Chen Yi-wen
A-Wen
Overview
A family of four fractures under the weight of unmet expectations, unexpected tragedy, and uncompromising pride.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
4 min readThe Sun That Never Sets
I keep thinking about the way light falls in A Sun. Not the golden-hour glow of a prestige drama, but the harsh, unflinching brightness of a fluorescent bulb in a police station interrogation room. That’s where we meet A-Ho (Wu Chien-ho), the younger son in the Chen family, his face half-lit, half in shadow, as if the film itself can’t decide whether to forgive him.
Chung Mong-hong’s 2019 drama isn’t just about a family unraveling—it’s about the way light, both literal and metaphorical, exposes the cracks we spend our lives trying to hide.
Chung has a way of making stillness feel like a held breath. The film opens with a quiet domestic scene: the Chen family at dinner, the father (Chen Yi-wen) grilling his sons about their futures. The camera lingers on their faces, the way A-Ho’s eyes dart away while his older brother, A-Hao (Greg Hsu), answers with practiced ease.
There’s no score here, just the clink of chopsticks and the hum of a refrigerator. It’s mundane, almost suffocating in its ordinariness. And then, suddenly, it isn’t.
A-Ho and his friend Radish (Liu Kuan-ting) commit a violent act that sets the rest of the film in motion—a moment so abrupt it feels like a punch to the gut. But what lingers isn’t the violence itself; it’s the way the camera stays on A-Ho’s face afterward, his expression caught between shock and something like relief. He’s been waiting for this, I think.
Not the crime, but the rupture. The moment when the facade of his life finally cracks open.
The film’s title, A Sun, plays on the Mandarin homophone for "a son," and Chung uses light as both a promise and a burden. The sun in Taipei isn’t warm; it’s oppressive, a relentless force that bleaches the color out of everything. In one scene, A-Hao stands on a rooftop, the city sprawling beneath him, the light so bright it flattens him into a silhouette.
Audience Opinions
Audience 7.8/10
"A gripping yet emotionally exhausting crime drama with standout performances and raw storytelling."
Viewers praise the film for its intense character portrayals and unflinching exploration of family and crime, particularly highlighting the father-son dynamics. latestnetflix.com's view is that however, some find the pacing uneven and the narrative occasionally overwhelming due to its heavy themes.
What viewers praise
- Powerful performances Chen Yi-wen and Wu Chien-ho deliver deeply moving performances that anchor the film’s emotional weight.
- Raw storytelling The film’s unfiltered approach to crime and family trauma resonates strongly with audiences.
- Emotional depth The exploration of guilt, redemption, and familial bonds leaves a lasting impact.
Common complaints
- Uneven pacing Some scenes drag, disrupting the film’s otherwise immersive flow.
- Overwhelming themes The relentless focus on crime and suffering can feel emotionally taxing for some viewers.
- Predictable moments Certain plot developments follow familiar crime-drama tropes, reducing surprise.
Recommended for
Crime drama enthusiasts Fans of Taiwanese cinema Viewers who enjoy character-driven stories Those seeking emotional intensity
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsBehind the Scenes of A Sun: Chung Mong-hong’s Gritty Taiwanese Drama
A Sun (2019), directed by Chung Mong-hong, is a raw, emotionally charged Taiwanese film that dissects family trauma, crime, and redemption. While the movie’s critical acclaim—including a 7.1/10 rating on SensCritique 
—has sparked conversations about its storytelling, details about its production remain scarce. latestnetflix.com's take is that here’s what we know (and don’t) about the making of this gripping drama.
A Director’s Signature Style
Chung Mong-hong is known for blending poetic cinematography with dark, complex themes like violence and memory . A Sun fits neatly into this mold, though the director’s behind-the-scenes process isn’t widely documented. Unlike blockbusters with press tours and on-set leaks, Chung’s work often speaks for itself—leaving fans to piece together his creative choices from interviews and reviews.
One standout element? The film’s runtime: a hefty 156 minutes . That’s no accident. Chung’s pacing is deliberate, allowing tension to simmer as the story unfolds across two brothers’ divergent paths—one entangled in crime, the other striving for normalcy. The director’s background as a cinematographer likely plays a role here; his visual storytelling is as much a character as the actors themselves.
Cast Chemistry and Unconfirmed Rumors
The ensemble cast—led by Chen Yi-wen, Ko Shu-Chin, and Wu Chien-ho —delivers powerhouse performances, but details about their collaboration are thin. A few whispers suggest:
- Chen Yi-wen’s preparation: The veteran actor, known for intense roles, reportedly spent time in prisons to research his character, A-Ho’s father. However, this claim lacks direct sourcing in the available evidence.
- Wu Chien-ho’s breakout: The young actor’s portrayal of troubled teen A-Ho earned praise, but whether he worked closely with Chung on improvisation or script tweaks remains unconfirmed.
YTYouTube·A Sun (2019) | Movie Review | Taiwan | A fantast… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K6XtDPGxbM- Greg Hsu’s role: Hsu, who plays the more stable brother A-Hao, has since risen to stardom in Taiwanese cinema. His chemistry with the cast was noted in reviews , though specifics about rehearsals or on-set dynamics aren’t public.
If there were conflicts or creative clashes, they’ve stayed behind closed doors. The film’s cohesion suggests a tight-knit team, but without insider accounts, we’re left guessing.
Festival Buzz and Critical Reception
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5-FEtJTg44
A Sun premiered at the Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) 2019 , where its trailer generated early buzz. Reviews later called it a "fantastic Taiwanese movie about a family falling apart" , praising its unflinching look at societal pressures and familial bonds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9GXxKggIcI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yurEjC1GDUs
Yet, despite its acclaim, the film didn’t spawn the kind of tabloid drama typical of bigger productions. No leaked scripts, no feuds, no last-minute reshoots—just a quiet, confident release that let the story speak for itself. Even its Netflix debut didn’t spark major behind-the-scenes revelations, though critics continued to highlight its emotional depth.
The Big Unknowns
For all its strengths, A Sun’s production remains shrouded in mystery. Key questions without answers:
- Budget: No figures are publicly available. Was it a shoestring indie or a mid-budget passion project?
- Script development: Did Chung workshop the story with his cast, or was it a solo effort?
- Editing choices: The film’s runtime suggests meticulous editing—were there deleted scenes or alternate cuts?
Without interviews or production diaries, these details stay in the dark. Chung’s work thrives on ambiguity, and A Sun is no exception.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.