Young Koreans in the Five Flavours spotlight. We are starting with programme announcements for the 19th edition of Five Flavours!
After months of intensive selection work, we have finalised the programme for the 19th edition of Five Flavours, and we are really proud of it! The first section we are unveiling is K-Youth. It examines the condition of young Koreans over the past few decades, their problems, ambitions, and dreams.
In the last century, South Korea was a country that had suffered greatly. Still, thanks to widespread social protests, which began at universities in the early 1990s, it chose democracy and emerged as one of the economic Tigers. It entered the 21st century with a plan to build a strong, modern economy, while the global hallyu (Korean pop culture wave) offensive made the world take notice of K-pop, K-dramas, K-cosmetics, and K-food. Korea became fashionable, and its products captured the imagination of teenagers from Buenos Aires to Warsaw. But what lies beneath this colourful surface? In pursuing economic prosperity, have older generations created a good environment for their children to live in? What prospects for work and for a happy life do those who are the future of this country have?
Research indicates that life in South Korea before reaching adulthood is no bed of roses. The pressure of high educational standards, bullying at school, followed by long working hours, the growing gap between the expectations of young Korean men and women leading to a decline in romantic relationships, the lowest fertility rate in the world, a high suicide rate…- these are just a few of the problems that have led young people in this country to start calling it Hell Joseon.
Offering precise social diagnoses, New Korean Cinema does not disappoint here either, placing young people at the centre of its focus. The K-Youth section comprises seven acclaimed titles that paint a panorama of the dreams and fears, opportunities and constraints of young adults in Korea. These are productions from different periods in Korean cinema history, spanning the 1980s to the present day, and employing a range of film conventions, from micro-budget works to big-budget blockbusters known to every Korean. In selecting films for the K-Youth section, we ensured a variety of genres: there are dramas, comedies, and even horror films, as well as stories that portray reality with striking authenticity.
We are unveiling the first three titles in this section. For the first time in Poland, we will be screening the legendary romantic comedy “My Sassy Girl”, which sparked a wide-ranging discussion about gender roles in relationships. We will also be presenting a gem from the 1980s, “Chilsu and Mansu”, and the excellent, understated comedy-drama “Time to Be Strong”, which was a sensation at the Jeonju Film Festival in 2024.
My Sassy Girl / Yeopgijeogin geunyeo
dir. Kwak Jae-yong
South Korea 2001, 123’
[theatre screenings+online]
Genre cinema is straightforward, constantly drawing on the same motifs and repeating well-worn formulas ad nauseam in only slightly altered configurations. But what if you rearrange these elements, add a few from a different order, and cast likeable actors with real chemistry? You might end up with a film remembered for decades, which is exactly the case with “My Sassy Girl”, one of the finest romantic comedies of New Korean Cinema.
Good-natured and somewhat naïve, Gyeon-woo has no idea that the night he saves a drunken stranger from the path of an oncoming underground train will prove to be one of the most important of his life. It marks the beginning of an unusual friendship that will set his heart alight and turn his everyday existence upside down. Yet the road to a happy relationship is anything but easy. The nameless girl is Gyeon-woo’s complete opposite: loud, domineering, full of strange ideas, and not averse to using her fists. She also hides a secret that profoundly shapes her relationships with others. Does this odd relationship stand a chance of survival?
“My Sassy Girl” is a legendary film. Based on Kim Ho-sik’s true memories, first published as blog posts online, it combines elements of rom-com and melodrama, subverting them and playing with the audience’s expectations. There is plenty of unpretentious humour and cheeky sentimentality, but also rough mischief and, in contrast, thoughtful social commentary. The film revived director Kwak Jae-yong’s career, smashed box-office records in Korea, and became a hit across Asia, turning actress Jun Ji-hyun into a major star. It also sparked debate about gender roles in conservative Korean society and opened the door to strong female characters who quickly took over cinema screens. So get ready for plenty of laughter and buckets of tears as this girl delivers!
Chilsu and Mansu / Chil-su wa Man-su
dir. Park Kwang-su
South Korea 1988, 109’
[theatre screenings+online]
Seoul, 1988. The country is in the midst of transformation: ongoing democratisation brings growing prosperity, but at the same time widens the gap between social classes. Monthly civil defence drills still take place in the streets, even though the world around seems more colourful and increasingly stable. Clubs, cinemas, and museums are adopting an American character, shaping the multicultural identity of young people. In this ironic reality, suspended somewhere between the top and the bottom, the titular characters, Chilsu and Mansu, struggle to find their place, contributing to the construction of a world to which they do not belong.
The debut of a future master of the Korean New Wave is a deliberate critique of the 1980s, told in the style of social realism, not without comic touches. Chilsu tries to chat up a cashier at Burger King, while Mansu desperately takes on any job he can find just to make ends meet. Yet beneath the surface of their daily struggles, the roots of greater problems are easy to discern, issues that remain irrelevant in a world where they are invisible and their voices go unheard.
Time to Be Strong / Himeul nael sigan
dir. Sun Namkoong
South Korea 2024, 102’
[theatre screenings+online]
Three young people arrive on the beautiful Jeju Island, a popular destination among Korean tourists. They appear to be ordinary twenty-somethings on a trip, but they share an unusual past they are reluctant to talk about. Not long ago, they were part of the K-pop industry, dreaming of becoming major stars, but now they are struggling with trauma and are unsure of their future. Spending time together away from the hustle and bustle of the big city, and encountering the local residents offers them a chance to heal and rediscover themselves. Will they be able to seize this opportunity?
“Time to Be Strong” is the strongest proof that low-budget cinema in Korea is in excellent shape. The difficult and important subject of the toxicity of show business is handled with great sensitivity by the director. Sun is not interested in cheap sensationalism. By focusing on her fragile characters, she reveals what they have been through, questioning whether they will find the strength to return to a healthy life. The film won three awards at the Jeonju Film Festival (including the Grand Prix), and these accolades are thoroughly deserved.
The K-Youth section is held under the patronage of the Korean Cultural Centre in Poland.
Sales of cinema+online and online passes for the 19th Five Flavours Film Festival begins on September 9 at 12:00 noon.
