FADE IN
Act 1
INT. STUDY - DAY
Smart phone in hand, PETER is checking emails. We see many Chinese New Year greetings.
PETER (V.O.): Today is the 29th day of the last lunar month of the Year of the Tiger.
Copying a link of a MV entitled "New Year's Coming" from his YouTube channel, Peter attaches it to his replies.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): That's my creative way to reciprocate all good wishes.
Peter watches the video clip.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): For those who haven't heard this Cantonese song of mine before, it's new.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I know this happy song appeals to kids particularly.
Repeating.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): As to the visuals, some are moments I captured in my Seoul trip.
Act 2
FLASHBACK
INT. RESTAURANT, SEOUL - DAY (JAN 15, 2023)
Peter, his WIFE, their elder DAUGHTER and her BOYFRIEND are discussing something over lunch.
PETER: Oh, the place I passed by the last time I was in Seoul is called "Cheonggyecheon"?
DAUGHTER: It was a massive urban renewal project.
PETER (V.O.): Oh yes, her degree is in Town Planning.
Surfing the web with her smart phone, Peter's wife discovers something.
WIFE: The Seoul Lantern Festival at the Gwanghwamun Square, a section of Cheonggyecheon, is still on...
Reading.
WIFE (Cont'd): It meant to end on Dec 31, 2022, but has been extended to Jan 24, 2023 ie the 3rd day of the Agricultural Calendar Year.
PETER: That's great! We must go and see it together!
EXT. GWANGHWAMUN SQUARE, SEOUL - NIGHT
When the party arrive, they're amazed to see the light fixtures.
PETER (V.O.): Traditional Korean expressions aside, there're modern ones.
Peter and his wife become busy in capturing the moments with their smart phones.
END FLASHBACK
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): After the sightseeing, we had a barbecue meal. We're very impressed with the service provided.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Over dinner, we learned from our daughter's boyfriend that Koreans would pay tribute to ancestors in the new Agricultural calendar year.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Our daughter will be joining her boyfriend's family in Busan from tonight.
Putting aside his smart phone, Peter grabs a guitar to play.
PETER (V.O.): On Dec 29, 2022, I wrote a song called "HKUST". I shared it with a few colleagues, and wished them Happy New Year's Eve.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I was under the impression that Dec 30 was the last day of the year. I didn't know what's going on in my head.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Yesterday, when I researched on the Chinese Agricultural Calendar, I realized that it embraced the movement of the Moon as well as that of the Sun.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): As the cycle of the Moon is not an even number of days, a lunar month can vary between 29 and 30 days only.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): And there're only 354.4 days in a lunar year. The difference accumulates to give a leap month.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I mixed up the Agricultural Calendar with the Gregorian one!
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Have I become senile?
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): And if I've become senile, how would I know it?
Act 3
INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT
Peter, his WIFE, elder SON and his GIRLFRIEND, younger SON and younger DAUGHER are having dinner.
PETER (V.O.): My family is extending. We find it good to have a dinner gathering as the New Year's coming.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I come from a big family. Tomorrow, we'll have another dinner gathering with other nuclear family members.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It takes a lot of history to make a little tradition. Tradition connects and nurtures us.
THE END
FADE OUT
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