Festival as the closing film.
Hur's standalone film is being promoted as part one of the Chengdu series.
"A Good Rain Knows"
Director: Hur Jin-Ho
Cast: Gao Yuanyuan, Jung Woo-Sung
Genre: Romance
Country: China/South Korea
Language: English/Chinese/Korean
Filming Location: Chengdu, China
Release Date (Chinese mainland): March 6, 2010
