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A Normal Family

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Two siblings, a successful but unprincipled lawyer (Sul Kyung-gu) and his conscientious pediatrician brother (Jang Dong-gun), lead prosperous lives and get along well despite their divergent moral beliefs. But things come to a head during one of their regular monthly dinners with their wives, where they learn of a disturbing situation involving both their teenage kids. As the consequences of this dreadful discovery spiral out of control, the families are confronted with an unimaginable choice. Adapted from Dutch author Herman Koch’s controversial bestselling novel The Dinner, A Normal Family transposes the story action to the cultural specifics of present-day South Korea, but maintains the original’s darkly suspenseful core. No stranger to thorny material, having helmed a 2012 adaptation of Dangerous Liaisons, Korean director Hur Jin-ho directs this drama of privilege and moral decay with clockwork precision. Tense and absorbing, this thriller puts a sinister, unforgettable twist on the notion that blood ties are the ties that bind.

 

Supported by

Community Partner

Director
Cast

Sul Kyung-gu, Jang Dong-gun, Kim Hee-ae, Claudia Kim

Credits
Country of Origin

South Korea

Year

2023

Series

Special Presentations

Language

In Korean with English subtitles

Film Contact
Content Warning

Violence

18+
116 min
Action & Suspense Drama

Book Tickets

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Credits

Producer

Kim Won-kuk

Cinematography

Go Rak-sun

Editor

Kim Hyung-joo

Production Design

Mo so-ra

Original Music

Cho Sung-woo

Director

Hur Jin-ho headshot

Hur Jin-ho

In 1993, Hur Jin-ho’s first short film premiered at VIFF. His feature debut followed five years later: Christmas In August which won many best director awards. Since then, he has produced a distinctive brand: “Hur Jin-ho’s romance”. Love is his favourite theme. With a record of 5.6M admissions for The Last Princess in 2016, he became a director with box office credibility.

Filmography: Christmas In August (1998); A Good Rain Knows (2009); Dangerous Liaisons (2012); The Last Princess (2016); Forbidden Dream (2019)

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