JEONJU Project

Documentary ㅣ JEONJU Lab: Feature Length

Karma

KIM Myunwoo

Korea 90min 4K Color Documentary

Production StatusProduction

Goal of ParticipationMentoring, Fundraising, Distributor Meeting, World Sales

Production budget176,000,000 KRW

Budget Required114,197,950 KRW

Secured budget

DMZ Docs Industry[Global Pitch] : 2,000,000 KRW
Hans Tech Lab[Production Investment] : 25,000,000 KRW
SJM Foundation[Production Support] : 20,000,000 KRW
Gyeonggido Job Foundation[Production Support] : 6,802,050 KRW
JEONJU International Film Festival[First Fund Grant] : 5,000,000 KRW
Self-funding : 3,000,000 KRW

LOGLINE

Father and son's tale of overcoming adversity while running a legal firm specializing in personal rehabilitation, thriving on others' misfortune.

SYNOPSIS

My father, a solicitor, is heavily in debt. Considering the nature of his profession and the circumstances leading to his debt accumulation, it would be inappropriate for him to seek rehabilitation. I, his son, only discovered my father's financial predicament later in life and have been working with him on the application for rehabilitation after dropping out of university. It's been about seven years now. For at least another 20 years, we will have to help others with their rehabilitation and pay off their father's debts. Compared to the three-year repayment period under the Rehabilitation Law, our fate seems rather burdensome. The son resents his heavily indebted father, and the father is utterly appalled by his son's interference in taking all the economic rights.

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

Is it just because of the debt that I am suffering? Is it solely due to financial obligations that my siblings, children, and parents and I have become divided? Signs and currents had already spread, but could it be that the debt that cannot be repaid immediately was incurred due to neglect? If so, the debt would be nothing more than an excuse. The debtor's whimpering generally stems from such delusions.

INTERVIEW

What inspired you to start this project?

South Korea currently records the highest suicide rate in the world, with the primary cause being excessive debt. While many debts are incurred due to personal mistakes, such as gambling and speculation, the majority are due to taking on family debts or business failure and fraud. The advertisements for bankruptcy and rehabilitation specialists frequently seen on buses and subways indicate many people suffering from debt.

I was a university student dreaming of becoming a film director. However, I belatedly found that my father, a solicitor, had amassed a pile of debt after a business failure and a misguided investment in stocks. I felt intense resentment and contempt towards my father, who claimed to help others but couldn’t even take care of himself.

But out of fear that he might commit suicide, I dropped out of university and began to help him by working as his assistant. At first, I was filled with anger towards my father, who had crushed my dreams. However, after meeting numerous clients who were in a much more difficult situation and hearing their various stories, I wanted to share the stories of this place with everyone.

Is there any emotion you want the audience to feel after watching this film?

As an assistant, I've learned through handling over two hundred rehabilitation applications that excessive debt is often preceded by family discord and alienation. These debts are often accumulated during childhood and must be paid off first. Like many others who file for rehabilitation, the fact that even my father, a solicitor, also has a father who became estranged from his family due to the lasting effects of Agent Orange from his Vietnam War, which led him to fall for a health product pyramid scheme and lose his entire fortune, well illustrates the nature of such debts.

Even if rehabilitation approval is received from the court to write off a few thousand dollars, the underlying life problems are not resolved. It is not uncommon for people to commit suicide due to a debt of two thousand dollars. I want to reiterate my opinion that all debts stem from the debt of the heart. I believe in the words of the poet RYU Shiva, who said that an assembly of despair may become hope. A legal firm is where despair gathers. Accordingly, it is also the place where glimmers of hope can arise.

DIRECTOR

KIM Myunwoo

Born in 1995, He has produced several short films and is currently directing his first feature-length documentary, Karma.

Best Friends (2018)

PRODUCER

JIN Hyundo

Born in 1994, He directed the short film Comfort (2020) and has produced numerous short films. He is currently producing a feature-length documentary, Karma.

Comfort (2020), The day I fell in the hole (2021)

SEO Youngsun

Youngsun participated in a few short films made at the University. She worked at a film festival. Currently, she is serving as producer of the documentary feature Karma.

CONTACTamu7294@gmail.com