In Burning, Steven Yeun’s character talks about setting old greenhouses ablaze, talking about how quick they go up, and vanish in under 10 minutes. Such a quick demise for Burning would be a shame. This is a taught thriller that slowly unfurls itself and builds and builds and builds until you can’t take it anymore. Turns out rich Gatsby types are always creepy, creepy villains.
Burning opens on Lee Jong-su (Ah-In Yoo) inexplicably running into Hae-mi Shin (Jong-seo Jeon) in Seoul. Lee and Haemi grew up in the same small town together, parting on so-so terms. However, Haemi is smitten by Lee, and Lee eventually becomes smitten himself, even offering to feed Haemi’s cat when she’s out of town discovering herself in Nairobi. When Haemi returns, Lee greets her at the airport…and also her travel companion, Ben (Steven Yeun). From then on, when Lee sees Haemi it is only with Ben there as well, and as Lee learns more about Ben’s intentions for Haemi, he becomes more and more worried.
Burning isn’t one of those thrillers built upon twists upon twists upon twists. However, it is a film that demands that you pay attention, using little snippets and heaps of symbolism to keep your attention. Ben has a drawer full of female objects like necklaces and lipstick, so what does a new watch in there mean? Lee doesn’t appear to have parents, but he keeps attending court where a man is undergoing a trial for assault based on principle. That greenhouse conversation Ben is having…just how literal is he trying to be, the way he uses vague language to describe everything. When did Ben get a cat? Little clue upon little clue slowly snaps the picture together for Lee and the audience alike, eventually culminating in the only possible conclusion to this tale, where are these clues and character revelations build upon themselves.
Burning’s core message, if there is one, is probably a combination of Crime and Punishment with a sociopath and Great Gatsby, and Korea’s income inequality problem. Haemi is one of those poor lost souls eaten up and churned out by the system. There’s no structure for her anywhere, so she scrapes and claws to get to a point in life that makes her happy, including borrowing endless money for food, getting plastic surgery, feeling wanted by men, etc. But that happiness is fleeting, as she searches for what she calls the Great Hunger. Enter Ben. Ben is one of those people who sets the rules for others because of his power and influence. However, he has zero concept of who he hurts or manipulates along the way, seeing life as a game for him to win over and over again. His power is so great that he can will a certain type of person into non-existence because of what he perceives to be her “cost” to society and relative loner status. There’s a scene where Naemi is pouring out her soul via dance and Ben chilling sits there, disinterested in what is going on. Lee is a wrinkle in Steven’s plan. Having no capability to love himself, he underestimates at every turn Lee’s feelings for Haemi and Haemi’s worth to the world outside of her debts, trusting his status and perceived innocence to carry the day. You could argue Burning’s lasting message is love conquers all, even rich sociopaths!
Please make some friends out there people. Burning shows what could be a terrifying scenario: that you could simply be erased from existence just like that. That scenario, however, hinges on you isolating yourself from others. Please keep those hearts open! Any day, at any time, someone can surprise you and connect with you so by the time a Gatsby type is manipulating the hell out of you, your friends are there at the ready to save you. Or just makes friends because they’re awesome. Either way…