This was a strong debut from Oh Jung-min and reminded me of some other South Korean films I’ve seen that have a lyrical, pastoral nature and observe family dynamics and traditions without a lot of exposition or judgement (Burning, House of the Hummingbird). 

We are shown the Kim family, who run a successful tofu making business in a rural area of South Korea. The elderly grandparents who began the business have now taken a backseat, more likely to chide and criticise the next generation for not soaking the soybeans for long enough or using too much brine. The business is run by their son (Oh Man-seok), who doesn’t seem to have a strong hold on himself or his family. There is a sister, two grown-up grandchildren and various sisters and brothers in law.

It’s not easy to explain the plot for this film as it is more of a slow observation of the dynamics of the family, with gradual reveals of the connections between them and the strengths of their character.  We can see that grandson Seung-jin (Kang Seung-ho) is the golden child – perhaps the golden maknae -, favoured by his parents and in particular by his grandparents. He is the only one who seems to have broken free from the life his grandparents have created, trying to make it as an actor, not necessarily successfully.

There is a funeral and it is fascinating to see the traditions and funeral rites. There is squabbling over money, over who should inherit what, with the remaining grandparent and Seung-jin seeming to be the only ones to look on with repressed emotion. I’m not sure if this is strength or a disconnect from feeling, or perhaps the toxicity of tradition and family expectation.

I would like to find out more about the nuances of the relationships we are shown,  as I am unsure whether the favouritism for Seung-jin is due to his status as only grandson or because he was the only one to imagine that his life could be more. It is worth noting that the original title of this film translates to something like “first grandchild that is a boy” and is something of an outdated cultural concept.

There is some beautiful imagery, the making of the tofu at the start really sticks in my mind, as does the final shot, which holds us in its gaze and beauty for a long time.