Nan-young’s mother was one of the early astronauts sent to the red planet on a pioneering mission. But something went terribly wrong. Her father, unable to cope with the grief, lost his grip on reality.
Years later, Nan-young (Kim Tae-ri) follows in her mother’s footsteps. Now an astronaut herself, she carries the burden of legacy and longing. Her mission is to continue her mother’s work by cultivating life on Mars using a flower known as Amur Adonis, a symbol of hope and survival in even the harshest environments.
Despite her intelligence and training, Nan-young struggles with grief herself. Flashbacks of her mother paralyze her in crucial moments, raising concerns among her superiors about her mental readiness for such a high-stakes mission. Still, no door is ever truly closed. She may still have a shot if she can gather herself. A short break back in Korea might be just what she needs.
While in Korea, Nan-young meets Jay (Hong Kyung), a former band member who once wrote a song he assumed would never be heard again. One day, Nan-young plays the song, to his surprise. Nan-young reveals it is one of her favorites, a track close to her heart.
As they spend more time together, they begin to help each other face their deepest fears. Nan-young finds comfort and calm in Jay. Jay, on the other hand, finds a new reason to revisit his career as a musician. Their bond becomes healing.
Eventually, everything comes down to a single decision. Nan-young must choose between staying with the person who helped her find herself or returning to the stars to chase the dream that has shaped her entire life.
Mars is dangerous. And it is far, far from Earth. Far from Jay. But it is also her and her mother’s dream.
Can Nan-young leave behind the person she now loves to pursue the dream that defines her?
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I’m not as high on Lost in Starlight as many others seem to be.
I love Kim Tae-ri, and the animation is undeniably beautiful. But for some reason, the film just doesn’t resonate with me. It feels unnecessarily cheesy, overly long, and a bit too tedious in trying to convey its messages about grief, love, dreams, and perseverance.
There’s definitely a niche for this film, but it’s hard to pin down exactly what it is. Maybe it's made for space nerds or hopeless romantics? I’m not so sure because this film packs in a lot of things in it from science fiction to romance.
But if you’re into stunning visuals, then Lost in Starlight is easily for you. The colors and the lights are vivid and beautiful. You could stare at its breathtaking landscapes and immersive world-building for hours without getting bored of it.
The voice acting is solid too. Kim Tae-ri and Hong Kyung both bring a lot of sincerity and emotion to their performances. The music and songs are also well done, adding a nice emotional layer to the experience.
But everything else? It just didn’t work for me. The film clocks in at under 100 minutes, but it felt like an eternity. I think that’s because it failed to make me care about the story it wanted to tell. It came off as overly dramatic and forced, rather than moving or natural.
In another world, Lost in Starlight could have been one of my favorite animated films. But in this one, it’s far from that.
2/5
