Number One

Kim Tae-yong's film follows Ha-min, eighteen, who begins seeing a number while eating his mother's cooking. The number falls with every bite, and he takes it for a countdown to her death. The film follows the consequences of that belief. Ha-min moves away from his mother and her food; years pass and the number is still in his mind. The narrative delays its explanation and does not define the fantastical element. Choi Woo-shik leads. The tone is melancholy and the humour measured; the scenes of eating are at the centre. The narrative builds the relation between mother and son around a loss lived in advance. Who it's for: those who like Korean family drama and narratives with fantastical elements. Who it's not for: viewers expecting a fantasy whose rules are explained; the film does not supply them.