^{Credit: Netflix}

By 2050, we’ll have perfected hologram technology and sent astronauts to Mars. Yet, true music fans will still be keeping vinyl in style. At one point, Lost in Starlight sees a couple browsing through old records, stumbling upon a copy of Once. As different as these two films are, Lost in Starlight and Once are both about distance between people. In Once, it’s an unspoken distance with the central couple only able to connect intimately through their music. In this Korean animated feature from director Han Ji-won, the distance is more literal with one character venturing to space. Even when on the same planet, it can sometimes feel like the person you’re closest to is a galaxy away.

It’s been almost 25 years since Nan-young’s mother died on a mission to Mars. Nan-young seeks to pick up where her mother left off, although her superiors fear the latest expedition might be too personal for her. Grounded on Earth, Nan-young tries to reconnect with her mother by having her old turntable repaired. Enter Jay, an aspiring musician who offers to fix the record player with maybe some ulterior motives. The stars align when Nan-young realizes that Jay was behind a demo that, while incomplete, has been stuck in her head for some time. While Nan-young doesn’t let go of her aspirations for Mars, she can’t help but fall for Jay’s charms.

Lost in Starlight makes us question why anyone would want to leave Earth with backdrops that capture Seoul in all of its neon splendor. Compared to most other metropolises, Seoul already feels like a city of tomorrow. The animation team takes it a step further with a depiction of Seoul we could easily imagine existing in the near future. The lively colors and dynamic ingenuity of Seoul are only made more apparent when compared to the barren Red Planet. That said, Nan-young eventually gets the call that she’s going to Mars.

Despite his reservations, Jay understands this is something Nan-young needs to do. As Nan-young seeks closure beyond the stars, Jay is motivated to resolve unfinished business with his old band, finally finding his voice. A love triangle with one of Jay’s female band members is teased, although thankfully never pursued. Lost in Starlight respects its characters too much for that. While the plot risks falling into melodrama, this is ultimately a sincere love story elevated by heartfelt performances. For those who watch the English dub, the lip movements don’t always line up with the dialogue, but even that can’t take us out of this romance. A star-crossed romance? I won’t dare spoil that.

Han Ji-won’s previous feature, The Summer, clocked in at just over an hour. Lost in Starlight is not only her most ambitious artistic endeavor, but is poised to be the most widely seen. This is the first original Korean animated film from Netflix, which may be just one small step. The South Korean government recently invested $1 billion into the country’s animation industry, which is already evident. The King of Kings, which the Korean-based Mofac Studios, became an international hit. With Lost in Starlight, Han Ji-won firmly solidifies herself as one of Korea’s most gifted visual storytellers. If we’re in the midst of a Korean animation boom, hopefully she’s at the forefront.