′According to the corrupt cop, Deng, seafood makes people happy and induces sexual urges. But like all foods, seafood can be harmful when it goes off. And the same goes for the human mind. We are reminded of this simple message throughout Zhu Wen′s psychodrama, Seafood. 21-year-old prostitute Xiaomei from Beijing visits a quiet resort called Beidaihe in order to kill herself. But corrupt country cop Deng easily finds out what she does and why she came. Deng starts to follow her trail. On the surface, it seems like he is trying to prevent a suicide, but in fact he is trying to sleep with her. Over a dish of seafood, Deng tells Xiaomei about the reasons to live. But he doesn′t seem to have any goals for a proper life. Eventually, Deng faces a sudden death due to his greed. Still nothing changes with Xiaomei′s everyday life. Xiaomei ′reason to live is not indirect and metaphoric like Deng′. Her reason is direct and definite - it is money. Zhu Wen sees contemporary China as like seafood gone badly. Perhaps that? why the winter in this film feels even colder. (Kim Ji-Seok)