Secret Sunshine starts with the female lead, Shin-ae(JEON Do-Yeon)’s car getting broken down on her way to a small town, Miryang, and Jong-chan(Song Kang-Ho) offering his help. This beginning scene repeats in different forms. Shin-ae seeks help of religion since the death of her kidnapped son but she defies God after meeting the kidnapper in the prison. Shin-ae is described as a character who argues with the gate keeper as in the short story Before the Law by Franz Kafka. Here lies deceptive behavior of her. She came to Miryang, her husband’s hometown, in denial of his infidelity. She goes to meet the kidnapper in prison saying that she wants to forgive him. Self deception and ostentation hidden beneath is the subject the film consistently tries to convey. Through the irony of it, the film successfully reaches its art of rare quality studying the true human nature and desire. (LEE Sang-yong)