''Family Ties'' (; lit. "Birth of a Family") is the second film by South Korean director

Kim Tae-yong Kim Tae-yong (born December 9, 1969) is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. After his feature directorial debut '' Memento Mori'' (1999), he helmed the critically acclaimed ''Family Ties'' (2006), and the English-language remake '' ...

. Mismarketed as a slapstick comedy through its promotional posters, the film is actually a generation-to-generation view of two families through love and life.

Synopsis

The film is divided into three different 'family' portraits. The first two take place at roughly the same time. In part one, restaurateur Mi-ra (

Moon So-ri Moon So-ri (born July 2, 1974) is a South Korean actress, film director and screenwriter. She is best known for her acclaimed leading roles in '' Oasis'' (2002) and '' A Good Lawyer's Wife'' (2003). Career After graduating with a degree in Ed ...

) is satisfied with her ordered, if solitary, life until her ex-con brother Hyung-chul (

Uhm Tae-woong Uhm Tae-woong (born April 5, 1974) is a South Korean actor. He made his acting debut in 1998, but initially struggled to emerge from under the shadow of his older sister, popular singer-actress Uhm Jung-hwa. After several years of small roles an ...

) suddenly appears with his much older new wife Mu-shin (

Go Doo-shim Go Doo-shim (; born May 22, 1951) is a South Korean actress. Career A native of Jeju Island, Go Doo-shim made her acting debut in 1972 and since then she had a prolific career on television, film and theater. Best known for playing the quintes ...

) in tow. Mi-ra reluctantly allows them to stay a time with her at the family home, but friction builds over a short time and with the unexpected arrival of Mu-shin's young stepdaughter Chae-hyun, the three adults quickly reach a breaking point. Part two concerns a quick-tempered young woman Sun-kyung (

Gong Hyo-jin Gong Hyo-jin (born April 4, 1980) is a South Korean actress. She is best known for her leading role in the film '' Crush and Blush'' (2008), as well as for her popular television series '' Sang Doo! Let's Go to School'' (2003), ''Thank You'' (20 ...

) and her relationship with her estranged mother (

Kim Hye-ok Kim Hye-ok (born May 9, 1958) is a South Korean actress An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as fil ...

). Sun-kyung's resentment toward her mother is exacerbated by an affair the latter is having with a married man (Ju Jin-mo). Sun-kyung diligently tries to find employment in Japan, but once her mother dies of

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

, she must care for her young half-brother Kyung-suk and abandon her expatriation. Part three brings together the first two story lines with the relationship of Chae-hyun ( Jung Yu-mi) and Kyung-suk (

Bong Tae-gyu Bong Tae-gyu (born 19 May 1981) is a South Korean actor. Filmography Film Television series Television show Hosting Radio shows Music video appearances Theater Awards and nominations References External links Bong ...

) some years later. Kyung-suk, now a college student, is extremely jealous of Chae-hyun's openness to other men in her life and their compatibility is tested as a result of what he considers her "easy" behavior er promiscuity is neither confirmed or denied The film ends with Kyung-suk being accepted by Chae-hyun's adopted family from part one.

Cast

Part 1

as Lee Mi-ra *

as Lee Hyung-chul *

as Oh Mu-shin *Lee Ra-hye as young Chae-hyun *Jung Heung-chae as President Kim *

Kim Kkot-bi Kim Kkobbi ( ko, 김꽃비; born November 24, 1985) is a South Korean actress. The syllables of her given name literally mean "flower" () and "rain" (). Career Kim Kkobbi was working as an extra on the 2001 film '' My Boss, My Hero'' when a sta ...

as regular student customer at food stall 1 *Lee Na-ri as regular student customer at food stall 2 *Hwang Eun-ji as regular student customer at food stall 3 *Lee Jin-seon as regular student customer at food stall 4 *Kim Dong-young as regular student customer at food stall 5 *Jo Joon-hwan as regular student customer at food stall 6 *Jo Sung-hwan as regular student customer at food stall 7 *Lee In-chul as 동동구리무 *Kang-to as Mi-ra's dog

Part 2

as Yoo Sun-kyung *

as Mae-ja *Kim Hee-soo as young Kyung-suk *

Joo Jin-mo Joo Jin-mo (born Park Jin-tae on 26 September 1974), is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his leading roles in the films '' Happy End'' (1999) in which he won Grand Bell Awards for Best Supporting Actor, '' 200 Pounds Beauty'' (2006), ...

as Woon-shik *

Ryoo Seung-bum Ryoo Seung-bum (born August 9, 1980) is a South Korean actor. He made a name for himself in his older brother director Ryoo Seung-wan's eclectic films, notably '' Die Bad'' (his acting debut in 2000), ''Arahan'' (2004), '' Crying Fist'' (2005), ...

as Joon-ho, Sun-kyung's ex-boyfriend ( cameo) *Park Joong-hyun as interviewer 1 *Kim Hyun-ah as interviewer 2 *Song Jeong-woo as interviewer 3 *Oh Hye-won as homeroom teacher *Kyungil High School Marching Band as marching band *Song Hyun-hee as Japanese tourist *Han Yoo-na as Joon-ho's girlfriend *Lee Hyun-soon as Woon-shik's wife *Chu Seung-yeob as Woon-shik's son 1 *Kim Tae-hoon as Woon-shik's son 2

Part 3

as Choi Kyung-suk * Jung Yu-mi as Chae-hyun *Im Jung-eun as Hyun-ah *

Ko Kyu-pil Ko Kyu-pil (born May 2, 1982) is a South Korean actor. He debuted in the 1993 South Korean children's film ''Kid Cop ''Kid Cop'' () is a 1993 South Korean children's film directed by Lee Joon-ik, starring Kim Min-jung and Jung Tae-woo. ''Ki ...

as Chae-hyun/Kyung-suk's friend 1 *Jeon Mi-young as Chae-hyun/Kyung-suk's friend 2 *Jo Myung-yeon as Tae-shik *Hong Jae-sung as Sang-ho *Kim Tae-yoon as Young-ho *Shin Ye-won as child seated at rear end of train *Ryu Seung-hyun as debt creditor man *

Woo Hyun Woo Hyun (born 1964) is a South Korean actor, and former democracy activist. Filmography Film Television series Variety show References External links * Living people People from Gwangju South Korean male television actors So ...

as Go Mul-sang *

Jo Hee-bong Jo Hee-bong (born August 23, 1971) is a South Korean actor. Hee-bong began his acting career in 1997 as part of the theatre troupe Bipa (비파). He later became known as a supporting actor onscreen, in films such as '' Blind'' (2011) and ''Inco ...

as man fighting on train *Lee Eun-jung as woman fighting on train *Park Mi-hyun as pregnant woman *Monk Jungwae as monk

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Family Ties (film) 2006 films 2006 drama films South Korean drama films Best Picture Grand Bell Award winners 2000s Korean-language films Films directed by Kim Tae-yong 2000s South Korean films