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What Does that Nature Say to You

Play trailer What Does that Nature Say to You 2025 Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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Donghwa (Ha Seongguk) is a fledgling poet in his thirties. He rejects material aspirations and seeks to lead a life dedicated to truth and beauty. On a lazy afternoon, he drives his girlfriend, Junhee (Kang Soyi), back to her parents' home outside Seoul. In the driveway, they run into her father (Kwon Haehyo), who is strangely interested in Donghwa's dinged up old car. He takes it for a spin around the block, then invites Donghwa to stay and meet the family: him, his wife (Cho Yunhee), who also writes poetry, and Junhee's reclusive sister (Park Miso), who practices the gayageum, a traditional string instrument. They end up wiling away the day together, visiting a temple by the river, climbing the hill near the house, watching the sunset, and, sure enough, imbibing drinks. Egged on by Junhee's dad, Donghwa gets progressively more drunk as the day advances. Finally, he makes a fool of himself at dinner. Then everything begins to unravel for the poet: his relationship, his art, his revolutionary ideals.

Critics Reviews

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Siddhant Adlakha Variety Hong’s most formally experimental work in some time, for reasons that may not initially be obvious. Mar 23, 2025 Full Review David Rooney The Hollywood Reporter This uncomfortable family scenario could have played out any number of ways, from broad comedy to volatile drama, but Hong puts his own sui generis stamp on it. Nothing is ever forced or overwritten. Feb 24, 2025 Full Review Jonathan Romney Screen International This is also a rare Hong film that feels faintly overstretched and a touch more heavy-handed than Hong’s usual tenor. But performances are spot-on from all concerned, the nuances impeccably calibrated. Feb 20, 2025 Full Review James Mottram South China Morning Post Veteran Korean director Hong Sang-soo specialises in delicate character studies, but rarely has he found such a warm ray of humour as he does in his latest film, What Does That Nature Say to You. Rated: 4/5 Feb 26, 2025 Full Review Nicholas Bell IONCINEMA.com The set-up is familiarly threadbare... But it builds to a surprisingly weighty climax in a third act which is more confrontational about duplicitous human behaviors than most of his past works. Rated: 4/5 Feb 24, 2025 Full Review Connor Lightbody AwardsWatch As difficult as Hong’s style may be, there are intricate layers to be unwrapped if one is willing to look a little closer. Rated: B Feb 22, 2025 Full Review Read all reviews

Cast & Crew

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Hong Sang-soo

Director

Ha Seung-guk

Actor

Kwon Hae-hyo

Actor

Cho Yunhee

Actor

Kang So-yi

Actor

Park Mi-so

Actor

Movie Info

Synopsis Donghwa (Ha Seongguk) is a fledgling poet in his thirties. He rejects material aspirations and seeks to lead a life dedicated to truth and beauty. On a lazy afternoon, he drives his girlfriend, Junhee (Kang Soyi), back to her parents' home outside Seoul. In the driveway, they run into her father (Kwon Haehyo), who is strangely interested in Donghwa's dinged up old car. He takes it for a spin around the block, then invites Donghwa to stay and meet the family: him, his wife (Cho Yunhee), who also writes poetry, and Junhee's reclusive sister (Park Miso), who practices the gayageum, a traditional string instrument. They end up wiling away the day together, visiting a temple by the river, climbing the hill near the house, watching the sunset, and, sure enough, imbibing drinks. Egged on by Junhee's dad, Donghwa gets progressively more drunk as the day advances. Finally, he makes a fool of himself at dinner. Then everything begins to unravel for the poet: his relationship, his art, his revolutionary ideals.
Director
Hong Sang-soo
Producer
Hong Sang-soo
Screenwriter
Hong Sang-soo
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Korean