About This Film
“Born From Soil, Live in Soil, and Die in Soil” is the phrase the protagonist utters in the beginning of the film, and there is no better way to describe the purpose of this movie, which aims at showing the blights of life in the city and the purity of living in the country, in another, almost militant production of the 60's.
Synopsis
The script is based on a novel by Rhee Kwang-su and the story takes place during the 1930's, when Korea was still under severe oppression by the Japanese Occupation Forces. Heo Seung is a young man who leaves his village of 500 inhabitants and, Yoo Soon, the girl he has a relationship with, to live at the house of Yoon, a government official in Seoul, in order to attend college. Heo Seung proves a very intelligent student, and upon graduation, his benefactor insists on taking the High Civil Service Examination in Japan, and on delaying his plans to return to his hometown. The young man passes with flying colors, but although the option to become a judge is open, he decides to become a lawyer. Yoon's plans, however, do not stop there, and soon he and his daughter, Jeong-seon, start wooing him into marrying her, despite the fact that another suitor, Baron Kim Gap-jin, is also after her. Their combined efforts eventually bring the desired outcome, while Yoo Soon desperately continues to wait for his return. However, his choice of not becoming a judge frustrates his wife, while his decision to go help his fellow villagers who have been imprisoned after a violent episode with a local Japanese policeman, puts even more oil in the fire. While in his hometown, Heo Seung tries to rekindle with Yoo Soon, but Jeong-seon does not stay idle in that regard, either. Eventually, the whole situation comes crashing upon everyone involved, in the most melodramatic fashion.
