Synopsis

Many melodramas in the 1960s become subjected to harsh criticism because of their excessive sentimentalism and exaggeration in depicting the miserable journey of a woman who lives a desperate life in the bottom of society. However, the melodrama by LEE Bong Rae cleverly mixes "seriousness" with "popularity" through a polished style, plain expression of feelings, and contemplation on society. The director's such a brilliant skill is clearly shown in The Door of the Body . Eun Sook, a hard-working massage girl at a steam bath, has a plan to buy an apartment and run a beauty saloon. To make matters worse, her lover, the only person she depends on, extorts money from her and lives with her younger sister. By overlapping many incidents, the movie reveals that it is impossible for Eun Sook to realize the dream of becoming an ordinary housewife. In the depiction of massage girls, by focusing not on the decadence associated with the occupation but on the scenes of daily life, The Door of the Body  displays a unique sensitiveness of the director LEE Bong Rae. Although the misfortune of Eun Sook is not directly caused by her occupation, the indication of despair underlies her miserable past and the space of Seoul in itself. Therefore, even with the accidental happenings of various incidents, the development of the story driving into the catastrophe of the leading character is accepted as persuasive. By showing the miserable life of a woman who comes from the country, the director combines smoothly his unique codes of the genre with the social nature. Consequently, Eun Sook's face is way too calm that it leaves us much stronger impression than desperate tears. (LEE Gil Sung)

Diretor

LEE Bong Rae

Among the fans of Korean films, LEE Bong Rae is known as the director of A Petty Middle Manager  . He was, however, a multi-talented artist who focused on film and literature. As the intellectual of the era, he led the cultural movement those days.Born in 1922, LEE studied in Japan and worked as a journalist till his return to Korea. He came back to Korea after the Korean War, work as a critic and a scriptwriter. His early literary works are affected by modernism and showed the lifestyle of the people. LEE Bong Rae produced and directed wide range of films. He especially left a notable footprint on comedy film that contains the sense of the life those days. Lee's four films, including his famous A Petty Middle Manager and The Door of the Body , will be screened in the retrospective, providing a fine opportunity to reaffirm LEE Bong Rae"s talent as a director.