Finding Our Way

Nam-chul and Ju-hee have been living together for three years, but a steep rise in their ‘jeonse’ deposit now forces them to move. At the same time, Nam-chul’s mother, Yoon-jung, wants to leave her patriarchal husband and asks her son to apply for youth public rental housing. Ju-hee, meanwhile, is planning to apply for housing reserved for newlyweds. His mother’s freedom, or married life with the woman he loves? Nam-chul, an aspiring actor, finds himself increasingly adrift in an already precarious life. Kim Tae-kyung’s Finding Our Way/tells the story of people trying to secure a stable, independent life, symbolized by the idea of “my own home.” The director carefully gathers the small incidents, family conflicts, and practical barriers that arise along the way, shaping them into drama with close attention to detail. Though the subject could easily become heavy, the film never loses its bright tone, and that brightness feels like a gesture of hope toward a “happy ending.” A family drama carried by natural performances that draw the audience into its characters’ lives.(KIM Hyung-seok)