After the death of Mal-Suk's father, her eldest brother, Dong-suk, becomes the sole breadwinner for his three siblings. With rumors of impending strikes and job cuts at the local mine, the struggling family faces difficulties in providing food and school fees for Mal-Suk and her brother Dong-il. This situation forces the two older siblings to move to Seoul, leaving the younger ones with their neighbors. Mal-Suk's only outlet is in her diary, where she candidly shares her hopes and troubles.
Acting
Kim Yeong-ok's diary voiceover will wreck you permanently.
Direction
Yu Hyun-mok shoots poverty with devastating dignity.
Cinematography
Clouds as metaphor? Actually earned, not pretentious.
Director
Yu Hyun-mok
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Made during Korea's rapid industrialization, this was Yu's middle film in his 'poverty trilogy'—basically yelled at the government for forgetting rural families.
Kim Yeong-ok was actually 15 playing 13, and her voiceover was recorded in one session because the studio couldn't afford retakes. That rawness? Budget constraints, baby.
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