The Way Home 回家

Oh man, for the past 2 hours I just bawled out watching this movie. Another gem that came out of the arsenal of increasingly wonderful Korean movies, The Way Home tells the story of a boy and his grandmother. Simple and very beautiful. It is not over the top or sentimental like any other made-to-pull-your-heart-strings movies.

At first, you feel like smacking the little brat in the head, but the director picked the right kid to act the part of Sang-Woo, he has the ability to be obnoxious yet you couldn't help thinking we've all been in his shoes at some point in our life, getting increasingly hurtful and insensitive as we grow up. And a grandmother as selfless and pure as this one can really make you re-evaluate your life and your environment to make you want to move to a rural village and watch the world go by. She never speaks a word during the entire length of the movie, yet she conveys her emotion and affection to her grandson so well it can tear your heart out. She always gives in to his demands. When Sang-Woo wants a Kentucky Chicken, she walks under the rain to get a live chicken, cooks it in a pot of water, and give him the whole chicken, allowing herself none. Not a word was uttered when Sang-Woo screamed he wanted "fried" chicken instead and cried like children do when they didn't get what they wanted.

The story ends beautifully, and the good news is no one dies (which usually happens in this kind of movie). It feels real and Sang-Woo finally got around when he realized how much his grandma has done for him. Before he departed back to the city, he gave her a set of postcards. Since she couldn't read nor write, he addressed the postcards to himself, at the back side he draws the picture of his beloved grandma as being sick, lonely, or simply missing him with the words "I'm sick", "I'm lonely", and "I miss you" so that she can send those out and he would know immediately. That was heartwarming. :)

I have to comment, great story! The synopsis states something like the kid represent our material world and the grandma our mother nature. Nature is silent and patient, but in the end it is our most cherished resource and we should learn how to live close to nature. Kudos for the director for writing this movie as well. The reason why Korean movies are so popular today lies in the strength of its stories. Respectable actors too can play out the characters well. All I can say is, the attention and popularity that Korean movies in Asia and the world are getting are well deserved.