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Product Detail |
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Audio Format: DD 1.0 Mono
Video Format: Widescreen 2.35:1 (Anamorphic)
Languages: Korean
Subtitles: English, Korean
Region Code: 3
Year Made: 1960
Running Time: 115
Release Date: 03/09/2009
A doctor of Oriental medicine and doyen of a small alley in Seoul, Kim Hak-gyu (Kim Seung-ho) has an obstinate streak that gets him into conflicts with his wife (Han Eun-jin) and children. His daughter(Choi Eun-hee), a young widow who runs a hair salon, shares mutual feelings with OBGYN Choi Du-yeol (Kim Jin-kyu) across the street. However, Hak-gyu, who frowns on Choi for practicing Western medicine, interferes in everything he does out of jealousy and spite. Hak-gyu's son Kim Hyeon-gu (Shin Young-kyun) is dating Jeom-rye, whose mother (Hwang Jung-seun) owns the neighborhood bar. When Jeom-rye becomes pregnant, the two decide to get married but Hak-gyu objects and kicks his son out of the house. Meanwhile, Hak-gyu spends his days hanging out with fortuneteller Park Jusa (Heo Jang-kang) and realtor Roh Mong-hyeon (Kim Hee-gap), trying to figure out a way to thwart Du-yeol's affairs. Hearing that Du-yeol is running for the city council, Hak-gyu registers himself as a candidate as well. He pours all he has into the campaign, but drinks the bitter cup of defeat. Having experienced failure as a result of his own obstinacy, Hak-gyu accepts Hyeon-gu and his wife, and gives his blessings for his daughter's marriage.
"A film that shows the values held by different generations, the clash between the younger and older generations, and the lifestyles of the lower middle classes"
Showcasing an extraordinary ensemble performance by the most prominent acting talents of the day, Under the Sky of Seoul molds the theme of transition from the old to the new sensitive and topical issue at the time into a sophisticated comedy through the strifes and squabbles of the common populace. The opening sequence, which introduces each of the film's characters by moving fluidly through the narrow alleyway, is a particularly polished example of the considerable skill Lee Hyeong-pyo already commanded in his directorial debut.
The introductory narration of Under the Sky of Seoul "A time when the old age and the new stand shoulder to shoulder" encapsulates the film's overall content. In the battle between the doctor of Oriental medicine, who represents the older generation, and the doctor of Western medicine, who speaks for the new generation, the values of the former are considered mere obstinacy or irrationality; the outdated generation must eventually give in to the will of the newer, more rational generation. Kim Hak-gyu's dogged obduracy ends only after he has paid the price by losing all of his wealth. In the end, his need to intervene in every single part of his children's marriage and love life is criticized as unnecessary fuss. Thus, the culture and values of the old generation/Oriental medicine/tradition are replaced by the modern values and rationalistic culture of the new generation/Western medicine/progress.
Another source of fun in Under the Sky of Seoul comes from the outstanding ensemble performance of the finest actors of the day. Kim Seung-ho as the traditional patriarch; Han Eun-jin as the conventional wife, who chides her husband but always follows his will in the end; Choi Eun-hee as the eldest daughter and hair salon owner; and Kim Jin-kyu in the role of her sweetheart are all worthy of note, but the movie's biggest laughs come from the deliciously sly yet ingratiating performances given by Heo Jang-kang and Kim Hee-gap.
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