Synopsis
Famous for < An Aimless Bullet >, the movie chosen as the greatest Korean movie of the twentieth century, director YOO Hyun-mok made < Daughters of Kim's Pharmacy >, a family melodrama that portrays the fall of a family and the conflict between its members who lived in a tumultuous period in history. The family closes the pharmacy and goes into the fishing business. When fish becomes scarce, the family is doomed. The oldest daughter is widowed and becomes a loan shark, the second daughter gives up studying in Seoul, the third daughter falls in love with a servant and marries an opium addict, the youngest marries a fisherman to protect the family. The will to escape destiny and twisted desires are manifested in the lives of the daughters. Contemplation on Shamanism representing traditional values and Christianity representing new values is a theme that repeatedly appears in YOO Hyun-mok's later works like < Martyr >, < Son of Man >, and < Rainy Days >. However, one of the greatest pleasures to be found in < Daughters of Kim's Pharmacy > is meeting the actresses of the 60's. HWANG Jeong-sun, who played a variety of matriarchal characters, plays a conservative and sacrificing mother. LEE Min-ja, who was the representative widow of the time, played the widowed first daughter. EOM Aeng-ran, played the intellectual second daughter. 'Beautiful villainess' CHOI Ji-Hee played the naive yet ambitious third daughter. The appeal of these actresses is enhanced by the mis-en-scene of director YOO Hyun-mok as he portrays the depressing and fanatical, yet hopeful attitude of the era. (CHO Young-jung)