Dazzling Animated Romance Set to a K-Pop Beat

Lost in Starlight is a heartfelt and beautifully animated romance with an enchanting K-pop accompaniment, a joyful story of two disparate souls finding each other in a near future where humanity’s greatest endeavors are on the cusp of realization. But the sweet, ethereal connection of true love resonates further than any technological achievement in this original animated film from celebrated Korean director Han Ji-won — a first for Netflix. As far as milestones go, it’s a dazzling one: Despite a melodramatic finale that broadcasts its intentions from the opening act, Lost in Starlight will have romantics transfixed.

In 2026, a Mars expedition celebrates the holidays by allowing crew members to record video messages to send back home. The astronauts laugh and cheer — until a slight tremor explodes into a complete disaster. 25 years later in Seoul, Nan-young (Kim Tae-ri), a young scientist and astronaut candidate, struggles through a holographic test for the Demeter IV Mars mission. Nan-young’s commanders fear she’s not psychologically ready to proceed, given that her mother was one of the fatalities on the lost expedition.

An Enchanting Love Affair

Dejected over the news, Nan-young becomes frustrated and accidentally damages a vintage record player her mother left behind. She scours Seoul looking for replacement parts, and literally runs into Jay (Hong Kyung in the original Korean, and Justin H. Min in the English version) while leaving a retro shop. Jay, who works as a repairman nearby, is instantly taken by Nan-young’s beauty. He gives her his card to come by his shop, but she doesn’t reveal her name.

Nan-young warns Jay she’s avoiding any commitments, but finally relents after several encounters with the eager Jay. He’s surprised to learn that she’s a famous scientist whose dream is to explore Mars. There’s still a chance she may be selected, but Nan-young’s efforts to suppress her growing feelings fail after she plays Jay her favorite song. Nan-young could never find its author, or any more songs by the artist. Jay can’t believe it: She’s listening to his long-forgotten demo.

Lost in Starlight is a wondrous blend of futurism and character chemistry. Drector/co-writer Han Ji-won gets top marks for believability: Nan-young and Jay could be flesh and blood strangers, united by kismet. Their burgeoning love affair always feels real, as Han takes the time for both characters to recognize the value of what’s happening to them. Jay, at first, thinks Nan-young is out of his league. Why would someone so lovely and learned like a failed musician? But Nan-young’s wounded heart has been lonely since losing her mother, and Jay allows her to be unguarded and vulnerable. They become the final pieces of a completed puzzle.

Lost in Starlight’s second act solidifies their coupling in a mesmerizing way. We never see them having sex, but revel in the afterglow of post-coital bliss: Scenes of Nan-young and Jay lying on the floor or in bed, talking, eating and just being themselves, are extraordinary. Then reality comes crashing down, as Nan-young’s professional dreams are answered. Something she’s waited a lifetime for has now become an impediment to happiness. Can Nan-young and Jay’s burning-hot romance survive the cold separation of space?

Mars Awaits

It’s not all kisses and cuddles, as Han adds subplots concerning the scientific objectives of the Mars mission and Jay’s desire to restart his musical career. Both are vital to the characters’ goals: Love can exist in a vacuum, but both Nan-young and Jay have obligations to pursue. This search for their individual hopes makes the longing worse. Absence does indeed make the heart grow fonder, and scenes of the couple communicating via messages and holograms are quite endearing. Those who’ve struggled through long-distance relationships will find these moments especially poignant.

Lost in Starlight does a superb job of capturing big and small moments. The future depicted seems within reach, as autonomous cars and holographic watches are thoughtfully juxtaposed with vintage technology. It makes sense that young lovers would be drawn to vinyl records; it’s kind of a hipster vibe, but you can imagine Nan-young and Jay holding hands while flipping through classics. Han also embraces incredible detail in stunning scenes of space travel and the Martian landscape. A shot of Nan-young watching a tear float away with the reflection of Earth as she leaves the atmosphere is absolutely amazing — kudos to Han and his production team for eschewing CGI and sticking with hand-drawn animation.

Unfortunately, however, Lost in Starlight goes for tears in a contrived finale. It’s a bit of a letdown from the fantastic rising action, but even this failed attempt at a gut-wrenching finale isn’t enough to tank the spirit of the film. You’ll still be warm and fuzzy once the credits roll. The soundtrack also deserves a nod: This reviewer normally despises K-pop and wasn’t turned off, so one can assume actual fans will be delighted by the music.

Lost in Starlight, originally titled I Byeol-e Pil-yohan, has both Korean and English dubbed versions. It is a production of Climax Studio and Netflix Animation. It premieres May 30th, exclusively on Netflix.