After spending 17 years behind bars, Hyun-Woo (Ji Jin-Hee) is released from prison. During his college days, Hyun-Woo was involved in the student led anti-government protests that swept across Korea in the early 1980’s. Now that he is finally free, Hyun-Woo travels back to the town where he spent a few precious months immediately prior to his arrest. 17 years ago, Hyun-Woo fled into the rural areas of Korea, hiding from the government that was trying to quash his anti-government group. He found sanctuary in the home of Han Yoon-Hee (Yum Jung-Ah). She was a former sympathizer to the anti-government cause, but now living a modest life as a teacher in a small rural community. The couple quickly became intimate, Hyun-Woo able to provide the spark that was missing from Han Yoon-Hee’s simple life. Unfortunately, while Hyun-Woo was still hiding in Han Yoon-Hee’s home, he learned that most of his fellow anti-government protesters were captured & imprisoned. Even though the government now has Hyun-Woo high on their most wanted list, he feels ashamed that he is living peacefully while his friends are imprisoned. Thus, he makes the difficult decision to leave Han Yoon-Hee and go back to the movement centered in Seoul. What he would later learn is that he left behind the sole person that would stay faithful to him throughout his 17 year imprisonment and also the woman that is carrying his baby. Edit Translation
- English
- Français
- magyar / magyar nyelv
- dansk
- Native Title: 오래된 정원
- Also Known As:
- Screenwriter & Director: Im Sang Soo
- Genres: Historical, Drama, Melodrama, Political
Where to Watch The Old Garden
Cast & Credits
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![Yeom Jung Ah in The Old Garden Korean Movie (2007)]( "Yeom Jung Ah in The Old Garden Korean Movie (2007)")
Yeom Jung Ah Main Role -
![Ji Jin Hee in The Old Garden Korean Movie (2007)]( "Ji Jin Hee in The Old Garden Korean Movie (2007)")
Ji Jin Hee Main Role -
![Youn Yuh Jung in The Old Garden Korean Movie (2007)]( "Youn Yuh Jung in The Old Garden Korean Movie (2007)")
Youn Yuh Jung[Oh Hyun Woo's mother]Support Role -
![Yoon Hee Seok in The Old Garden Korean Movie (2007)]( "Yoon Hee Seok in The Old Garden Korean Movie (2007)")
Yoon Hee SeokJoo Young JakSupport Role -
![Lee Eun Sung in The Old Garden Korean Movie (2007)]( "Lee Eun Sung in The Old Garden Korean Movie (2007)")
Lee Eun SungEun-KyeolSupport Role -
![Park Hye Sook in The Old Garden Korean Movie (2007)]( "Park Hye Sook in The Old Garden Korean Movie (2007)")
Park Hye Sook[Woman from Suncheon]Support Role
Photos
Reviews
"Life is long and the revolution is short"
The Old Garden was an ill fated tale of love set right after the Gwangju Massacre and 17 years afterwards. A dedicated revolutionary and a teacher seeking a quiet life meet and fall in love during the tumultuous time.Oh Hyun Woo has to go into hiding when he and his group are being hunted by the government for their activities in defying the current regime. Somehow art teacher Han Yoo Hee recognizes him and takes him to her rural home. Before you can say Bob’s your uncle the two have fallen in love. And just as quickly, Yoo Hee discovers that love can’t stop Hyun Woo from his sense of guilt and returning to Seoul where he is immediately arrested, tortured, and sent to jail indefinitely.
The Old Garden bounced back and forth in time which made it hard for me to connect with the characters, especially when they were given precious little backstory and time together. Even as the story progressed, big gaps were left out of the narrative. Yoo Hee’s father was brought up several times without explaining why Hyun Woo reminded her of him. While Hyun Woo was in jail, her activities were never explained fully nor his life in jail. We’re introduced to older Hyun Woo as he reminisces about their short time together while alternating between his life and hers.
Hyun Woo’s reason for returning to Seoul in order to be jailed was rather thin, even for someone dedicated to the cause. Not all of his compatriots were jailed and in their older age (mid-thirties?) they argued over who had stayed true to socialism and who had sold out. In flashbacks, one of the groups callously decided who would be sacrificed. But the overarching shadow fell from the government and their blatant crimes against humanity. Other films and dramas have done a better job of demonstrating the cruelty inflicted upon dissidents so this film needed to sell the romance. With much of the time dedicated to when the lovers were apart, that was a tall task and only partially accomplished. Both characters suffered off screen when they were separated by eschewing the rule of show don’t tell. The characters were never fleshed out completely, coming across rather flat. Not to nitpick, but of course I'm going to, where was the titular garden?
The Old Garden was beautifully shot and had a nice OST. The actors both did their best with the material given. Somewhere in all the hopping through time and skipping over plot elements, I became emotionally detached from Hyun Woo and Yoo Hee, through no fault of the actors. If you go into the film with low expectations there were meaningful moments to be had but they were few and far between.
6 December 2024
Trigger warning: A rather graphic self immolation scene
