"Burning Winter" is unique in that it uses "state" and "emotion" as the driving force, blending the similar states of the three main characters into the driving force of the gradual closing of the distance in the plot. This creates a psychic resonance effect, which, while also resulting in an under-depiction of emotional relationships, gives the work a unique non-dramatic character to the whole.
Haofeng and Nana initially fell into an awkward but similar state. Although they try to fit into the life around them, the real emotions in their hearts constantly prevent them from fully expressing themselves, and can only barely linger in the "performance" stage. Their integration and adaptation are only a superficial cooperation, and the heart has never been able to integrate and accept the existing state of life. Yanji becomes a concrete "life" in the works, and Haofeng and Nana's discomfort and internal rejection of the city highlight the state in which they live. Director Chen Zheyi needed to capture Yanji's unique local characteristics, create an authentic local appearance, and create a sense of alienation from the environment through various techniques to show their state. They are set up as outsiders precisely to show their sense of alienation from their surroundings.
However, Han Xiao's character is different from the other two. He has a high degree of integration with the local area, and naturally becomes the guide for Haofeng and Nana to "real life", and also symbolizes their "completion state". Han Xiao's state for most of the time and the transformation at the end show the two stages of "embracing real life". The first is to "break the pretense of repressive suffering", to end the pain that has always existed when you are barely able to maintain a false daily life, to expose it, and to melt the ice of "camouflaged repression", and then to face up to the pain, turn it into a part of life, return to the imperfect real life in a more positive state, and complete the process of melting the ice of "dark suffering".
Compared to other works, "Burning Winter" does not depict characters and events in detail, but instead puts the main energy into the actors' performances and camera language. Actors express emotions through a relatively free state, while the language of the camera plays an auxiliary role in the transmission of information and emotional reinforcement. Among them, "Ice and Water", "Korean" and "Fugitives" become the design points throughout the film.
When Haofeng first appears, his figure is shrouded in a huge ice field painting, standing alone in the distance, out of place with the festive wedding scene around him. This composition instantly shows his true state at the moment: he went to the wedding just to "weigh the etiquette", but he couldn't accept it in his heart. Subsequently, elements such as "throwing basins", "Arirang" and parade dances of Yanji's special wedding followed, but Haofeng remained indifferent and was finally forced to accept a friend's invitation to dance. Obviously, his mind is not immersed in the festive atmosphere of the wedding, but he is not able to show his true self. In the face of praise and indulgence from his friends, he can only maintain superficial harmony. Another moment that highlights Haofeng's true side is when the wedding begins, when everyone is immersed in the joy, and the camera close-ups hit his shadow on the wall. The cheerful figure seems to float in the ice and snow world, which appropriately echoes the image of ice and snow that appears at the beginning of the film, trying to blend into this icy environment in the form of ice.
Nana is in a similar state, with the first scene arranging for her to introduce the travel itinerary to tourists. The visitors' reactions were muted, with little emotional fluctuation in her speech, and the footage of her kneading her aching feet revealed her experience as a "retired female ice hockeyer". This actually reflects the peculiarities of the tour guide's job: they spend most of their time "performing" enthusiastically, but there is always some opportunity to relax, for example in between getting passengers on and off the bus. At this point, they reveal their transient true selves, in contrast to the overall image of enthusiasm. Nana's "finish the introduction, sit down and pinch her feet" is such a moment, suggesting that she really belongs to the skating rink, which is her real life.
Overall, "Burning Winter" presents the real feelings of the characters through the push of state and emotion, and establishes a subtle spiritual resonance between the three protagonists. Although the depiction of the characters and the arrangement of events are relatively simple, the director skillfully uses the actors' performances and camera language to highlight the inner world of Haofeng, Nana and Han Xiao. This non-dramatic presentation allows the audience to more deeply appreciate the emotions and state changes of the characters, rather than just passively developing the plot. With its unique and engaging presentation, "Burning Winter" provokes the audience to think about real emotions and inner exploration.