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Korean Cinema Retrospective

Our Days in the High School

KIM Eung-Chun / SEOK Lae-Myong / MOON Yeo-Song

Korea1978 100min 35mm color

Synopsis

A trilogy made by three directors--Ung-chon Kim, Yo-song Mun and Rae-myong Sok--who were called a troica of late-teens movies. The first story is focused on the love or friendship between a feminine high school boy and an outgoing girl. It's love the two long for, yet it becomes friendship due to the grown-ups. The thing is they are high school students. Chong-hun Kim loves to arrange flowers and knitting, but his family wants him to enter the military academy. Kim changes, however, into a manly man after meeting a girl whom the late Tok Chang played. The second part shows a live-in instructor who helps a cripped child come out of the mental darkness caused by a physical handicap. It was common for collegians at that time to earn their tuition and pocket money by teaching a child living at the latter's house. The instructor is too good to be true, being an outstanding baseball player who excels others in studies, too. Anyway, this part is a typical human-interest story favored by the 1970s. The third part is also a happy-ending story. A marathoner aspirant joins the family of a man whom his mother marries. However, he leaves the house as he can't adapt to the atmosphere. He lives alone at a boarding house. Interesting is the scene of the boarding house, a wonderful example of traditional houses in Seoul. The late actor Chang-ho Son appears in this film. Son was one of the main characters of the late-teen movies along with Sung-hyon Lee, Ye-jin Im and Yu-yong Chin. I pray for the repose of Son's soul.

Diretor

KIM Eung-Chun

He made his debut film in 1959. Since then, he has directed comedies, teenage dramas, and melodramas. Kim is well-known for another series of stories centering on teeange life called the 'Yalgae' series. The films star famous stars Lee, Sung-Hyun & Kim, Jong-Hun) and were box office hits during the seventies.

SEOK Lae-Myong

In Our Days in the High School, he co-directed the film with Moon, Yeo-Song and Kim, Eung-Chun. His films mostly focused on teenage-driven stories, melodramas, and comedies. He only made one film in the 90s.

MOON Yeo-Song

Moon, Yeo-Song: In 1970s, he became a very popular director after making a series of films entitled 'Really, Really.' Famous Korean stars Lee, Dok-Hwa & Lim, Ye-Jin played the hero and heroine, respectively, in these movies. He continued his career until the 80s, and is now retired.