LAFF: Han Gong-Ju

While there are an abundance of Korean films that turn tragedy into revenge, there are very few that take a tragic situation and force the main character to do...nothing.  Often a horrific scenario unfolds which causes our protagonist to do unthinkable acts, all in the name of vengeful redemption.  In Han Gong-Ju, the cleverly crafted non-linear narrative portrays a character forced into inaction by those around her. Forced to wait for the law to work.  The result is a chilling account of a young woman trying to start over and trying to find a semblance of peace. 

Han Gong-Ju is a student in high school. She works for her friend's dad at a 7-11 and appears relatively happy. The film opens with her having to relocate - new city, new school, new place to live, forced to leave everything behind. While it's clear something has happened, its not clear what that something is, unnervingly allowing for ambiguity as to whether she's the perpetrator or the victim.  Through wonderfully woven flashbacks, Han Gong-Ju's past comes to life in unsettling detail, piece by piece. 

Director Lee Su-Jin's feature directorial debut does not have the same abrasive intensity as other Korean films in this genre. It's more visceral and subtle, which has a more profound and haunting effect once the credits start to roll.  The slow burn has its pay off in the end if you allow the story to work itself over you. It's an admiral debut and one that shows restraint and caution in all the right places.