I Can Speak (2017 Film)
I Can Speak (Korean: 아이 캔 스피크) is a 2017 South Korean drama film directed by Kim Hyun-Seok. The film explores the relationship between an elderly woman and a young civil servant, set against the backdrop of the local ward office and a traditional market.
Plot
The story follows Na Ok-Boon (Na Moon-Hee), an elderly resident known for filing numerous civil complaints at her local ward office. Her life intersects with Park Min-Jae (Lee Je-Hoon), a principled and diligent junior civil servant recently transferred to the district. Despite their initial friction, Ok-Boon discovers that Min-Jae is fluent in English. She persistently asks him to teach her the language, driven by a deeply personal motivation that eventually reveals her past.
Production
The film was directed by Kim Hyun-Seok, with a screenplay written by Yoo Seung-Hee and Kim Hyun-Seok. Principal photography for the film commenced on March 29, 2017, and concluded on June 26, 2017.
Cast
The film features a large ensemble cast, including:
- Na Moon-Hee as Na Ok-Boon
- Lee Je-Hoon as Park Min-Jae
- Sung Yoo-Bin as Young-Jae
- Yum Hye-Ran as Jinjoo-daek
- Lee Sang-Hee as Hye-Jung
- Jung Yeon-Joo as A-Young
- Lee Ji-Hoon as Jong-Hyun
- Park Chul-Min as Manager Yang
- Son Sook as Jung-Sim
- Kim So-Jin as Geum-Joo
- Choi Soo-In as young Na Ok-Boon
- Lee Jae-In as young Jung-Sim
Reception
The film received critical acclaim, particularly for the performance of Na Moon-Hee. She won several Best Actress awards for her role, including at the 55th Daejong Film Awards, the 54th Baeksang Arts Awards, the 38th Blue Dragon Film Awards, and the 1st The Seoul Awards. Director Kim Hyun-Seok also received recognition, including a Best Director award at the 38th Blue Dragon Film Awards.