I really love this love story between a mail-order-bride, Lena, and her green tea farmer husband, Soon Goo. The story starts when Lena, a Korean Russian born woman, accepts an offer to be a-mail-order-bride and flies to Korea. However, she is not honest in answering a questionnaire about her health; she only wants to go to Korea to bury her deceased parents in their homeland, Korea. The parents were transported to Russia by Japanese before or during the World War II and worked in the coal mines. Also, it seems that Lena second intention is to die in Korea due to her terminal illness without any expectation about her future life with her husband.

However, Soon Goo, her green tea farmer husband is an honest man and is eager to please and learn to love Lena earnestly. He encourages Lena to go to Cultural Center and learn about Korea. Soon Goo teaches Lena how to properly drink green tea and supports Lena wholeheartedly to learn photography from a traveling well-known photographer, Han Seong.

The interaction between Ajeossi Soon Goo is awkward in the beginning, as Soon Goo is trying hard to welcome Lena. Lena is at ease knowing Soon Goo genuinely wants Lena to feel welcome in Korea and accept Soon Goo as her husband. I like watching the uneasy interaction between these two lovely individuals that tells the story of the initial encounter between a husband and his mail-order-bride, it is so touching.

After Soon Goo knows about Lena’s terminal illness, he tries very hard to help Lena gets proper treatments with no regret. I would say the ending is open ended, however, my conclusion for the ending is that Lena survives the surgery since we are shown Soon Goo smiling brightly at the end of the film.

The film cinematography is breathtaking, the photography is remarkable, and the tea plantation scenery is breathtaking. I really love this movie and recommend “Dear Lena” wholeheartedly. I give ten-out-ten for the story, and I wish the story can be expanded and make into a weekend Kdrama Series.