The Hotel Venus

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Movie: The Hotel Venus
Hangul: 호텔 금성
Japanese: ホテルビ-ナス
Director: Shuta Takahata
Writer: Tetsurou Asou
Cinematographer Venus Pictures
Release Date: September 10, 2004
Runtime: 125 Min.
Language: Korean
Country: Japan

Plot

In remotest town which is not specifically identified. There is a shabby café called "Venus café" where people emotionally wounded come. This is a bittersweet, heartwarming story about the relationship of Chonan who works at the café and the people living there.

In remotest town which is not specifically identified. There is the Hotel Venus adjoined in the back of the Venus Café where people emotionally wounded and with a past are living. Chonan, who lives in the room #01 in an attic works as a waiter for the café and a handyman of the hotel. While he cooks and does the laundry for the residents, he lost his vigor because of his past that he has not been getting over with. The room #1 is shared by two residents; an alcoholic ex-capable, illegal doctor called "Doctor" and "Wife" who used to be an able nurse, now works as a hostess for living in the hopes of Doctor's come back. In the room #3, a girl whose name is Soda lives. She came from a deserted land where is no flowers grow and is dreaming to open her flower shop. In the room #4 is occupied by a boy called "Boy" who is left behind at the café when he was a kid. He always carries a gun and calls himself a "Killer" as he longs to be a strong man. Then, there is an owner of the hotel who watches over the residents, an old drag queen "Venus" who is mysterious and one-legged.

One day, a drifter-like man and a girl come to the Café Venus. The man asks, "Show me the back of Venus". This is the password for hiding in the hotel and they became the residents of the room #2.

A quiet man as if he would avoid communicating with the others and a girl who never smile. The man called Guy gets a job at the construction site and the girl whose name is Sai shuts herself up in the room with her meals left uneaten. Nevertheless, Chonan keeps delivering her meals to her room that starts to melt her mind. She becomes to help Chonan for his laundry service. Venus watches Sai through Chonan as he used to be.

Boy who wants to be the strongest doesn't like the existence of Guy. He is irritated by the attitude of Sai who is interested in him while she treats Guy like a kid. On the other hand, Soda, who used to be cheerful doesn't look fine. Chonan realizes that she is worrying about something but cannot do anything but watching over her.

Doctor and Wife keep fighting each other. While Wife tries to bring Doctor who loses himself to alcohol back to life, but as he watches Guy working without uttering any complaints, Doctor loses his confidence. Doctor no longer has his energy to fight with Wife and she finally leaves the hotel depressed.

On Sai's birthday, they have a small party. Sai is too shy to overwhelming but enjoy the party with the residents. However, Sai breaks the potted anemone that is given by Guy through Chonan.

Chonan who is worrying about Soda, finds out drugs in her room. Soda is doing an illegal job ordered by the flower shop owner telling herself that it should be for her dream. Cho Nan tries to persuade her to stop working for him but she runs him down as he has no guts to live, to say nothing of a dream. Chonan begins to tell her about what happened to him. Three years ago, just as he started to live his girlfriend, she was killed in an accident. Soda listens to his story without saying anything. On the next day, Soda is gone.

Boy is fuming in the café Guy tries to sooth him waving around a gun. While they are jostling around, the gun explodes and the bullet hits Sai. Given first aid by the illegal doctor in the town, she saves her life. The accident leads to disclose the past between Guy and Sai.

When someone opens their mind, the other closes their mind. Appearance of Guy and Sai makes the residents quietly living see their own life. Would the time come when they smile?