The central moments of this story takes place in Hiroshima: and it is symbolic of the devastation that rips through the thin veneer of coping that the main character has plastered over his wounds.
Throuh the repeated readings of of dialogue of Chekhov's Uncle Vanya, the themes of infidelity, wasted lives and lost opportunity is explored. I love the way in which the play-within-a-play accents the sensitivities and the unspoken anguish of the main character.
One young girl keeps on driving .. which is an important aspect of living with grief: to go on, to do the work, and she grounds the film, hugging a dog, showing Hiroshima restored, driving west until her car packs up..
I The Chechov lines chrechendo's on a landslide scar, the resolution to the grief comes in a spetacular culmination at the end of the Uncle Vanya performance, and when you think it is over, the film (and life) goes on.

It is a masterpiece, and if you can watch sixteen hours of Kdrama, you owe it to yourself to spend the time on this.