The Way Home - A Synopsis

The way home (Jibeuro) is a 2002 Korean film about a city boy who has to live with his raging grandmother in a village until his mother finds a new job. During this period, they (grandmother & he) have to deal with the urban-rural cultural differences, generation gaps, communication issues. In the end, this changes their attitude towards life.


The way home is a very interesting movie to watch with direction as though everything is happening right in front of you. Scenes where the grandmother gives him a haircut and where she provides him boiled chicken when asked for Kentucky fried chicken is simply fantastic.

The 78-year-old villager 'Eul-boon Kim' had never before performed in a movie. Moreover, she had never before seen a movie in her life before. She was found during an extensive talent search in rural villages by the director Lee Jeong-hyang.

The fun of watching foreign language films for me is to be able to virtually take a tour of their beautiful country and get to know their culture. Some beautiful rural glimpses from south Korea makes the way home an interesting watch.  

Both the grandmother and the boy are simply outstanding in their respective performances.