집으로 : 나만의 평론

이 영화를 2년 전에 봤지만 감겅적인 마음을 받은 느낌이 생생하게 남아 있다. 이 영화를 본 후 고향에 계시던 어머니와 할머니의 뜨거운 포옹을 생각했다. 아마도 이 영화를 본 후 이와 같은 생각을 갖는 사람도 많이 있을거라고 생각한다. 또 다른 재미있는 것은 이영화를 통해서 한국에 있는 초코파이라는 과자가 있다는 것을 알게 되었다. 진짜, 초코파이가 아이들이 좋아하는 과자인데 이영화속에서 초코파이가 우리 할머니의 따뜻한 마음을 볼 수 있다. <집으로>는 감동적인 장면을 그리며 초코파이가 더 깊은 의미를 글 준다는 말이다.

유명한 배우 하나 없이, 이 영화는 보기가 조금 불가능한 사람간의 관계를 성공적으로 그려 준다. 이정향 감독의 참을성은 몰론이고 이 영화를 만든 사람들의 노력덕분에 우리가 한국영화계에 처음으로 나이 많으신 할머니와  손자의 관계를 재치있게 묘사한다. 그래서  21세기 한국영화들중에 <집으로>라는 영화를 포함하여 꼭 봐야 할 영화이다.
간단한 줄거리를 말하자면 도시에서 온 8살 손자가 2달 동안 만난적이 없는 77세 할머니하고 산골에서 어쩔 수 없이 동거해야 한다는 이야기이다. 이런 배경이야기만 아는 관람객들이 그 두 사람이 잘 동거할 수 있을까 하는 호기심이 생기기 마련이다. 손자가 산골에서 적응하지 못 하는 일들 혹은 할머니가 그의 순자의 상상하지 못한 부탁들을 어떻게 잘 해결하는 지에 대해서 가장 감동적이고 잘 만들어진 장면들이다. 현대 한국생활속에 아직도 남아 있는 세대차이를 잘 보여 주는 영화가 바로 이 영화이다. 산골에서 단순하고 사소한 사건들을 통해서 손자와 할머니의 세대차이를 극복하는 순간들을 보여주기만 해도 이 영화가 대단한 영화라고 여길 수 있다.
가끔 이 영화를 보면서 할머니가 불쌍하다고 생각했는데 멋 모르는 8살 아이에게서 무엇을 보라보는 것이 있는냐 하는 생각도 든다. 다행이 이 영화가 할머니의 따뜻한 마음과 사랑을 통해 장난 꾸러기 손자가 할머니가 진심으로 보여 주는 정을 느끼게 되었다는 것을 잘 그려 준다.
10년 만에 만든 영화이지만 이 영화가 볼 만한 영화냐고 하면 틀림없이 그렇다고 할 것이다.  이 영화의 단순함이 바로 이 작품의 매력이 기때문이다. 

"집으로" "Going (to) Home" Movie...

Yes...it's been a few years ago since I watched this movie. This movie had left me with an impressive feeling of wanting to go back home and embrace the warmth of my grandma.
oh..one more thing...this is the very movie that introduced me to the sweetness of Choco Pie^^ (Korean snack that has delved into the realm of every child (including me) who watched the movie.
First thing first, this movie has no famous star starring in it. No one. The director (Ms. Lee Jeong Hyang) -- I think-- had a different purpose of doing this. Well, it turned out that the movie was such a great and moving story about two unlikely couple (a grandmother and his grandson ----wait for it-----whom he never taken care of before).

Ok.....
The movie starts with a mere and simple plot actually. It all comes down to the point of what would an 8-year old grandson-- brought up and raised in a city-- do when he has to live for 2 months with his grandmother in a remote village out of nowhere. The common expectation would be....would they be able to stand and bear to live with each other?
The movie's simplicity turns out to be the strength of the movie itself. I love it sooo much. I kept guessing of what would the boy do next or what would the 77-year old grandmother do to please her grandson who seems to have no manner whatsoever.

Although the tone of the movie is sometimes a bit long overdrawn into monotonous portrayal of a serene village life, it is the monotonous depiction that also makes the movie gain its strength. and I think the director did well on this.
Oh, did I mention that.....the grandmother is played by a real grandmother who lives in a village...she never played on any movie before....even I guess...she'd never been to Seoul herself (maybe). So,....the coming of her grandson (Sangu) really turns her life upside down. She never manages to comprehend what her grandson says or does. He brings along with him....robot, toys, and a kind of video game that really preoccupies most of his time---disregarding what his grandmother says and asks him to do.
Poor the old woman...for her grandson seems to ignore her most of the time.
But...this is the central point of the movie itself.
I feel pity for the grandmother...but on the other hand....what can I expect for a city boy who never knows or simply indifferent or unaware of the consequences of what he wants or does.

I remember interesting moments from the movie:
first: the time when Sangu has to go to hwajangsil or byeonsil. Well, of course in the village (back then..I guess)..there are no such things as hwajangsil like the one that city people have. Those in the remote village where he is now.....is far apart from the house. So, he has no other choice but to go outside whenever he wants to go to the byeonsil ^^. To make matter worse, it is dark outside. So,.....no other choice......but........to have his natural call.....in the house...!! THank God...his understanding grandmother provides a kind of small bowl. Oh...NOooo...what a sight! But. ...it was so funny.

Then...
second: the time when Sangu wants to eat chicken..fried chicken like the one he has back home in the city.....^^ like that in KFC! Instead of asking her mother to cook or prepare him takgoki (Korean word for chicken), he uses an English word "chicken" in Korean pronunciation "chikin". So, there starts a series of misunderstanding ..one after another...until finally....her grandmother prepares him a kind of whole chicken boiled in a stew like soup. ^^
Funnily entertaining.
This really portrays the generation gap of Korean society back then.
I wonder if this situation still could persist in Korea. ( I doubt it).
But...back to the movie....
The series of unfortunate messes...one after another...during the whole movie....really got me.
I was so deeply touched by how a simple and ordinary life being portrayed in the movie imbued by the power of love and devotion as shown by a simple grandmother has finally been able to change and melt away the stubborn boy who at first ......ignores and disrespect his grandmother.
The communication gap and the possible misfortunes that may arise between the two people.....are solved through the power of love...a simple one.
Gosh....I want to go back and hug my grandmother and mom...when I see the movie.
I was crying at the end of the movie. Happy and a kind of mixed feeling of .....being involved in the journey to the home where heart is......

Is this Korean movie worth-watching, then? DEFINITELY:) ^^