Synopsis
Se-hyeon has just recovered from a bad accident. She’s not quite back to normal yet and there is a fast-developing junior colleague, which gives her nightmares. Strange texts appear on her cellphone, which was broken in the accident, and she is showing signs of pregnancy, which is impossible. In the two worlds of dreams and reality, two Se-hyeon exist: one wins at competitions and the other is obsessed with her unborn child. Kim Hye-mi’s first feature animation, Climbing, unfolds a story of psychological anxiety and physical changes of a woman, who experiences an unexpected pregnancy, in the thriller genre. The subject, ‘climbing’ is extended into diverse symbols beyond Se-hyeon’s occupation. She feels fear of climbing to the summit, hanging onto a rope, but she can fall at the moment of a mistake, which is no different from the real fear of women who walk on the edge between social achievement and raising family. (MO Eun-young)