Night in Paradise is a delicate noir film that tells the story of a man targeted by a criminal organization and a woman on the verge of death. Gangster Tae-gu (Um Tae-goo) loses his beloved sister and niece when they die in a car accident. Suspicious of a rival criminal organization orchestrating the accident, Tae-gu carries out bloody revenge. Then Tae-gu escapes to Jeju Island and hides out at the home of an arms dealer and his niece Jae-yeon (Jeon Yeo-been). However, Tae-gu is far from safe as night reaches paradise. Check out some reasons why you won’t want to miss out on this film below.

Director Park Hoon-jung is well known for writing and directing many acclaimed crime and action films. He began his career as a screenwriter for I Saw the Devil and The Unjust. Soon afterwards he made his directorial debut and has hits like New World, The Tiger, and The Witch : Part 1. The Subversion under his belt. As a powerful storyteller of crime and action stories, the director has garnered a solid fanbase. Furthermore, Night in Paradise has already gotten attention for being the only Korean film invited to the 77th Venice International Film Festival.

Um Tae-goo and Jeon Yeo-been are actors you definitely want to keep your eyes on. Um Tae-goo shares the same name with his Night in Paradise character, but the two of them could not be more different. Having steadily gained recognition, you can look forward to the actor receiving more spotlight for his acting skills. Likewise, Jeon Yeo-been is an absolute gem of an actor and very versatile. Currently appearing in the popular series Vincenzo, Jeon Yeo-been continues to impress with the variety of characters she can convincingly pull off.

Cha Seoung-won portrays Chief Ma who is out for Tae-gu’s blood after Tae-gu targets his boss. As a veteran actor, you may recognize him from some popular dramas like A Korean Odyssey or You're All Surrounded. However, you’ll see a different side to him as the actor expertly executes the character of intimidating Chief Ma. In addition to Cha Seoung-won, other veteran actors like Lee Ki-young, Park Ho-san, and Lee Moon-sik add on to the top-notch acting seen in the film.

There are several elements that differentiate Night in Paradise from other noir films. While it is a gangster movie with blood and action, the overall mood is quite sentimental. Tae-gu and Jae-yeon are melancholy characters and they begin to bond over their shared loss of family members to violence. Even though there is an air of wistfulness, a few scenes including some humor provide an interesting mix to the atmosphere. Furthermore, Jae-yeon is an unconventional type of character not often seen in noir films.

The setting of Jeju Island is important to the story as there is a juxtaposition between the beautiful paradise-like island and the violence that takes place there. From the glistening shores to the delicious seafood, the pleasant scenery is nice to take in for those who wish to escape to paradise. While there are tragedies and strife, there is also melancholy beauty amidst the pain. The stunning backdrop definitely adds on to the visual appeal of the film.