The East Asia Film and Lecture Series continues this evening with “Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter … and Spring” from 6-9 p.m. in the Trutter Center. The public is invited at no charge.

“Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter … and Spring” (2003), directed by Ki-duk Kim, is about a young Buddhist apprentice who is mentored by an aging monk (Yeong-su Oh) at a secluded monastery in the Korean wilderness. As a teenager, the apprentice (Jae-kyeong Seo) encounters a girl who arrives at the monastery seeking assistance with her health. Over the course of a few days, the boy is tempted away from his spiritual existence into a sexual relationship. He leaves the monastery to follow the girl into a modern way of life he has never known and is unprepared for.

Discussion of the film is being led by Alex Jong-Seok Lee, a Ph.D. candidate in anthropology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His dissertation focuses on the relationship between South Korean globalization and notions of “service” among South Korean aspiring, current and former flight attendants. Originally from Los Angeles, Mr. Lee received his Bachelor of Arts in ethnic studies at the University of California at San Diego. An avid Champaign “Ebertfest” attendee, Mr. Lee enjoys a wide range of films, both local and global.