K-Family Affairs

Family life and politics have always been intertwined for South Korean filmmaker Arum Nam: her parents’ marriage coincided with the first democratic election of a president who was unconnected with the former military regime; Nam herself was born on the first day of the trials against leaders of that regime; and presidential elections are always held on her birthday.

The aftereffects of a national disaster and the rise of the MeToo movement present her with a stark choice: will she follow in the footsteps of her activist mother or her patriot father?

Nam’s debut film, which won the Jury Award at the Taiwan International Documentary Festival, connects her personal history and the history of her country. She blends videos and news footage to capture her own relationship with South Korea’s turbulent recent past and to critically examine the choices her parents made. She reflects with an open mind on her own political coming-of-age. Nam’s straightforward and playful style captures the spirit of a new generation in the South Korean movement for democracy.