Review | K-Family Affairs movie review: intimate story of a family amid Korea’s chaotic politics
Nam A-rum’s documentary is an intimate study of her family, her civil servant father and former activist mother, told through home movies
4/5 stars
For her debut feature, documentarian Nam A-rum takes viewers on a fascinating and surprisingly intimate journey through the last three chaotic decades of South Korea’s political history.
Framed by her family’s own experiences, not least her father’s career as a civil servant, K-Family Affairs illustrates how a household of ordinary patriots struggles to stand firm in the face of endless scandals, corruption and national tragedies.
A-rum and her twin sister Da-woon were born on December 18, 1995, the first day of former president Roh Tae-woo’s trial. Her parents were part of what was called the 386 Generation, who grew up during the country’s volatile military dictatorship.
They met at university, where A-rum’s father Hyung-ki dreamed of being a journalist and fighting against government corruption. After completing his military service, however, he chose instead to become a civil servant.
