A renowned writer in his forties, Lee Joonsup (Ahn Sung-ki) receives word that his aged mother (Han Eun-jin) has passed away and hastens to his hometown. The death of Lee’s mother, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease for over 5 of her 87 years, elicits a different emotional response from various people. In particular, Lee’s sister-in-law, who nursed the ailing woman through her final years, feels a mixture relief and regret. Meanwhile, reporter Jang Haerim (Jeong Kyeong-sun), who has come to write an article shining new light on Lee’s literary career through his mother’s death, is busy covering the ins and outs of the funeral from an observer’s point of view. The funeral begins, and the chasm of conflict deepens among Lee’s family members. But as the various funerary rituals progress, their conflict finds gradual resolution. Yongsoon (Oh Jeong-hae), who blamed her uncle Joonsup for not taking care of her grandmother, sheds tears as she reads a children’s story he wrote. After the funeral, everyone in Lee’s family comes away with the profound love and wisdom left behind by their aged parent in his or her heart. —Korean Film Archive
He began his filmmaking career as prop assistant to the lighting assistant, going through the traditional apprenticeship system of Chungmuro to become a film director. And in 1962, he made his directorial debut with Farewell Tumen River (Dumangang-a Jal Itgeora), an action film that deals with the plight of the Independence Army of Manchuria. He made Weeds(Jabcho), Mismatched Nose (Jjagko), and The Family Pedigree (Jogbo) during the 1970s and with his movies of the 1980s, Kilsodeum(Gilsotteum), Ticket (Tiket), Surrogate Mother (Ssibat-i) and Mandara (Mandala), gradually became recognized for his artistry and craftsmanship. He met Lee Tae-won and began working with Taeheung Film Studios starting with his 1989 film Come, Come, Come, Upward (Aje Aje Bara Aje) and continued to work consistently with the studio from then on. He achieved box office success with his The General’s Son (Janggun-ui adeul) series and became a nationally recognized figure with the then unparalleled box office success… read more
