Gong Yoo (left) and Jung Yu-mi
Charm, vulnerability and strong presence have always been part of Gong Yoo’s appeal as an actor—from the striking resistance figure he plays in “The Age of Shadows” and the agent on the run he portrays in the edge-of-your-seat actioner “The Suspect,” to his career-boosting TV shows (“Hello, My Teacher,” “Coffee Prince” and “Goblin”).
Even when he’s being chased around by ravenous zombies (2016’s “Train to Busan”), Yoo manages to keep his characterization real and relatable.
In “Busan” as with the 2011 drama “Silenced,” the Korean heartthrob was kept company by lovely actress Jung Yu-mi, who stood beside Yoo’s character in the latter to expose sexual assaults committed against the students of a school for the hearing-impaired.
Last year, Yoo and Yu-mi created another ruckus when they decided to reunite in “Kim Ji-young: Born 1982,” about a woman in dire straits.
The film is based on Cho Nam-jo’s controversial book about the title character (Yu-mi), a housewife struggling to keep her head above water as she juggles motherhood, a career and postpartum depression.
Before married life beckoned, Ji-young was brilliant at what she did in the marketing company that employed her. But she often saw opportunities pass her by because of her gender.
Explaining why Ji-young was passed up for a much-deserved promotion, her female boss explained matter-of-factly, “You’re going to get married and have kids, anyway—and you won’t have time to fully commit to this job, because you’ll have your hands full. It’s a post that requires a person’s undivided attention.”
The balancing act eventually forces Ji-young to quit and work full-time as a homemaker—but the decision to turn her back at something she was good at only exacerbated her anxiety and insecurities.
Feeling the strain of Ji-young’s increasing discontent, exhaustion and desperation is her worried husband Jung Dae-hyun (Yoo), who’s getting desperate about his inability to help his miserable wife. Ji-young’s woes are heightened further by her perpetually disapproving in-laws.
But hope springs eternal for Ji-young—especially when she learns that her former boss has left their old company and put up her own. Even better, she wants Ji-young to work for her!
Yu-mi plays KimJi-young in the movie
The novel that inspired the movie has a lot going for it not only because of how it turns the lens on deeply ingrained sexism, gender discrimination and the role of women in a patriarchal society, but also because of the interest it generated upon its release.
It doesn’t hurt that the book is as popular as its stars—in fact, in 2018, it became the first Korean novel since Shin Kyung-sook’s 2009 best-seller “Please Look After Mom” to sell a million copies.
If you expect a lot of “kwela” and “kilig” moments in the movie to keep you entertained, you’ll probably be disappointed. Director Kim Do-young’s drama doesn’t have so much of the catchy energy and youthful vibe that often characterize popular Koreanovelas. But, that isn’t really a disadvantage in this case, because its low-key dramatics and mannered pacing will only make you take its relevant themes seriously.
More than that, Yoo and Yu-mi’s chemistry is potent enough to keep sparks flying in dramatic sequences staged with understated grace and soul-searing honesty.
The book has touched a nerve in Korea, where feminism and mental health can be contentious and divisive issues. But, in a press conference, Yoo explained the lure of the film to him. He liked the script so much that he called up his mom after reading it!
“It isn’t every day that I feel like I’m drawn to a particular situation or story just by reading the text [of a script],” Yoo explained. “I knew I had to accept the offer, because I instantly immersed myself into Dae-hyun’s life. I got emotional. My family immediately came to mind, so I called up my mom to thank her for raising me.
“It made me think a lot about my family. It’s very rare for me to get carried away by a script, but I cried while reading it.”
Coming from Yoo, that says a lot about the relevance and topicality of “Kim Ji-young: Born in 1982.”