The island a place where pain cannot be relieved. With the tragedy of an event of forty years ago still fresh in their minds, the inhabitants of the island block a boat carrying the body of an exiled inhabitant. The past tragedy is recounted by the main character who has returned to the island for the burial. But the island holds the possibility of resolution and forgiveness of the past. Director Park Kwang-Su, who has searched for voices within the spaces of modern society, explores the possibility of forgiveness on this small island. In this film, the island symbolizes the testing ground for the resolution of modern Korean history. To the Starry Island gave Yoo Young-Kil the strength to film A Single Spark and A Petal, both films dealing with the painful realities of the 1970s and 1980s. The open shots of scenery depicting the division of sky, water, and island, along with the impressive visual connection of past and present, result in and elegantly composed and sophisticated film about Korea′s history. (Lee Yong-Kwan)