The concept of menstruation and menopause has been one that has been considered taboo, particularly in Asian countries like Korea and Japan. With the feminism movement making significant progress lately, however, a discussion has already started and cinema followed suit with movies like “Little Miss Period” and “For Vagina's Sake” being among the most renowned. Yoo Jimin follows in the same footsteps by focusing on a woman who experiences menopause and how it affects her and her relationship with her husband.
JungOk is screening at Osaka Asian Film Festival
The said woman is Jungok, and while she is rather sad about her situation, her husband could not be happier, immediately putting her sanitary pads on auction in order to make some extra money, the same he did with his old ties. A ‘client' eventually appears and Jungok goes to meet with them, stumbling upon a teenage girl, Jisoo, in a rather difficult situation. Gradually, Jungok warms up to the girl.
Yoo Jimin highlights the concept mentioned in the prologue by presenting it through two radically opposite perspectives, as one woman has just reached menopause and the other menstruates for the first time. The way they connect is quite interesting, as the latter seems to be in need of a mother and the former for a sense of purpose now that it seems her life has taken its last turn, with each one covering the present need of the other.
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Furthermore, and considering the interaction among them, it seems that their meeting actually helps both, the first practically and the second psychologically, with Yoo essentially promoting the particular style of interaction as a solution for post-menopause depression. Lastly, that the particular concept is one that only women can truly understand, particularly its psychological repercussions, while men definitely cannot, emerges as another central one in the narrative.
Lee Hyun as Jungok and Kim Bomin as Jisoo portray their roles with utter realism, while they handle the tension that eventually appears on the story and its relief in the best fashion. Kim Jingoo in the role of the husband highlights his ignorance and his mentality of turning a psychological issue into a practical opportunity fittingly.
Kim Hyungyun's cinematography captures the story also with a focus on realism, without any particular exaltations, although how the darkness gets brighter and eventually sunny as the movie progresses essentially makes it part of the narrative. Yoo's own editing results in a relative fast pace that allows her to tell her story and make her comments in just 19 minutes, in a rather economical style of filmmaking.
“JungOk” is a competent short which manages to remain entertaining while presenting the director's comments quite eloquently.
