Review

Dabin is a high schooler who carries an immense weight on his shoulders. His father took his own life, his older brother has left home, and his mother is worryingly dependent on the neighborhood pastor. It is also up to Dabin to look after his younger sister Eunseo, who has a hearing impairment. His mother tells him that she intends to move to Chungju, which has a school for the deaf that Eunseo can attend. Now his only avenue of escape appears to be a winter break exchange program in Singapore. He finds himself wanting to let go of his burdens for a time by spending some time far from home with his girlfriend Jae-eun. Winter Light is the story of a young man who lives almost entirely without light in his life. He finally chooses a small goal to pursue, only to find the path fraught with difficulties. Not only are the costs of his program more than his mother can afford, but Eunseo’s condition seems to be worsening over time. He works part-time with his friend Jeong-won but is left even more unsettled when he hears about the domestic violence his friend is enduring. Winter Light does not offer any tender words of comfort to its protagonist Dabin, but neither does it forsake him. This film shows how a little bit of light can find its way into the life of someone who has been forced to bear a difficult reality. (MOON Seok)

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