Feminist Film Kim Ji Young Born 1982: Successful but Controversial

I wondered if this film could live up to expectations. I really enjoyed the book, (I wrote a review about Kim Ji Young Born 1982 here) but I knew that if the film wasn’t done well, it could simply become a wallow in endless gloomy examples where men are valued higher than women!

But I thought the film, directed by Kim Bo Young, was fantastic. And somehow it isn’t gloomy. (although inevitably a bit depressing in parts!)

The book was controversial: antifeminists in Korea took umbrage at what they saw as the negative stereotypical portrayal of men. (The English translation of the book , was released in 2020) And now that the film is out, those who had no empathy for the #metoo movement are not happy with the film either! Apparently when actress Jung Yu-mi agreed to take the lead role, she immediately got thousands of hate comments on her instagram. (For crying out loud…)

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The film follows the book by highlighting snippets from Kim Ji Young’s life. The childhood memories are introduced in a series of flashbacks which blend into the story well. They are just everyday things which seem like an ordinary part of life. But in retrospect, we can see the naturalised sexism that Ji Young (and women in general) are treated to on a daily basis.

Great casting

Jung Yu-mi does a brilliant job of playing Ji Young, an ordinary young mother just trying to stay up beat while getting on with her life. Her silent, solitary moments standing on the apartment balcony, while her daughter is playing inside, show as much about her inner anguish as her disturbing dialogues. She doesn’t act the victim. She’s trying to be a spunky kid but battling through a misogynistic society.

Gong Yoo pulls off the role of the concerned husband. He wants his wife to get better, but seems clueless and ineffective in helping her. Well, perhaps not completely ineffective: he does encourage her to get help after all. But my feelings towards his character range from sympathy to frustration. Perhaps it’s because this is Gong Yoo and I keep expecting him to leap into action… even though I know it’s not that kind of film! But the lack of communication between the couple in general does bother me.

Gong Yoo and Jung Yu-mi also star in Train to Busan which involves fighting zombies on a train! (Loved that film too – although it couldn’t be more different to this!) This time Gong Yoo spends the whole film with a furrowed brow, afraid of what is happening to his wife.

Realistic scenes

Most of the married women in the audience can probably relate to the scene where Ji Young visits her in-laws.

When I first came to Korea, I was teaching English to a class of adults. It was coming up to the Chuseok Thanksgiving break and I asked the class, ‘Are you looking forward to the holidays?‘ and I glanced around the class expecting a ‘yes‘.

But the class (of mainly women) were all shaking their heads, NO!

When I watched this realistic scene, I remembered back to that class. This scene shows exactly WHY many women don’t look forward to the holidays! It can be days of endless domestic drudgery cooking and washing up for family members and visitors – all the while having to pretend that you are enjoying yourself!

Yes, the film is emotional. I don’t think I’ve ever rolled my eyes, tutted, and shaken my head so much during any other film! The hidden camera in the ladies toilet scene is just one of many such moments. And in the scenes from her childhood we are reminded that sexism isn’t just something that we are subjected to outside from strangers, young women suffer it at home from male and female family members too. Annoying, upsetting. I could hear sniffles around the cinema. I shed tears too.

But there is a positive message in the film: Don’t bottle up your feelings. It also shows how society’s attitudes towards mental health here are changing for the better and it’s no longer taboo to seek professional help.

Great film. Definitely worth watching.

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Read about Korean books by female writers:

Kim Ji Young Born 1982 by Cho Nam Joo 

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

Please look after Mom by Kyung Sook Shin