꼬방동네 사람들 (People in the Slum). 1982. Written and directed by Bae Chang-ho

Film

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꼬방동네 사람들 (People in the Slum). 1982. South Korea. Written and directed by Bae Chang-ho. With Kim Bo-yeon, Ahn Sung-ki, Kim Hee-ra. 108 min.

Bae Chang-ho’s compassionate debut examines residents of a Seoul shantytown facing demolition, their displacement mirroring South Korea’s breakneck modernization under military rule. Kim Bo-yeon, nicknamed “Black Glove” for the glove concealing an injury, struggles to support her young son and abusive second husband while her ex-husband (Ahn Sung-ki), newly released from prison, reappears seeking reconciliation. Working with cinematographer Chung Kwang-suk, Bae creates an uncommonly textured portrait of working-class life, eschewing melodramatic conventions for observational realism influenced by Italian Neorealism. The film’s episodic structure allows multiple characters to emerge as protagonists, their interconnected stories forming a collective portrait of community resilience. Adapted from Lee Dong-cheol’s semi-autobiographical novel, the film establishes Bae’s humanistic vision and launched his reputation as a leading voice of 1980s Korean cinema. Selected by director Bong Joon-ho.

This film accompanies Seoul After Dark: Personal Memories of Korean Cinema.

Past events

Wed, Feb 18, 4:00 p.m.

MoMA, Floor T2, Theater 2

The Roy and Niuta Titus Theater 2
Mon, Feb 9, 4:00 p.m.

MoMA, Floor T1, Theater 1

The Roy and Niuta Titus Theater 1

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