Program Note
Sumin and Dongmin, a young sister and brother, secretly sell their grandmother’s cherished flower shoes to buy a puppy. But when she suddenly collapses, guilt overwhelms them, and they set out to retrieve the shoes from the junk shop. In the midst of searching through piles of scrap, they fall into a hidden tunnel and encounter four mysterious beings known as the Kokdu. Traditionally carved wooden figures placed on funeral biers to guide the dead, the Kokdu- The Guide, The Clown, The Warrior, and The Attendant—are reimagined here as gentle guardians who accompany the siblings on their journey. As the children prepare to say goodbye to their beloved grandmother, the Kokdu lead them through a liminal realm between life and death, softly enveloping their grief in warmth and wonder.
Interwoven with a live stage performance of Kokdu, created in collaboration with the National Gugak Center, the film flows seamlessly between theater and cinema. The result is a deeply affecting experience—a tender farewell told with the enchantment of a fairy tale, offering solace in sorrow and celebrating a love that endures beyond worlds. (Martin LEE)