Vegetarian

Vegetarian

7. 12. 2018 18:00 113 min.   Ponrepo ------------

Chaesikjuuija

South Korea, 2009

Korean with Czech and English subtitles

Director: Lim Woo-seong

Starring: Chae Min-seo, Kim Hyun-sung, Kim Yeo-jin

Distributor: M-Line Distribution

Based on: Han Kang – The Vegetarian

 

Lim Woo-seong adapts the literary classic The Vegetarian by the respected Korean writer Han Kang, which won her the prestigious the Man Booker International Prize in 2016.

After a frightening dream, young housewife Yeong-hye (Chae Min-seo) stops eating meat. However, her new beliefs collide with her family and environment. Later, the pressure becomes unbearable and escalates into an episode which will change the lives of all involved a she engages in a visceral dialogue with the conservative thinking of Korean society.

Here, vegetarianism stands for an argument with rusty conservatism, the sturdy hierarchy of institutions such as family, and the Korean emphasis on patriarchy. Lim builds on the topics of the source material and moves it closer to body or social horror territory.