Our Happy Time (2006 Film)
Our Happy Time (Korean: 우리들의 행복한 시간; RR: Urideului Haengbokhan Shigan), also released internationally under the title Maundy Thursday, is a 2006 South Korean melodrama directed by Song Hae-sung. The film is based on the novel of the same name by author Gong Ji-young. It explores the emotional connection between two individuals from disparate backgrounds who both grapple with deep personal trauma.
Plot
The story follows Moon Yoo-jung (Lee Na-young), a university professor who has attempted suicide multiple times and struggles with profound emotional isolation and resentment toward her family. Her aunt, Sister Monica (Youn Yuh-jung), a nun who regularly visits death row inmates, encourages Yoo-jung to accompany her to a prison. There, she meets Jung Yoon-soo (Gang Dong-won), a death row inmate convicted of murder who endured a traumatic childhood marked by abandonment and poverty. Despite their different social standings, the two find solace in their shared experiences of grief and begin to form a meaningful bond during their weekly meetings, ultimately finding a renewed will to live.
Cast
The film features an ensemble cast including:
- Gang Dong-won as Jung Yoon-soo
- Lee Na-young as Moon Yoo-jung
- Youn Yuh-jung as Sister Monica
- Kang Shin-il as Lee Ju-lim
- Jang Hyun-sung as Yoo-chan
- Jung Young-sook as Yoo-jung's mother
- Kim Ji-young as Grandmother Park
- Eun Won-jae as young Yoon-soo
Production
Directed by Song Hae-sung, the film was produced with a budget of approximately US$4.2 million. The screenplay was adapted by Jang Min-suk and Park Eun-young from Gong Ji-young's novel. The film was released in South Korea on September 14, 2006, and has a runtime of 120 minutes.