The Picture Bride

Lee’s heartfelt if plodding English-language debut revolves around a trio of Korean mail-order brides in Hawaii. Willow,17, agrees to move from Korea to Hawaii in 1917 for marriage, believing she’ll get to attend school. She arrives in Hawaii with fellow picture bride Hongju, a young widow and friend; and Songwha, the daughter of an outcast. Willow is relieved that her fiance So Taewan is still a young man, as opposed to her friends’ older grooms, but is hurt by Taewan’s coldness and the realization she will have to work hard on his plantation. Only after she confronts him about his previous love for another woman does their relationship begin to thaw, and they have a son. Willow offers solace and support to her friends amid their unhappy marriages, helping Songwha stand up to her abusive husband and keeping in touch with Hongju after she moves to a different island. When Taewan travels to China to fight the Japanese, Willow supports the family and navigates her uncertain place in the divided Korean community. After a strong first act exploring Willow’s curdled romantic expectations, Lee slips into a muddled series of episodes without real climax, culminating with an unnecessary twist. It’s an engaging picture of a time and a place, but little more than that. (Oct.)