Burning Ending Explained: Burning Cast, Overview, Synopsis
by A Maria
Updated Mar 09, 2023
Burning Movie
"Burning" is a thought-provoking psychological thriller film co-written, produced, and directed by Lee Chang-dong, released in 2018. It is a South Korean-Japanese film that draws inspiration from Haruki Murakami's short story "Barn Burning" and William Faulkner's story of the same name. The movie stars Yoo Ah-in, Steven Yeun, and Jeon Jong-seo, and follows the story of Jong-su, a young deliveryman who meets his childhood friend, Hae-mi, and becomes suspicious of an enigmatic young man named Ben, whom Hae-mi introduces to him. Jong-su's growing concern for Hae-mi's safety sets off a chain of events that ultimately leads to a shocking conclusion. After an eight-year hiatus, Lee's film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2018, where it competed for the Palme d'Or and received the FIPRESCI International Critics' Prize. The movie was released the following day in South Korea and later in the United States on October 26, 2018.
Burning Ending Explained
Burning is a South Korean drama film from 2018, helmed by director Lee Chang-dong. The story follows the character of Jung-soo, a young man aspiring to become an author, who reunites with a childhood neighbor named Hae-mi. However, things take a mysterious turn with the arrival of wealthy eccentric Ben, leading to an unexpected plot twist. The director himself has offered two possible interpretations of the film: one in which Ben is a sociopathic serial killer who murders Hae-mi and is then killed by Jong-su as revenge, and another in which Ben is not a killer, and Hae-mi has simply moved on and started a new life elsewhere. The ending of the film is also suggested to be the story of the novel that Jong-su is writing. Burning premiered at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival and was released in South Korea on May 17, 2018, and in the United States on October 26, 2018.
Source: thisisbarry
Burning Cast
CAST
CHARACTER
Yoo Ah-in
Lee Jong-su
Steven Yeun
Ben
Jeon Jong-seo
Shin Hae-mi
Kim Soo-Kyung
Yeon-ju
Choi Seung-ho
Lee Yong-seok
Lee Joong-ok
Patrolman
Moon Sung-keun
Lawyer
Min Bok-gi
Judge
Ban Hye-ra
Jong-su's mother
Song Duk-ho
Logistics Center part-time applicant
Lee Bong-ryun
Hae-mi's sister
Burning Synopsis
Lee Jong-su, a young aspiring writer, lives in Paju and works odd jobs. During one of his deliveries, he meets Shin Hae-mi, a former childhood neighbor and classmate. She tells him she had plastic surgery and he gives her a watch he won at a promotion. Hae-mi asks Jong-su to feed her cat while she goes on a trip to Africa. Jong-su visits her apartment, where they have sex before Hae-mi leaves.
Jong-su dutifully feeds Hae-mi's cat but never sees it. One day, Hae-mi calls and says she's stranded at Nairobi Airport with Ben, a man she met during a crisis. Jong-su picks them up and the three go out to dinner. Ben confesses that he burns down abandoned greenhouses every two months as a hobby and that his next burning will be near Jong-su's house. Hae-mi and Ben leave together, and Jong-su becomes worried when Hae-mi disappears and her phone is disconnected.
Jong-su investigates and finds Hae-mi's apartment unusually clean and without any signs of the cat. He begins staking out Ben's apartment and finds a new cat there, along with a pink watch similar to the one he gave Hae-mi. Jong-su sets up a meeting with Ben in the countryside and stabs him to death when he realizes Hae-mi is not with him. He then sets Ben's body and car on fire and drives away.
Burning Overview
SPECIFICATIONS
DETAILS
Revised Romanization
Beoning
Directed by
Lee Chang-dong
Screenplay by
Oh Jung-mi
Lee Chang-dong
Based on
"Barn Burning"
by Haruki Murakami
Produced by
Lee Joon-dong
Lee Chang-dong
Starring
Yoo Ah-in
Steven Yeun
Jeon Jong-seo
Cinematography
Hong Kyung-pyo
Edited by
Kim Hyeon
Kim Da-won
Music by
Mowg
Production
companies
Pinehouse Film
Now Film
NHK
Finecut
Distributed by
CGV Arthouse (South Korea)
Twin Co., Ltd (Japan)
Release dates
May 16, 2018 (Cannes)
May 17, 2018 (South Korea)
February 1, 2019 (Japan)
Running time
148 minutes
Countries
South Korea
Japan
Language
Korean
Box office
US$8.1 million
Burning ending explained - FAQs
"Burning" is a psychological thriller film about Jong-su, a young deliveryman who becomes suspicious of an enigmatic young man named Ben, whom his childhood friend Hae-mi introduces to him. Jong-su's growing concern for Hae-mi's safety sets off a chain of events that ultimately leads to a shocking conclusion.
The movie stars Yoo Ah-in, Steven Yeun, and Jeon Jong-Seo.
Lee Chang-dong directed "Burning".
"Burning" draws inspiration from Haruki Murakami's short story "Barn Burning" and William Faulkner's story of the same name.
"Burning" premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2018 and was later released in South Korea on the following day. It was later released in the United States on October 26, 2018.