AIMLESS BULLET
Synopsis
The film presents a haunting and realistic portrayal of post-war Korean society, centering on Cheol-ho (Kim Jin-kyu), an office accountant who struggles to support his family. He lives in hardship with a mother suffering from war-induced psychological trauma, a pregnant wife in poor health, a sister forced into prostitution, and a younger brother - an unemployed war veteran. Earning only a meager salary, Cheol-ho is unable to provide even the basic needs for his family or himself - he cannot afford to treat a decaying tooth. His life becomes a series of unrelenting tragedies, pushing him toward exhaustion and despair.
Director's biography
One of Korea’s most revered filmmakers, Yu Hyun-mok (1925–2009) made his feature film debut with Crossroads (1956). Though he consistently made films throughout the late 1950s and into the 60s, his work reached a new height with Aimless Bullet (1961), a gritty, almost neo-realist social drama widely regarded as one of the greatest Korean films of all time. Yet Yu was not a one-hit wonder, directing many more classic Korean films throughout his life, including Daughters of Pharmacist Kim (1963), Guests Who Arrived on the Last Train (1967), Flame (1975), and Rainy Days (1977). Known for his intellectual and modernist approach to filmmaking, Yu’s style transcended his early comparisons to Italian neo-realism. He was a film professor for many years and won the Blue Dragon Award for Best Director four times. He also contributed to Korea’s animation industry by producing Robot Taekwon V (1976). In 1999, the Busan International Film Festival held a retrospective of his work.