In the early 2000s, Korean cinema saw the debuts of directors who had already displayed distinct styles through their short films, and among them, the rise of female directors was especially notable. Jealousy Is My Middle Name is a defining example of this trend. Through the relationships between Wonsang (Park Hae-il), a graduate student in his late twenties; the editor-in-chief of a literary magazine in his forties (Moon Sung-keun); and a photojournalist in her thirties, Seongyeon (Bae Jong-ok), director Park Chan-ok captures with hyperrealism the restless state of Wonsang’s heart as he wavers between romantic feelings, jealousy, love, and desire, unable to find his footing. Disparities in wealth, age, experience, and thought are woven into the subtle emotions of human relationships, moving between surface and depth, layering tones that are shameless, vivid, languid, and desperate all at once. The fleeting cold glint in Park Hae-il’s clear face, the razor-sharp lines that lay bare raw self-loathing, the pitiful expressions of heartbreak, and the immature pouts still stir us to this day. Out of a life of tedium, unattainable goals despite one’s efforts, clichéd romance, overpowering desire, quiet temptation, and the shadow of death, what emerges is enough to be carried by Park Hae-il’s rendition of Kim Choo-Ja’s song ′Petals′.
