Pavane (파반느) might ring a bell for classical music lovers or Korean literature readers, who might have come across the novel (Pavane for a Dead Princess by author Park Min-gyu) on which this latest film is based. Directed by Lee Jong-pil, the film was released on February 20, 2026, on Netflix with a runtime of 1 hour and 53 minutes.
The cast of Pavane includes Go Ah-sung as Mi-jeong, Byun Yo-han as Park Yo-han, Moon Sang-min as Lee Gyeong-rok, Lee Yi-dam as Se-ra, Seo Yi-ra, Han Yu-eun, Lee Bong-ryun, Park Hae-joon, and Woo Jung-won. The story takes place in a department store’s underground parking lot, where three wounded souls collide: the elusive Mi-jeong, shunned by society; the free-spirited Yo-han; and the pragmatic Gyeong-rok, grounded by life’s practicalities.
Gyeong-rok is instantly captivated by Mi-jeong, and Yo-han fans the flames with playful matchmaking. Amid his humorous nudges, Mi-jeong and Gyeong-rok discover the thrill of first love, while the trio forges a tender friendship filled with quiet care and laughter that flourishes on the fringes of a chaotic world.
Pavane Review
The way Pavane opens is quite unexpected but impactful, hooking you instantly. It shows an unassuming woman (Lee Bong-ryun) seemingly waiting for someone in a restaurant. As soon as the man walks in, she prepares his order and serves it with an apple. The man is shown to be Park Hae-joon, but seeing him makes no sense since he isn’t in the trailer or mentioned among the supporting cast. Intriguingly, the tension between them is palpable and excites you for what is to come.
Unfortunately, not all love stories have a happy ending, and it is the central theme of the film, as “love is an illusion” is often repeated in dialogue. The scene cuts to Park Hae-joon going out all dressed up while Le Bong-ryun is sitting down with her son, eating an apple, and watching TV. The show on television reveals that Park Hae-joon is a popular actor, Lee Dong, famous for his dialogue “I’m sorry”. The show mentions scandals around Lee Dong, including a secret relationship and a child. However, it then mentions Lee Dong getting married to a rich fiancé.
Pavane soon cuts to the boy named Lee Gyeong-rok, all grown but not without emotional scars due to his dad’s abandonment and his mother’s untimely death due to suicide. He starts working part-time at the Utopia departmental store parking lot and comes across Park Yo-han. He instantly takes a liking to Gyeong-rok due to his David Bowie shirt and treats him like his best friend.
Also Read: Million Follower Detective Review: Ekin Cheng Chases Serial Killer, Influencers, and the Witch
Gyeong-rok doesn’t show much emotion; he is neither happy nor sad, but rather just living day by day passively. One day, while roaming around the basement on a skateboard, he comes across Kim Mi-jeong, who works in the dark storage room. For some reason, he finds himself noticing her all the time. While others shun her as unattractive or an odd personality due to her introverted nature, he can’t help but want to know her more.
The film further follows how the two connect with each other, mostly with Yo-han’s help. However, there’s always an air of tragedy around them. The way Gyeong-rok slowly peels each layer to bring out Mi-jeong’s personality warms your heart but also makes you anxious. It’s obvious that Mi-jeong is falling for him head over heels, but what if history repeats itself? What if Gyeong-rok ends up the same way his father did, abandoning his mother to be with a rich and conventionally attractive person?
The film touches upon the subjects of superficiality, beauty standards, and wanting to keep up with the social hierarchy while slowly climbing step by step. What’s interesting to see is how Gyeong-rok, Mi-jeong, and Yo-han connect with and express their tender emotions with each other. No matter what the world says or does, in front of each other, their true selves take center stage and comfort them with a sense of belonging, where the people who should have cherished them have abandoned them.
Just like the title pavane, which refers to Maurice Ravel’s classical piece pavane pour une infante difunte, a slow processional dance, the love story also processes slowly. Beat by beat, Gyeong-rok and Mi-jeong come closer to each other and immerse the audience in their otherwise mundane world. Despite some hurdles, we keep on rooting for them and hope that their relationship won’t end in heartbreak. Here, Yo-han plays the messenger of bad news, even influencing their relationship.
When things are going well between Gyeong-rok and Mi-jeong, Yo-han keeps us on our toes, wanting to hold his hand and listen to everything that he hides in his heart. While music plays a symbiotic part in the story, which creates the mood and tension depending on the emotion of the scene, the use of light and shadows is done brilliantly. Even if the characters don’t directly speak about what they are feeling, the way their surrounding is lit, it tells you everything.
For example, initially, Mi-jeong is mostly seen in dark spaces with flickering lights, as if deliberately hiding herself. As she starts hanging out with Gyeong-rok, we see more of her in brightly lit spaces with a clear focus on her face, not hiding behind her hair or turning her head down. While in Gyeong-rok’s case, he is shown seemingly shining under a spotlight, from Mi-jeong’s perspective, but when he feels heartbroken or drowning in complicated emotions, the shadows from his room’s window cover him completely. It shows his confusion and overwhelmed state.
The only thing that seems missing in the film is perhaps a lack of information about Yo-han. Understandably, he is a secondary character who exists to push the leads together or give an insight into their lives or future. Yet, his mysterious demeanor could have been explored in a more detailed manner, which could have added more layers to the story. However, the resolution binds all the threads together and doesn’t leave anything hanging, which is appreciated.
Final Thoughts on Pavane
Coming across a “good film” in these times has become quite rare; thus, I wouldn’t stop myself or anyone from recommending this gem. Hopefully, you will find the joy and some tears in Pavane as I did. Watch it when you have adequate time on your hands to fully immerse yourself in this emotional story and be able to sit with what you’ve just witnessed for a while afterward.
*Rating: 5/5*
Pavane is available to watch on Netflix.
Also Read: The Art of Sarah Review: Shin Hye-sun is an Enigma Slowly Unraveled by Lee Jun-hyuk
Leave a Reply