Poetry (2010 South Korean Film)

Poetry (Korean: 시; RR: Si) is a 2010 South Korean drama film written and directed by Lee Chang-dong. The film explores themes of memory, morality, and artistic expression through the life of an elderly woman facing significant personal challenges.

Plot

The story follows Yang Mi-ja, an elderly woman in her 60s who works as a caregiver for a disabled man while raising her grandson. As she begins to experience the early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, she enrolls in a local poetry class to fulfill a lifelong dream. Her life is upended when she discovers that her grandson was involved in the sexual assault of a junior high school girl, an incident that leads to the victim's suicide. Mi-ja must navigate the moral complexities of her family's involvement in the tragedy while attempting to find beauty and meaning through the composition of poetry.

Production

Principal photography for the film commenced on August 25, 2009, and concluded on December 13, 2009. The film is notable for the return of actress Yun Jung-hee to the screen after a 15-year hiatus. In a notable parallel, the character she portrays is named Mi-ja, which is also the actress's real-life given name. The film is characterized by its minimalist approach to sound, notably lacking a traditional musical soundtrack. Real-life poet Kim Yong-taek appears in the film, portraying a poetry teacher.

Actress Yun Jung-hee — Yun Jung-hee, who plays the protagonist Yang Mi-ja

Actor David Lee — David Lee, who plays the grandson Jong-wook

Actor Ahn Nae-sang — Ahn Nae-sang, who plays Ki-beom's father

Poet Kim Yong-taek — Kim Yong-taek, who appears as a poetry teacher

Scene from the film — A scene featuring the protagonist