Past Lives

Nora and Hae Sung were childhood friends in Seoul whose lives took very different paths. Years later, Nora is living in New York and Hae Sung shows up for a weekend visit, and the two spend a short, intense time catching up, remembering the past and measuring choices made long ago. The film follows their conversations, small revelations, and the quiet chemistry that lingers beneath polite restraint, as both try to understand what their reunion means for lives already shaped by distance, culture, and time without revealing the full arc of what happens afterward.

Directed by Celine Song and released in 2023, the film stars Greta Lee as Nora, Teo Yoo as Hae Sung, and John Magaro as Arthur, supported by younger actors who portray the pair in earlier years. The minimalist production emphasizes performance and intimate settings over spectacle.

Commercially it performed like many independent romantic dramas, finding its audience in arthouse theaters and on streaming platforms rather than through blockbuster returns. Its box office was modest, driven mainly by word of mouth and critical attention rather than a wide mainstream release.

Critics and audiences reacted warmly, reflected in an average user score around 7.7 out of 10 from over two thousand votes. Reviewers highlighted subtle performances, restrained direction, and a screenplay that foregrounds memory, longing, and the consequences of choices. Themes include the immigrant experience, the persistence of first love, and how time reshapes identity and possibility, presented through everyday moments rather than grand declarations.

The film inspired a lot of conversation about modern romance and how immigration colors personal history, prompting viewers to talk about fate, missed opportunities, and the ethics of love across borders. Its quiet tone and focus on ordinary detail made it a reference point in discussions about realistic depictions of adult relationships in contemporary cinema.