IN the realm of cinema, “Past Lives” embarks on a journey that challenges the notion of isolated existence, painting a picture of interconnected souls across multiple lifetimes. This cinematic masterpiece weaves a narrative rich in storytelling and characters, inviting viewers to reflect on the profound impact of past experiences on their present lives.
In the debut feature film by Korean Canadian American writer-director Celine Song, we meet Nora Moon (Greta Lee), formerly known as Moon Na Young in South Korea. She shares an inseparable childhood bond with her friend Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) as they navigate school, walk home hand in hand and discover their first taste of love. However, Nora’s family makes the life-altering decision to immigrate to Canada, prompting her to adopt a new identity and leave behind her cherished memories and her friend, Hae Sung.
Nora, now a playwright, introduces the concept of “inyeon” to a fellow writer, Arthur (John Magaro), during their encounter at an artist’s residency. She says, “There’s a word in Korean, ‘Inyeon.’ It means providence or fate. When two people marry, they say it’s because there have been 8,000 layers of inyeon over 8,000 lifetimes.”
The “What Ifs” linger as Nora and Hae Sung reunite in New York City two decades later, but the passage of time, geographical distances and life experiences have erected barriers too formidable to surmount. By this time, Nora has already married Arthur.
Hae Sung muses aloud, “What if you had never left? If you hadn’t left like that, and we just grew up together, would I still have looked for you? Would we have dated? Broken up? Gotten married?” His question holds an undeniable allure, tempting one to envision an alternative life where Nora and Hae Sung might have kindled love in their homeland, South Korea.
At one point, Arthur employs an analogy to encapsulate their tale, stating, “In the story, I would be the evil white American husband standing in the way of destiny. I’m the guy you leave in the story when your ex-lover comes to take you away.” Nora playfully rebuffs him, but the analogy resonates.
Navigating the complexities of culture and identity, Nora’s reunion with Hae Sung stirs a sense of loss within her. She grapples with a longing for the person she used to be, her Korean heritage, and even her level of Korean proficiency. Nora candidly expresses to Arthur, “He’s so Korean... he has all these Korean views on everything, and I just feel really not Korean with him. I mean I have Korean friends, but he’s like, not Korean American, you know? He’s a Korean Korean.” Hae Sung becomes a poignant reminder of her Korean roots, a connection she yearns for, despite her seemingly content and successful life in New York.
In the end, Nora bid farewell to the 12-year-old girl and boy who were undoubtedly soulmates. As she parts ways with her past life and goes to embrace her husband, these tears convey a sense of acceptance. In “Past Lives,” the focus isn’t on Nora’s romantic choice between Hae Sung and Arthur. Instead, the film delves into Nora’s journey of accepting her present life rather than dwelling on what could have been.
The concept of past lives, explicitly highlighted in the movie through stories related to inyeon, explores the idea of fate and the enduring connections that develop between individuals across multiple lifetimes. In every encounter, whether it’s a chance meeting on the street or a lifelong commitment in marriage, inyeon exerts its influence, uniting two individuals who share a connection forged in their previous lives as lovers, companions, strangers in intimate proximity, or even like a bird perched on a branch.