‘Grass’ Trailer: Filmmaker Hong Sang-Soo Reunites With Kim Min-Hee In This Gorgeous Black & White Drama

Even if you’re personally unfamiliar with Korean auteur, Hong Sang-soo, you’ve probably seen his name pop up in an article, or somewhere on your social media feed. He is arguably the most prolific filmmaker working today. His acolytes are legion, but those less exposed to the art house scene likely can’t name more than one or two titles from his catalog. But now’s a pretty great time to dive headfirst into the filmmaker’s work with the upcoming “Grass.”

A stylish one-take tease in the form of a trailer for his newest venture, “Grass,” has just arrived. “Grass” is Hong’s second release of 2018  – following the excellent “Hotel by the River” (which, like his latest, showcases outstanding black and white cinematography) – once again, reuniting him with actress Kim Min-hee (“The Handmaiden”) – whom appears to be Hong’s artistic muse at this juncture of his career.

READ MORE: Hong Sang-soo’s ‘Grass’ Is Brief But Dense With Ideas [Berlin Review]

Here is the movie’s synopsis:

For his 22nd feature as director, Hong Sangsoo delivers a delicious cinematic riddle only he could concoct. In the corner of a small café, Areum (Kim Minhee) sits typing on her laptop. At the tables around her, other customers enact the various dramas of their lives. A young couple charge each other with serious crimes, an old man tries to rekindle a flame with a younger woman, a narcissistic filmmaker works to put together his next project — all while Areum types. Is she merely writing what she hears? Or is she hearing what’s been written? As the dramas inside the café unfold, the plants outside grow taller.

Hong’s prolificacy and artistic subject matter are often compared to Woody Allen (not the most complimentary comparison these days, obviously) – as many of his films spotlight a film director with serious womanizing issues (and if his ‘protagonist’ is not a filmmaker, it is almost always another creative type – i.e. a poet or novelist). But his art – his more recent work especially – comes off far more self-critical than the similarly existential obsessed New Yorker’s does.

READ MORE: ‘Hotel by the River:’ Hong Sang-soo Returns With A Darker Rendering Of Familiar Themes [NYFF Review]

His movies self-reflexively make fun of themselves at this point, while simultaneously provoking thought regarding timeless social inquiries and taboo feelings. ‘Hotel’s’ climax, cleverly contrasted two gendered dinner conversations, in addition to featuring an incredibly comical proposition scene mocking the insecure state of men who can’t deal with the loss of systemic privilege.

His 2017 film, “On the Beach Alone at Night Alone,” which also starred Kim, made headlines because it famously addressed his public relationship with its lead – whom Hong (a married man, at the time) was reported to be having an affair with. His movies are sometimes so specific, they are arguably an acquired taste, but you should certainly check a couple out to see what his unique style is like.

Cinema Guild is releasing “Grass,” April 19 at New York City’s Metrograph.