[FILM REVIEW] Kim Ji-Young, Born 1982 (2019)

Based off the controversial autobiographical novel of the same name, “Kim Ji-Young, Born 1982” is a heart-wrenching uncovering of what it means to be a woman in a conservative patriarchal society.

The movie stars veteran actors Gong Yoo (Dae Hyun) and Jung Yu-Mi (Kim Ji-Young) as leads, who have formerly worked together on the award-winning film “Train to Busan”. Following the protagonist Kim Ji-Young in the 80’s, the general storyline revolves around her troubled mental health that causes her to have lapses where she speaks as if she were her deceased grandmother or friend.

Given the fame the feminist novel has garnered before the release of this film, it is expected that what matters more is not the storyline, but how the details of the story are presented through the female lens. With a focus on mother figures, the film’s narration forces us to critically examine stereotypical notions of a woman’s duties in the domestic sphere by highlighting its occurrence in daily life.

For instance, we constantly see a favouritism towards men displayed by both male and female characters, especially from Dae Hyun’s mother who expects Ji-Young to work tirelessly throughout dinner preparations while her son sits idly. It is likely that many will identify with or have seen similar experiences, making the film’s impact all the more significant without having to explicitly state sexist tendencies of a conservative society.

Aside from highlighting prominence of sexism in the everyday, the movie also expertly portrays how society’s patriarchy has progressed through the years. Through interactions between three generations of characters, we get to understand the motivations behind their actions, and the grievances as a result of sexist ideas. The use of Ji-Young’s condition to provide a voice for oppressed women was a well-done narration that gives greater insight into the conservative Korean society.

What the film does particularly well is their use of male characters — while it is undeniable that Dae Hyun and Ji-Young’s father care for Ji-Young greatly, they are still susceptible to sexist tendencies that they may not have even been conscious of. This brings into focus that inequality may not always be born from hatred, but from the lack of awareness. The film also has skillful cinematography that leans towards an arthouse style, with jarring transitions that creates tension and draws audiences into the tortured minds of the characters.

The only gripe would be that the time skips can cause some confusion in terms of characters; it becomes hard to name who’s who after various characters are introduced in a short time.

Aside from that, the film was overall a thought-provoking watch that, while controversial, presents an empathetic depiction of women in Asian society that is not often highlighted. You can expect to become emotional throughout various points of the film, and reflective after. Although not necessarily an exciting movie for mass audiences, it is definitely a gripping watch, especially if feminist topics and societal issues are within your field of interest!

Running Time: 120 minutes
The Seoul Story’s Ratings: 4.5/5 

“Kim Ji-Young, Born 1982” will be shown in selected cinemas mentioned in the poster above, from November 14th onwards. We would like to extend our huge thanks to Purple Plan for the invite! 

Written by: Cheyenne
Picture Credit: Purple Plan

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