The issue with housing in Korea has been a rather significant one for quite some time, with the country's cinema frequently featuring it, mostly in the independent titles. Lee Ji-yeon approaches the concept through a rather unique story, by focusing on the “race” to find a place to stay for a single mom and her young son.
Hide and Seek screened at Busan International Short Film Festival
The short begins with a mother, Jung-hye, and her young son, Minchan, visiting an apartment showed to them by a real estate agent. When the son lies about the place they actually stay, a block of luxurious apartments, the agents lights up, changing his whole behavior towards them and immediately asking for their potential will to buy instead of renting. Their reality becomes evident in the next scene, though, when the two of them are barging in the aforementioned house after spending some time in a supermarket. Jung-hye, not wishing to let Minchan know what is happening, has him believing that they play a game of hide-and-seek. A bit later they have a bath using samples of shampoo, but, unfortunately, the real estate shows it to another potential tenant.
They do manage to pass undetected, though, while later in the night, during a talk under the light of a candle, Jung-hye hints at how they ended up homeless after being evicted from their previous apartment. In the early morning, Jung-hye has to leave and leaves the boy alone, asking to play hide and seek if anyone comes. The owner does comes to the apartment, though, eventually discovering the boy. Expectedly, things do not go well. In the end, Jung-hye has to face the harsh reality.
Check also this article
Lee Ji-yeon directs a movie that shows the impact of the housing issue in Korean, by implementing a rather dramatic approach to the whole concept. In that fashion, the narrative basis of the single mom who is also homeless and has to trick her kid in order for him not to realize their situation is rather impactful. Even more so due to the finale, which can be described as brutally pragmatic. At the same time, the short does cross into melodramatic territory, despite its realistic premises, and even if Lee keeps it relatively grounded.
Furthermore, the tension the concept the ‘hide-and-seek' creates adds to the entertainment the movie offers, with the multiple scenes where the protagonists are on the verge of getting discovered being the apogee of this approach, as much as the events after they do. Lee's own editing shines in that regard, with the cuts adding to the tension, and the same applying to Son Yong-woon's cinematography, which mostly follows realistic paths.
Kim Hyeon-jung as Jung-hye is quite good in presenting her struggle to appear calm and composed in her desperation, while her chemistry with Lee Yoo-chan's Minchan is excellent.
Despite some issues with the sound in the initial scenes, “Hide and Seek” is a well-shot short which tries to make an impact by combining realistic issues with melodrama, in an approach that will definitely apply to Korean audience, and is, in general, successful.
