Samjin Company English Class (2020 Film)
Samjin Company English Class (Korean: 삼진그룹 영어토익반) is a 2020 South Korean drama film directed by Lee Jong-Pil. Set in 1995, the film follows three female employees at a fictional company who, despite their professional competence, are relegated to menial tasks due to their lack of a university degree. The narrative centers on their efforts to improve their status through a company-sponsored English class while simultaneously uncovering environmental corruption within their organization.
Plot
The story takes place in 1995 and focuses on three friends and long-time co-workers: Lee Ja-Young (Ko Ah-Sung), Jung Yoo-Na (Esom), and Sim Bo-Ram (Park Hye-Soo). Having worked at Samjin Company for eight years, they are highly skilled at their administrative duties but remain at the bottom of the corporate hierarchy because they only hold high school diplomas.
The company introduces a policy offering a promotion to assistant manager for any employee who achieves a score of 600 or higher on the TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) exam. Motivated by the desire to perform meaningful work, the three friends enroll in the company's English class. During this time, Lee Ja-Young discovers evidence of illegal wastewater discharge from a company factory. When the company dismisses her concerns, the trio decides to investigate the corruption themselves, leading to a struggle against their corporate superiors.
Production and Release
The film was directed by Lee Jong-Pil and written by Son Mi. It was distributed by Lotte Cultureworks and released in South Korea on October 21, 2020. The film has a runtime of 110 minutes.
Reception and Awards
Samjin Company English Class received critical recognition for its performances and production design. It won the Best Film award at the 57th Baeksang Arts Awards in 2021. At the 41st Blue Dragon Film Awards in 2021, the film received awards for Best Supporting Actress (Esom), Best Music (Dalpalan), and Best Art Design (Bae Jung-Yoon).
