[New Film] Fell for a House-Thief? Joo Bong Ki and Ae Hwa Jung Romance ‘Lovers of an Empty House’ Opens on the 12th

The warmth that seeps into ‘Empty House’—a strange romance that steals the solitude of old age

What ending would you face if you fell in love with a thief who invades your sanctuary? The film ‘Lovers of an Empty House’, which depicts an unusual connection between a house burglar who roams a rural village and a lonely village widow, meets viewers on the screen on the 12th.

According to the distributor ‘Mano Entertainment’, the work is the feature-length debut of director Kim Tae-hwi, who has carefully captured loneliness within the human heart, and has drawn attention from the critical community even before its release.

The story takes a turn when ‘Eun-ja’ (played by Ae Hwa Jung), who clashes with neighbors over one issue after another due to her sharp-tempered personality, suddenly encounters the livelihood petty thief ‘Pal-bok’ (played by Joo Bong Ki), who came to rob her house.

Pal-bok loads his household goods into an old Bongo van and travels across the provinces, sticking to a personal rule: he steals only small amounts of money—not enough to crack the lives of others. In particular, his eccentric habit of fleeing after stealing someone else’s ‘family photo’ along with loose change adds dimensionality to the character and sparks a curious, uneasy interest.

After being widowed, Eun-ja had soothed the loss that surged in with alcohol, but the appearance of Pal-bok brings her a subtle wave of emotions where fear and excitement cross. In a late-life detour that arrives at dusk, the path the two take as they awkwardly confront their suppressed true feelings feels intensely realistic, yet leaves a deep aftertaste.

Also not to miss is the lyrical mise-en-scène that wraps their journey. Regional scenery captured across places such as Jeonju in North Jeolla Province, as well as Iksan, Imsil, Buan, and Wanju—fields and cosmos paths—adds warm, comforting energy throughout the film.