'I Hate Korea' is the story of 'Gye-na' (Go Ah-sung), a woman in her late 20s, who one day suddenly leaves her job, family, and boyfriend behind to go to New Zealand alone in search of her own happiness. Even before its release, the film has captured the concerns of contemporary youth, with its unconventional title, its original best-selling novel by Jang Kang-myeong, and its status as the opening film of the 28th Busan International Film Festival.
Actor Ko Ah-sung, who was similar in age to the character at the time of filming, was able to deeply empathize with the character's feelings and worries, and by focusing on those parts, he provided realistic immersion to the film. In fact, actors Ko Ah-sung, Joo Jong-hyuk, and Kim Woo-gyeom, who are peers, immerse themselves in the characters themselves and ask the audience questions such as "what is happiness?" and "what kind of life do I want?"
'I Hate Korea' will be released in theaters nationwide on August 28th.
Kim Seo-yoon, Ten Asia reporter seogugu@tenasia.co.kr