And Thereafter

Young-Ja Wike is one of the women who came to the USA as an American soldier’s wife in the aftermath of the Korean War. But the promised land turned out to be a trap. Her husband abused their daughter, and her sons have become criminals. While most Americans shun her for her poor English, she is also estranged from her own people, who perceive her as a Western whore. Therefore, returning to Korea is unimaginable. Director Hosup Lee tells Young-Ja’s own account of her life in solemn images, paced in the steady rhythm of the growing season and harvest time of the red peppers she cultivates in her garden. The more of her family drama is divulged, the more impressive this old lady’s strong will to survive becomes.