The Land of Morning Calm
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Theatrical Screenings
Kinoteka 3
Kinoteka 3
Online Availability
Additional Materials
Film description
Every morning, veteran captain Young-guk sets out to sea with a young fisherman, Young-su. One day, when he returns to shore without him, he must face the boy’s family, who refuse to accept the possibility of his disappearance. The villagers soon abandon the search, yet facts begin to surface, revealing that this seemingly harmonious microcosm is far from peaceful.
“The Land of Morning Calm” uses the pretext of a mystery to tell the story of a rural community. The director brings to light issues often overlooked in cinema and marginalised in public discourse. The dark side of South Korea’s “multiculturalism” policy, promoted in rural areas to encourage population growth, is shown here from a broader perspective. The filmmaker neither romanticises the exotic nor condemns his characters, but instead boldly portrays the tensions present within the community. Carefully constructed narration reveals the villagers’ opinions and the relationships forming among them. The unsettling atmosphere, seemingly emanating from the depths of the ocean, spreads throughout the entire village.
The film is presented in New Asian Cinema and Focus: Migrations sections.
Park Ri-woong
Born in 1978, Park Ri-woong studied journalism at Korea University and later film directing at Korea National University of Art. He began his film career in 2006, working as EPK crew on “Gangster High”. His feature debut, “The Girl on a Bulldozer” (2021), premiered in the Panorama section at the Busan International Film Festival. In 2024, he directed his second feature, “The Land of Morning Calm”, which received critical acclaim and won several awards at international festivals, including those in Busan and Osaka.
2008 Gabsida / Let Us Go
2008 Sujeongtang duljje ttal / Good Yeon-ha
2021 Buldojeo-e tan sonyeo / The Girl on a Bulldozer
2024 Achim bada galmaegi-neun / The Land of Morning Calm
Festival guests
Park Ri-woong


