'Soulmate' is heartwarming love letter to female friendship

• Published date: 01 March 2023
• Publication title: The Korea Times

"Soulmate" is an endearing love letter to female friendship with two stunning performances by Kim Da-mi and Jeon So-nee. The two actresses, who co-star as best friends in the film, show that the bond of female friendship can be stronger than romantic love.

Director Min Yong-keun manages to combine elaborate elements of a coming-of-age work with drama and romance while demonstrating an understanding of women's relationships.

He revealed that he initially turned down directing "Soulmate" because he wasn't sure if he could depict the complexities of female friendship.

"One thing that really struck me was the story of friendship that stands the test of time and distance. While adapting the screenplay, I interviewed a lot of women. Since there are a lot of women in my family. I was able to learn about friendships and the inflection points they go through," he said during a press conference for the film, Tuesday.

Adapted from the Chinese film of the same title, "Soulmate" follows the lives of two friends. One is Mi-so (Kim), a free-spirited girl who rides a motorcycle and works part-time as a bartender while attending high school. The other is Ha-eun (Jeon), a risk-averse, well-behaved student who is afraid of heights.

Despite their differences, the two have been best friends since 1998. Then a handsome boy named Jin-woo (Byeon Woo-seok) turns up and complicates their friendship. The film then takes a unique turn, following not romance but female friendship.

Kim and Jeon deliver performances full of emotion as Mi-so and Ha-eun's...