4:30

4:30

Year: 2005

Runtime: 93 mins

Language: Chinese

Director: Royston Tan

Drama

Longing for human contact Xiao Wu tries all he can to make a connection through physical and metaphorical walls in that hour between night and day.

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Timeline & Setting – 4:30 (2005)

Explore the full timeline and setting of 4:30 (2005). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Beijing, China

Beijing provides a quiet, uneasy backdrop where a single house becomes the center of Xiao Wu’s loneliness. The urban setting and the confinement of the home frame the boy’s longing for his mother and for Jung’s attention. The city’s stillness mirrors the emotional weight and unresolved tension that define the relationships in the film.

🌆 Urban backdrop 🏠 Domestic isolation 🧭 Quiet tension

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 14:21

Main Characters – 4:30 (2005)

Meet the key characters of 4:30 (2005), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Xiao Wu (Xiao Li Yuan)

A lonely, friendless boy who flounders at school and clings to quiet rituals to feel seen. He forms a fragile, one-sided attachment to Jung, stealing small items at 4:30 am and keeping a notebook of Jung’s belongings as a private map of closeness. His persistence reveals a longing for connection that skirts into intrusion, yet he remains sincere in his care and attempts to please Jung with small gestures.

🧒 Loneliness 🧩 Obsession 🕰️ Routine

Jung (Young-jun Kim)

A distant, withdrawn man carrying an unseen burden that erupts in perilous acts and quiet despair. His silence and the mysterious absence of a woman weigh heavily on him, hinting at a backstory that shapes his mistrust and vulnerability. He provides a fragile anchor for Xiao Wu’s hope, even as he remains emotionally inaccessible for much of the film.

🤐 Mystery 🌧️ Burden 💔 Absence

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 14:21

Major Themes – 4:30 (2005)

Explore the central themes of 4:30 (2005), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🕰️ Longing

Time becomes the measure of Xiao Wu’s longing as he waits for a mother who may not return. The clock at 4:30 am, the evolving notebook, and small rituals map a fragile pursuit of connection. The film treats longing as a quiet, persistent force that shapes how the boy understands himself and his world. Absence and memory drive every moment of the narrative.

🧩 Obsession

Xiao Wu turns Jung’s belongings and moments into a private map, attempting to bridge the gulf between them. The notebook and stolen items become objects of closeness, not conquest. This fixation is portrayed with tenderness and restraint, revealing how a child’s need for connection can blur boundaries. The film walks a fine line between affection and intrusion.

🏚️ Home

The house functions as a fragile shelter that becomes a stage for unresolved longing. Rooms hold echoes of Jung, and Xiao Wu’s acts—waiting, rearranging, and repainting windows—redefine the home as half-filled with memory. Silence carries the emotional weight more than dialogue does. The space itself encodes memory, absence, and the tension between staying and leaving.

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 14:21

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4:30 Summary

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4:30 Summary

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4:30 Timeline

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4:30 Spoiler-Free Summary

More About 4:30

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