Family Ties (Korean: 가족의 탄생; RR: Gajokeui tansaeng; lit. "Birth of a Family") is the second film by South Korean director Kim Tae-yong.[3][4][5] Mismarketed as a slapstick comedy through its promotional posters,[6] the film is actually a generation-to-generation view of two families through love and life.[7][8]
Synopsis
The film is divided into three different 'family' portraits. The first two take place at roughly the same time.[9]
In part one, restaurateur Mi-ra (Moon So-ri) is satisfied with her ordered, if solitary, life until her ex-con brother Hyung-chul (Uhm Tae-woong) suddenly appears with his much older new wife Mu-shin (Go Doo-shim) 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) and her relationship with her estranged mother (Kim Hye-ok).[10] 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, 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) 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 [her promiscuity is neither confirmed or denied]. The film ends with Kyung-suk being accepted by Chae-hyun's adopted family from part one.[11]
