Sport can fulfil many functions, and one of them might be to allow individuals to open up and express themselves in ways that would otherwise remain closed to them. This is one of the ideas implicitly raised in “Buja Judo“, an insightful 13-minute documentary by Kim Yoon-yeong. The film was shown at the 2025 Busan International Short Film Festival.
Sound Sleep is screening at Busan International Short Film Festival (BISFF)
The story follows a day in the life of a young Korean man who owns a dojo. A judo trainer, he has followed in the footsteps of his father, now retired and tending to a neighbourhood temple. Much of the footage consists of shots of the dojo, as the young man recounts the meandering journey that led him to take over from his father. What soon emerges is the story of a shared passion – and a sport – that helped repair a strained father–son relationship and ultimately brought them back together.
The father, as is often the case, spent so much time working two jobs and dedicating himself to his dojo that he ended up neglecting his own family. This theme recurs frequently in contemporary Korean cinema, and this documentary is no exception. This time, however, the conclusion is a hopeful one, as the son eventually came to share his father’s devotion for judo. Shots of the two men sparring – with intense focus but no aggression – are perhaps the film’s most striking. These are two men who, you sense, are too alike to communicate easily with words. But judo – and teaching it – became a vital bridge to mend the rift between generations, a divide that is another key theme in Korean cinema.
The mini-documentary is simple and effective, avoiding visual flourishes in favour of placing the camera at the service of its story. It allows its interviewees to speak for themselves, letting their words resonate with viewers. When the son recalls how his father had to work two jobs just to earn a “stable salary” at a time when public school teachers “even got free school meals”, you cannot help but feel that Korean society is a particularly difficult place to raise a family. At the same time, images of judo belts and medals appear on screen, subtly conveying the idea that sport can offer the pride and dignity so often missing in the wider society. It also provides a sense of genuine community – with the human connections and solidarity that implies. No one states this outright, and it is to the documentary’s credit that it trusts viewers to arrive at such insights themselves.
Perhaps the most touching element is the son’s clear pride in his father. He speaks of his father’s standing in the judo community and how no student ever complained about him. That alone may be the highest compliment anyone could receive – and the son has grown mature enough to recognise it. “I believe my father was truly exceptional” is perhaps the most meaningful thing any son could say about his father.
