The hopeless romantic in me really enjoyed (and even teared at) 'Yours Truly' by Kevin Chan. Yes, the plot has obvious Korean drama inspirations—just look at the promotional film still—but what Kevin has done was remarkable. He condensed what would otherwise be a 2-hour melodrama into a 12-minute short, whilst managing to take the audience on a whirlwind emotional roller-coaster of Rachel and Chris’ relationship. We earnestly want the picture-perfect couple together in a happily-ever-after ending. But alas, the twist can be seen coming from miles away and the audience knows disaster is bound to strike. Too many bombs are littered throughout the film—the cornea transplant, photography, the need for a deceased to be the cornea bearer—such that the bombshell at the end is, in all its literal scene of the word, is just a shell without the explosives. Yet it works, because that’s how Korean melodramas are typically like. Which makes me also think that the film would perhaps be more palatable if it was shot in Korean. Though perhaps casting might have been tough given how it was Kevin’s graduation thesis in his Master in Film & Television at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) in Melbourne. But Kevin demonstrates acuity in his direction, with strong angles, beautiful cinematic photography and a lingering storyline that’s impactful and touching despite the foreseeable twist.
The hopeless romantic in me really enjoyed (and even teared at) 'Yours Truly' by Kevin Chan. Yes, the plot has obvious Korean drama inspirations—just look at the promotional film still—but what Kevin has done was remarkable. He condensed what would otherwise be a 2-hour melodrama into a 12-minute short, whilst managing to take the audience on a whirlwind emotional roller-coaster of Rachel and Chris’ relationship. We earnestly want the picture-perfect couple together in a happily-ever-after ending. But alas, the twist can be seen coming from miles away and the audience knows disaster is bound to strike. Too many bombs are littered throughout the film—the cornea transplant, photography, the need for a deceased to be the cornea bearer—such that the bombshell at the end is, in all its literal scene of the word, is just a shell without the explosives. Yet it works, because that’s how Korean melodramas are typically like. Which makes me also think that the film would perhaps be more palatable if it was shot in Korean. Though perhaps casting might have been tough given how it was Kevin’s graduation thesis in his Master in Film & Television at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) in Melbourne. But Kevin demonstrates acuity in his direction, with strong angles, beautiful cinematic photography and a lingering storyline that’s impactful and touching despite the foreseeable twist.