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Ko - production in Busan
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- In Front Of The House (Korean Films at Cannes 2011)
- by LEE Hwa-jung / May 06, 2011
- International Critics’ Week - Short Directed by LEE Tae-ho
The film starts off like any other romantic movie about two inseparable love birds in their twenties. Hyung-joo puts together a home-made lunchbox for his girlfriend Yeon-hee. Before closing the lid, he completes the lunchbox by drawing a heart with ketchup sauce on the grilled sausages he has happily prepared for his loving other-half. But to Hyung-joo's disappointment, Yeon-hee is not impressed. He even pulls out pricey entrance tickets to a theme park, but she boldly rejects his presents and says she has other commitments.The viewers will naturally wonder why Yeon-hee turns down Hyung-joo's efforts to win her heart. A typical romance genre film may have ushered Yeon-hee to fall in love with another man. But "In Front of the House" is more than just a typical love story. The plot twist kicks in when the suspicious Hyung-joo quietly follows Yeon-hee after they quarrel. Hyung-joo's doubts are soon outrun by a sense of shock when he sees that Yeon-hee is headed to a place that he least expected. The girl he has been shadowing stops when she arrives home at a run-down shelter in the middle of a shanty town.For many, the title "In Front of the House" may carry romantic connotations, as the location often relates to kisses goodbye after memorable dates. But in the capitalist world that we live in, one's front porch symbolizes more than just rosy "butterflies-in-the-stomach" emotions. In fact, where you live can indirectly represent your wealth and social status. What Hyung-joo witnessed was not simply Yeon-hee's house but also her poor living standards, unimaginably poor to a middle class apartment dweller like himself.Suddenly for Hyung-joo, pure love for Yeon-hee seems not enough to fill the social wealth gap that he did not know existed between them. After Hyung-joo's secret discovery, he can no longer bring himself to face Yeon-hee the same way. And that is where the movie ends. The last scene shows Hyung-joo staring blankly at his flashy apartment in the distance while standing next to the run-down slums - a symbolic snapshot that captures the wealth gap still evident in the capitalist era of the 21st century.Korean Films at Cannes Film Festival
The Day He Arrives
Dir. HONG SangsooUn Certain RegardDirector HONG Sangsoo’s latest work <The Day He Arrives> follows a regional college professor and occasional filmmaker on a trip to Seoul, taking place mostly in the Bukchon district of Seoul, which is known for its traditional Korean-style houses.
The Yellow Sea
Dir. NA Hong-jinUn Certain RegardDirector NA Hong-jin’s second feature <The Yellow Sea> seems to complete a trend and flow of thriller genre films in the industry at peak done by NA Hong-jin himself, who started the trend since his previous film <The Chaser>.
ARIRANG
Dir. KIM Ki-dukUn Certain RegardDirector KIM Ki-duk returns with his first documentary <ARIRANG> after his latest feature <Dream>(2008). Through <Arirang> he can understand human beings, be thankful of nature, and acknowledge his life as it is now.
Ghost
Dir. Dahci MaShort Film in CompetitionLEE Jeong-jin (aka Dahci MA)’s <Ghost> talks about slums that are about to be re-developed where a rape murder case occurs, featuring grotesque looks, mixing up foreign factors that refuse to be put together.
Fly by Night
Dir. SON Tae GyumCinefondationSON Tae-gyum questions the true meaning of sexual identity through the eyes of a young boy experiencing a difficult adolescence.
Finis Operis
Dir. MOON Byoung-GonInternational Critics' Week"If you are willing to survive, you will die. But if you're willing to die, you will survive." As captured in this Korean saying spoken by Admiral...
In Front of the House
Dir. Lee Tae-HoInternational Critics' WeekThe film starts off like any other romantic movie about two inseparable love birds in their twenties...
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