Grandchildren visit the disconnected dumpling shop… Starring Kim Yoon-seok and directed by Yang Woo-seok
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(Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Oh Bo-ram = In Sajik-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, where high-rise buildings are densely packed, a hanok stands awkwardly wedged in.
This place, with a sign ‘Pyeongman-ok’, is a North Korean-style dumpling shop run by Moo-ok (played by Kim Yoon-seok), who came south during the Korean War and made a fortune on his own.
Moo-ok is as stingy as to write on the bathroom door, ‘4 sheets of tissue for big ones, 1 sheet for small ones’, yet he is a rich man who owns several buildings in downtown Seoul.
However, he worries about one thing. His only son Moon-seok (played by Lee Seung-gi), who suddenly left medical school to become a monk.
Moo-ok, who has no face to see his ancestors because his family’s line has ended due to his son, lives with money he couldn’t spend in a lifetime, yet what he envies most is the men of his age who visit with their grandchildren to eat dumpling soup together.
As if Heaven responded to Moo-ok’s earnestness, one day, a young brother and sister claiming to be Moon-seok’s children visit Pyeongman-ok. They were born through the sperm Moon-seok donated for an infertile couple during his college days, making Moon-seok their father and Moo-ok their grandfather.
Though modern people might raise their eyebrows at this relationship, Moo-ok is overjoyed because for him, family means ‘bloodline’.
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Directed by Yang Woo-seok, the movie ‘Grand Family’ depicts the events that unfold as Moo-ok meets grandchildren Min-guk (played by Kim Si-woo) and Min-seon (played by Yoon Chae-na), whom he didn’t even know existed. It’s the first family drama attempt by Director Yang, known for ‘The Attorney’ (2013), ‘Steel Rain’ (2017), and ‘Steel Rain 2: Summit’.
It’s refreshing to see a warm family movie that has been rare in theaters for a while. Like successful family films such as ‘The Way Home’ (2003), ‘Scandal Makers’ (2008), and ‘Miracle in Cell No. 7’ (2013), ‘Grand Family’ focuses on chaos and humor in the beginning and gradually shifts to deliver emotion and lessons in the latter half.
Gone is Moo-ok’s miserly demeanor as he diligently feeds, clothes, and catches up on grandfather duties for the grandchildren. His efforts to look younger by dyeing his white hair and dressing fashionably evoke laughter. The North Korean accent of Kim Yoon-seok, which sounded daunting in the film ‘1987’ (2017), seems endearing in this piece.
Moon-seok also contributes to the comedy. As a successful ‘star monk’, his casual remarks about the secular world trigger unbridled laughter.
The revelation of the siblings’ birth secret midway prompts the audience to reflect on what family truly means. Though set in 2000, it resonates with modern viewers where the boundaries of family are blurred, as Moo-ok’s psychological changes suggest that connection is more compelling than blood.
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The film highlights Buddhist principles such as the notion that although we may seem like separate individuals, we are all interconnected, adding to the mystical appreciation of human life. A particularly solemn scene is when the head monk (played by Lee Soon-jae) shaves Moon-seok’s head, offering enlightenment.
The audience might feel a jolt as they witness the butterfly effect of Moon-seok’s reckless actions and Moo-ok’s resolutions’ impact on the world.
Of course, not every aspect of the story progresses smoothly. Characters’ emotional shifts can be sudden, and the ending, which includes narration, might feel didactic to some.
Nevertheless, it is a film skillfully woven with comedy, lessons, and emotion from seemingly easy yet complex themes of family.
Director Yang mentioned in a press conference on the 21st, “Family seems to be a major topic in Korea. I’ve contemplated over what family is for quite some time,” adding, “Despite the dramatic changes in family forms and meanings over the last few generations, such aspects haven’t been well addressed in films, leading me to devise ‘Grand Family’.”
Releases on December 11. 107 minutes. Suitable for ages 12 and up.
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rambo@yna.co.kr
