The Korean Language and Culture Program at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) hosted the “Women’s Film Festival” as part of the 19th Korean Days event, which took place from Nov. 2 to 10, 2024.
The film festival aims to highlight various women’s issues through Korean cinema and expand students’ and the public’s understanding of the culture and lives of women in Korea.
Held in Room 709 and the auditorium of the UGM Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB UGM), the festival features several well-known films, including Kim Ji-Young: Born 1982 (2019), Sunday Morning in Victoria Park (2010), Before, Now, & Then (2022), and Cart (2014).
The festival opened with a screening of Kim Ji-Young: Born 1982, a South Korean film adapted from the controversial novel by Cho Nam-joo.
The story follows the life of Kim Ji-Young (played by Jung Yu-mi), a stay-at-home mother in her 30s who experiences psychological changes. These changes lead her to start speaking and acting like significant figures from her past, including her mother and a close female friend.
Her husband, Dae-Hyun (played by Gong Yoo), becomes increasingly concerned about Ji-Young’s condition and supports her as she faces the pressures she is experiencing.
Through Ji-Young’s life story, the film addresses various challenges Korean women face in a patriarchal society that restricts their freedom, whether as wives, mothers, or daughters.
Ji-Young grows up in an environment that often undermines her aspirations, imposes high expectations, and disregards her individuality.
Ji-Young’s deteriorating mental health illustrates the effects of the injustices she experiences, reflecting the societal pressures faced by women in South Korea.
This movie has received widespread praise for daring to tackle sensitive issues such as gender inequality and women’s mental health.
It also has raised public awareness and sparked important discussions on women’s rights and mental well-being in Korea.
After the film screening, the event continued with a “Star Talk” session featuring director Kim Ji-Young: Born in 1982, Kim Do-Young, who joined via Zoom.
Kim Do-Young, who began her career in theater and has been active in the film industry for 19 years, shared insights into the creative process and the challenges she faced during the film’s production.
Febriani Elfida Trihtarani moderated and translated the interview. In it, she discussed the relevance of the issues raised in the film and acknowledged that the project had faced significant criticism, especially from conservatives who viewed it as controversial due to its feminist themes.
However, she and the production team remained confident in pushing forward with the film.
“At that time, feminism was a hot topic, and we felt it was the right moment to address it through cinema. We were confident that this film would offer an important perspective despite the challenges,” Kim Do-Young explained.
With screenings and discussions of movies like Kim Ji-Young: Born 1982, “Women’s Film Festival” is expected to provide a deeper understanding of the various issues facing women in Korea while opening up a dialogue on gender inequality, women’s rights, and mental well-being.
Author: Rahma Khoirunnisa
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Lintang
Photo: Netflix