I guess the South Korean Netflix partnership really built something big? Lost in Starlight is the rare South Korean animated project, usually overwhelmed by their island neighbors. However, the streamer’s money certainly shows that maybe that Japanese dominance has a rival coming? Ok, that’s probably not true, but on the streamers, we could be on the precipice of a Seoul takeover.
Nan-young (Kim Tae-ri) has been on a lifelong mission to lead a space expedition to Mars to research the last mission there (conveniently, the one her mom was on). After her psych eval comes back a little worrying, she’s told to leave the Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA), and do hear research from home and clear her head. Cleaning her house, she finds an old record player, which she takes to Jay (Hong Kyung). Unbeknownst to her, Jay is a music lover, having been an amateur up and coming writer, but just disconnecting his SoundCloud because he’d given up. But not soon enough for Nan-young to have found his last, unfinished work.
If that plot description didn’t make it clear, Lost in Starlight gives you a hint about what kind of journey you’re about to go on. When we meet both our protagonists, they’re closed off to any sort of connection, for different reasons. Jay’s is emotional, having been burned by his previous life in a band; Nan-young’s is out of her other life’s purpose: to go on this mission to Mars. As they say, love happens when you’re busy with those other plans. Fate brings these two together, and sees them slowly open up to one another. Han Ji-Won’s script makes that courtship honest, and as a result, non linear. The initial attractions and joy of the fling (this is very much a PG-13 animated film, parents, close to an R at points) slowly take down the walls the pair have built up. But real life responsibilities clash with those feelings, which naturally push the two away from one another so they don’t get hurt again. But all that time learning about one another has turned those attractions into real love, which knows no boundaries and exists throughout all space and time. Music is the bridge the two use to reach out to each other as Nan-young inevitably goes about the cosmos, a powerful literal radio tower to make sure Jay and Nan-young never forget that they really love each other, and will be there even if their distance is miles away. They are not alone anymore.
To aid in that romantic connection, Han Ji-Won shows their bridge is an incredible visual explosion. This is very close to Spider-Verse and Makoto Shinkai’s best, and that’s saying something. Nan-young and Jay’s dalliance are set alongside a backdrop of ultra modern Korea. On the surface it looks like a place filled with casino like advertising and flashing lights. But when you’re with a beautiful person who’s falling for you, all that blurs away into a color explosion, with purple backdrop. Even the ugly space under an elevated train track becomes a beautiful star-crossed lovers painting that hits right into your heart. Great care was taken to make the pure beauty of Jay and Nan-young’s connection be represented all around them, definitely in the city, but everywhere they go, far and wide. Throw in a gorgeous soundtrack, and if you’re not swaying along with Lost in Starlight, then I suggest you hug a loved one, cause you need it.
Netflix is 1 for 1 on the Korean animated films now, nice job! I can’t wait to see what Han Ji-Won does next. Though, knowing Netflix and their power, I guess we can expect literal animated squid games first, sigh. Oh well, at least we’ll always have a Purple Stereo.