3 short movies: "Enemies in Four Directions": A bunch of thugs, an assassin who uses a screwdriver as a weapon of choice, a young gigolo and his housewife "customer," and other motley crew of guests converge in a hotel, creating havoc for one another through a series of misunderstandings and identity confusions. "My Nike": In contrast, is a modest, gentle but savvy evocation of an urban lower-middle class family life in 1980s Korea. The chapter is told from the point of view of a 14 yo junior high school student whose greatest desire in the world is to own a pair of Nike sneakers. "The Church Sister": Stars Kim Il-yong as a young soldier on a vacation leave. He is secretly in love with the friendly and beautiful "big sister" from the Sunday school, whom he has known since childhood. They go see a movie, eat lunch together, walk around the neighbourhood aimlessly, waiting for the train to carry him off to the barracks. Will he confess his true feelings to her in time?
Acting
Shin Ha-kyun and Ryoo Seung-bum before they became huge.
Writing
Bae Jong's debut shows three wildly different tones, all controlled.
Direction
"My Nike" nails the specificity of 80s Seoul suburbia.
Director
Bae Jong
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was director Bae Jong's graduation project from Korean Academy of Film Arts, made with classmates who'd dominate 2000s Korean cinema.
"My Nike" captures a specific 1980s Korean phenomenon where American brands represented unreachable middle-class status—owning Nikes was genuinely aspirational for teenagers.
KR
