The Way Home

Average Rating:
4.363635
11 Reviews
Categories: , , , , .
TitleThe Way Home
Publication TypeFilm
Year Released2002
DirectorLee, Jeong-hyang
PerformersYu, Seung-ho, Eul-boon Kim, Hyo-hee Dong, Kyung-hyun Min, and Eun-kyung Yim
ProducerHeo, Jae-Cheol, Jae-woo Whang, Seung-beom Kim, and Woo-hyun Whang
Running Time80 minutes
Date Released2003 (DVD)
StudioParamount
CountryKorea
MediumIn Korean with English subtitles
Synopsis

Quietly unfolding like a sweet and simple fable, The Way Home is a touching, award-winning film about the common bonds that emerge between distant generations. Directed with delicate compassion by Jyong-Hyang Lee, it's the first South Korean film to receive distribution by a major American studio (under the art-house imprimatur of Paramount Classics), and begins when seven-year-old Sang-Woo (Yoo Seung-Ho) is left with his mute, stooped-over grandmother (Kim Eul-Boon) in her ramshackle hut in a rural region far from the comforts of Seoul. While his single mother struggles to find a job, the selfish boy initially resents his elderly relative, who responds to his obstinate behavior with unconditional love. Slowly, the boy comes to respect and love his caring grandma in return, and while The Way Home is too slight for its 88 minutes and leaves important character details unexplained, its soothing rhythms, youthful humor, and playful score lend universal appeal to the story. (Amazingly, the 78-year-old Kim had never seen a film before appearing in this one.) --Jeff Shannon (Amazon.com)
URLhttp://www.amazon.com/Way-Home-Seung-ho-Yu/dp/B00008K76Y

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Average Rating:
4.363635
11 Reviews

Reviews for The Way Home

4

Posted By: Hayley Tolley

Posted On: January 6, 2019

It's interesting how cultures can be very different from each other and yet have so many of the same problems or circumstances. Although this movie was filmed in Korea, the relevancy of its general message is one that spans both time and culture. In the movie, "The Way Home" a young city-boy named Sang-woo is forced to move to the rural country after his mother falls on hard times financially. He will be living with his mute grandmother who is also very poor. He is not used to the type of lifestyle with no electricity or running water and finds his grandmother and the other country-folk to be an annoyance. As time goes by and his batteries die, he is forced to learn a few lessons in humility and ends up growing fond of his grandmother. Her unconditional love and care for him finally softens his heart and by the end of the movie you see a glimmer of hope in him changing his spoiled brat ways.

This movie is very relevant for children these days. So often we come across kids who are spoiled by their parents/grandparents that they look down and bully other students that don't have as much as they do. I feel as this movie could be used as a wonderful tool in Character education. I think as educators we get so focused on the academia we are required to teach and never get to focus on social skills or character traits. As a Special Educator, I've often come across students who struggle in both these areas. This movie helps everyone to see that material things are not the most important aspect of quality of life because once the battery dies you are left empty. Relationships are the ultimate aspect to living a full and happy life. Thanks to Sang-woo's grandmother we see that unconditional love is possible and can change even the hardest of hearts.

3

Posted By: Jayme Hadley

Posted On: January 19, 2018

Name: Jayme Hadley
Grade/Subjects Taught: 1st grade teacher, self-contained classroom
School: Mary Queen of Apostles

The Way Home (2001 Korean film with subtitles, PG, 88 min.): suitable for children of middle school age

In this award winning Korean film, a young mother falls upon hard times and is forced to send her young son, Sang-woo, to live with his mute grandmother in her small rural village. The difference in way of life from the comforts of his home in Seoul is drastic – with no electricity, running water or fast food he must learn to live in his new surroundings but doesn’t take to it well. He was very spoiled and showed great disrespect to his grandmother. In this very touching story, the selfish, bratty young boy finally comes around and begins to understand the unfaltering love of his grandmother.

As an adult, I enjoyed the storyline and meaning behind this film. However, I would not be able to use it in my early childhood classroom due to its pace and language. It at times was very slow moving and I do not feel it would be able to keep the attention of young children very well. In addition, the subtitles may be difficult for young children to keep up with depending on their reading level. In addition, it does contain some harsh name calling and mild swearing that would be inappropriate for children of a young age.

I definitely feel it could be used in a middle school or early high school aged classroom as an introduction into rural Korea, Korean cultural, Korean language and writing, and, of course, a lesson on family loyalty. It could also easily be used for a language arts lesson on character analysis, development, and comparison.

5

Posted By: David Kneier

Posted On: January 22, 2017

Have you ever been so annoyed with the behavior of a character in a movie that you’ve felt compelled to yell at the screen? Allow me to introduce you to 7-year-old Sang-woo.

The Way Home tells the story of Sang-woo, whose mother has dropped him off to live with his elderly grandmother for a month or two. Many children love spending time with their grandparents, but The Way Home introduces a few challenges to make Sang-woo’s stay less than ideal in his eyes. The first challenge is that Sang-woo is from the city, but his grandmother’s very humble home is lost deep in the countryside. Without his usual creature comforts and favorite foods, life proves boring and uncomfortable. The second challenge that makes Sang-woo long for his home is that his grandmother is mute and hard of hearing; communication is a struggle, and Sang-woo doesn’t like having to deal with this old woman whom he calls “retarded.” Sang-woo mistreats his elderly grandmother in too many ways to count, but her only response is patient kindness--she loves her grandson, and wants him to be happy. As time passes, grandma’s patience begins to pay off, and Sang-woo learns about self-sacrifice.

This touching Korean film from director Jeong-hyang Lee is rated PG, and would be suited for any students in the upper elementary grades or higher. The movie is in Korean with easy-to-follow English subtitles. It would fit well in a language arts classroom or a social studies classroom. The film works as a vehicle for showing rural Korean life, for establishing basic cultural awareness of Korea, and for teaching theme and character development. Students with no cultural awareness of Korea would have no trouble understanding the movie, so it could make a fine introduction to a unit, or it could also work as a stand-alone study.

0

Posted By: Janna Rose Arvidson

Posted On: December 1, 2015

A young Korean boy, Sang-woo, was sent to stay with his grandmother while his mother went into the city to find a job. The grandmother lived a very simple, basic, "old-school" life compared to what Sang-woo was used to. He lived his life in a technological time. He was very spoiled, disrespectful, and bitter about being left with his grandmother. She was a hard worker and did all things by hand. She made the best of what she had. Sang-woo was very mean to his grandmother because of his bitterness other way of life. He saw her as ignorant and dumb. I the beginning while he stayed with her he wanted nothing to do with her. As time went on he warmed up to her, helped her, and had appreciation and concerned for her. Before he went home he taught her and showed her "I miss you" and "I'm sick" so she could send these things to him. Thought the entire film she showed him endless love and kindness even though he did not.

I think this is a great film to jut show children a different aspect on life. Also it shows that you need to have an appreciation for all peoples ways of life. She made the best with what she had and was content. Many of us would not be happy In this given situation which is how Sang-woo felt. All is all it was a great film. I think it would be great for my 5th grade students monitoring the curse words. They could do many comparisons to his life in the city, life with his grandmother, and their own lives.

4

Posted By: Kelsey Spang

Posted On: December 1, 2015

The Way Home is a wonderful story about a young Korean boy learning about unconditional love, respect, and humility. Sang-woo, the protagonist of the story stays with his maternal grandmother while his mother looks for a job. Sang-woo is used to a more "sophisticated" way of live in Seoul than in the country side hut his grandmother inhabits. Obviously angry at being pulled from his comfortable life, Sang-woo begins his stay with his grandmother showing her disrespect and ungratefulness. Sang-woo's mute grandmother responds to Sang-woo with nothing but unconditional love. Through much of the story, Sang-woo seems to test his grandmother's limits but she continually shows him love without fail. As the story unfolds, Sang-woo learns the values of love, respect, and humility as modeled by his grandmother. Towards the end of the movie, Sang-woo truly comes to care for his grandmother and even tries to teach her how to write so they can stay in contact. He finally writes post cards addressed to himself for her with "I Miss You" and "I'm Sick" so Sang-woo will know how is grandmother is doing.

I would suggest this movie to a middle school or high school classroom. This would be an excellent resource to show an example of Korean values or even provide a small glimpse of the Korean country-side way of life. This lesson could be paired with the study of Korean culture, political system, or even geography. This video is spoken in Korean but also has English subtitles. Following along with the subtitles should not be an issue. I highly recommend this film!