Dongbaek

2021 • Directed by

Junyoung Shin

Family, Drama, War

The film follows the story of a grumpy elderly man, Soon-cheol, who runs a traditional family restaurant called Dongbaek for three generations. Due to economic difficulties, the restaurant faces closure, and Soon-cheol, along with his son and grandson, struggles to keep it afloat. Things take a dramatic turn when a large food corporation offers to franchise the restaurant, which initially excites the family. However, it’s soon revealed that this offer is linked to the painful history of the Yeosu-Suncheon incident, where Soon-cheol's father was killed by soldiers. The conflict between remembering the past and embracing the future becomes central as Soon-cheol grapples with old wounds.