프로그램 노트

​Program Note 

One thing that should be stated first: The Land of Morning Calm causes very little stress when it comes to hearing and understanding the Korean dialogue. This may be seen as a structural issue in independent Korean cinema—or perhaps Korean cinema in general—and I’ve come to realize, both directly and indirectly, that it often becomes a reason for hesitation when choosing Korean cinema to watch. But in The Land of Morning Calm, the Korean dialogue is clearly delivered and easy to follow.

Park Ri-woong's previous film, The Girl on a Bulldozer, brought to mind exploitation films from the title alone, and the film itself was infused with the wild, intense energy often found in that genre. That same Park returned with his next film, The Land of Morning Calm. It begins with sketches of a peaceful fishing village and seagulls flying over the morning sea. There seems to be a sudden leap between The Girl on a Bulldozer and The Land of Morning Calm. This is true even though The Land of Morning Calm is built on the plot structure of a crime film, albeit loosely.

That said one consistent thread across Park's films is the way his characters are driven not by a need for others' understanding, but by their own sense of belief and righteousness. In this regard, The Land of Morning Calm represents a deepening of character over his previous work. Layered onto this is a diasporic sense of motion—escape and return, migration and settlement—that transforms the film’s coastal village setting into a microcosm of contemporary Korean society. Ultimately, The Land of Morning Calm serves as both a keen observational record of Korea today and proof of Park's growing creative stamina—his ability to fully commit to an unadorned story and see it through to the end. (PARK Jihan)