Soul

Chuan, a quiet 30-year-old man working as a chef in a Japanese restaurant, collapses suddenly and is rushed to a hospital. His colleagues send him to his father, who resides in the mountains. While there, Chuan becomes immobile: he won’t speak, eat or even go to the toilet on his own. One day his father returns from work only to find Chuan sitting in the corner with his daughter lying dead in a pool of blood. In an unfamiliar, eerily calm voice, Chuan says, “I saw this body was empty, so I moved in.

Directed by Chung Mong-hong, Soul leans on a strong ensemble — Jimmy Wang Yu, Joseph Chang Hsiao-Chuan, Vincent Liang — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2013.