Merry Go Round 

Director PARK So Hyeon | Producer MO Jin Su | Korea | 60min | Delivery Date: December 2024

Project Description

Production Schedule

Synopsis

My father, with whom I had cut off ties for years, showed up one day with terminal cancer. What I first felt at the hospital was not sadness or anger, but an odd embarrassment. The story takes place a year after my father's death. Mom suggests that we visit his grave. When we finally arrive at the cemetery park, we wander around the cemetery having no clue where his grave is. I thought that getting lost in the cemetery symbolized the state of our family relationship. My younger sister didn't tell anyone about dad's death, mom changes the subject whenever deep emotions seem to come out, and I feel like visiting his grave is awkward and pointless. Only women are left in this family now. We no longer have to deal with dad's toxic presence in our lives. Still, something seems off, although no one talks about it. I want to break this uncomfortable silence.

Director's Note

In Korea, families are often tied together regardless of the family history, relationships, and bonds. Many social security systems that support people's lives rely on patriarchal familism—and mostly women are forced to take that role. Merry Go Round looks back at our memories and finds what “family” really means and which “role” we have tried to play throughout our lives. Even though we don't have to deal with dad's toxic presence anymore, the concept of an “absent father or husband” still affects our lives. This film is a journey to understand how old concepts of a family have suppressed us and evoked subtle uncomfortable emotions. It's an attempt to track down how intimacy and bond collide with the material and socioeconomic conditions the family is standing and to build an alternative relationship between the three women.

	Sohyeon Park worked as a video journalist at a new media journalism group, Dotface. Graduated with a BA in School of Film, TV & Multimedia, Broadcasting from Korea national university of arts, Republic of Korea.		After graduating from Korea University School of Media & Communication, Mo Jisnsu has been working at Dotface as a video journalist
Director  PARK So Hyeon		Producer  MO Jin Su