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House of the Seasons film image; group of people collect around the base of a large tree

House of the Seasons

Jangson / 장손

Panorama

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North American Premiere

In his feature debut, writer-director Oh Jung-min gives us the Kim family, from grandparents down through middle-aged offspring to Seong-Jin (Kang Seung-ho), the sole grandchild, who is something of a surrogate for the audience. The Kims hail from a small rural community, though some have left—including Seong-jin, who is trying to make it as an actor in Seoul. In depicting three occasions for reunion, Oh takes us from summer to winter, and he portrays the changes in family dynamics in tandem with the seasonal transformations of the countryside.

House of the Seasons is by turns funny, tender, and tragic. Like any family, the Kims are burdened with years of buried resentments and unacknowledged confusion, and Oh’s mapping of these problems is intricate and subtle. The film is distinguished by its emotional complexity, its fine ensemble cast, and its visual beauty—from a summer of green and brightness to the rich colours of autumn to the stark whiteness of winter, cinematographer Lee Jin-keun creates a vivid backdrop to the human turmoil.

 

KBS Independent Film Award, Busan 2023

 

Media Partner

   

Director
Cast

Kang Seung Ho, Woo Sangjeon, Son Sook

Credits
Country of Origin

South Korea

Year

2023

Language

In Korean with English subtitles

Film Contact
Links
18+

At International Village

19+

At Fifth Avenue

121 min
Award Winners Cinemas of Asia Drama
Daemyungfilm

Book Tickets

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Credits & Director

Producer

Jeong Joeun, Jang Ji-won

Screenwriter

Oh Jung-min

Cinematography

Lee Jinkeun

Editor

Oh Jung-min

Original Music

Jang Yeonggyu, Jeong Jungyeop

Oh Jung-min headshot; House of the Seasons director

Oh Jung-min

Oh Jung-min was born in 1989 in Daegu City, South Korea. He majored in Korean Literature at Sungkyunkwan University and studied filmmaking at the Korean Academy of Film Arts. He directed several short films including Yeonji (2016), LIM (2018), CUT (2018), 100 Days (2018), and Coming of Age (2018). House of the Seasons (2023) is his debut feature film.

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