If the Sun Rises in the West

The story takes place in modern South Korea, primarily in urban centers where the main character works and in baseball stadiums during the Korean Series. The stadium serves as a key location for pivotal moments between the leads.

The movie is set in present-day Korea and spans a few years, beginning with a chance meeting before jumping forward three years to when Beom-soo becomes a professional umpire.

The film explores three core themes: Love & Reunion, showing how distance and time can deepen affection; Ambition, following Beom-soo's dream of becoming a professional baseball umpire; and Identity, focusing on Hyun-joo's dual identity as both Nam Hyun-joo and Yoo Ha-rin under public scrutiny.

Kim Beom-soo is the male lead, a patient and principled traffic control officer who dreams of becoming a professional baseball umpire. Known for his kindness and steady optimism, he pursues both his career goals and love with persistent, good-natured humor.

Nam Hyun-joo, also known as Yoo Ha-rin, is the female lead, a theatre major and rising actress navigating a dual identity between her private self and public career. Her journey tests the balance between love, fame, and personal authenticity.

Byun Ji-min is the president of an advertising company who pursues Hyun-joo, representing the glamorous business world that contrasts with Beom-soo's simple, earnest approach to romance. He serves as the primary rival love interest.

The baseball stadium is a central location in the film, serving as the backdrop for Beom-soo's career journey and the setting where the lovers are reunited during the Korean Series. It symbolizes the intersection of professional dreams and personal romance.

The central conflict revolves around a love triangle between Beom-soo, Hyun-joo, and Byun Ji-min. Hyun-joo must choose between Beom-soo's sincere but modest love and Ji-min's glamorous world, while also balancing her dual identity as an actress and her growing career.

The film probes how identity shapes love under public scrutiny through Hyun-joo's dual personas, Nam Hyun-joo and Yoo Ha-rin. This tension forces Beom-soo to confront the difference between who she truly is and who she appears to be in the public eye.

Love drives the narrative as Beom-soo and Hyun-joo form a bond through letters and shared moments, endure separation when she goes abroad, and ultimately reunite on the baseball field. The film explores how time and distance can deepen affection before rekindling their relationship.

The film maintains a hopeful tone throughout, focusing on the emotional journey of longing and reunion rather than high-stakes drama. It features a straightforward, linear narrative with medium emotional weight, balanced by optimism and culminating in a happy ending.