Little Forest (2018 South Korean Film)

Little Forest is a 2018 South Korean drama film directed by Yim Soon-rye. The narrative follows Hye-won, played by Kim Tae-ri, who leaves her challenging life in the city to return to her rural hometown. Through reconnecting with nature, her childhood friends, and the preparation of traditional food, she begins to process her emotional experiences.

Promotional poster for the film Little Forest — Promotional material for the 2018 film Little Forest.

Production

The film is based on the manga series Little Forest, written and illustrated by Daisuke Igarashi, which was serialized in the magazine Monthly Afternoon between December 2002 and July 2005. The screenplay for the adaptation was written by Hwang Sung-goo.

Principal photography commenced on January 21, 2017, and concluded on October 24, 2017. The production was filmed on location in a village within the North Gyeongsang Province of South Korea.

Kim Tae-ri as Hye-won — Kim Tae-ri portrays the protagonist, Hye-won.

Cast

The film features an ensemble cast portraying the residents of the rural community:

Kim Tae-ri as Hye-won
Ryu Jun-yeol as Jae-ha
Moon So-ri as Hye-won's mother
Jin Ki-joo as Eun-sook

Ryu Jun-yeol as Jae-ha — Ryu Jun-yeol plays the character Jae-ha.

Moon So-ri as Hye-won's mother — Moon So-ri appears as Hye-won's mother.

Jin Ki-joo as Eun-sook — Jin Ki-joo plays the character Eun-sook.

Related Works

The manga by Daisuke Igarashi has also been adapted into a two-part Japanese film series: Little Forest: Summer & Autumn (2014) and Little Forest: Winter & Spring (2015).