Synopsis

In Korean films, the musical genre has only been partially adopted, often limited to a few scenes of dancing and singing. However, this film embraces the musical format more fully, telling most of its story through song. A fox family—father, son, and two daughters—comes to the city. According to legend, a nine-tailed fox can become human if it eats a human liver on a specific day that occurs only once every thousand years. With that day just a month away, the family moves to the city in search of human livers. They set up a circus in a remote area and lure people in under the pretense of recruiting performers. However, those who apply to join the circus are not exactly ideal: an old woman, a sick person, and someone suicidal—making it difficult for the foxes to keep their potential "donors" alive until the appointed day. Meanwhile, a brutal series of murders takes place in the city, and a detective begins to suspect the fox family. Each member of the fox family is eccentric and unique, and those around them are just as bizarre. As expected, not everything goes according to plan in the foxes' quest to become human. Amid its comical setup, the film blends gothic gloom, sexual tension, and grotesque elements. It also ambitiously attempts to express each character’s personality and backstory through eight musical numbers. (Lim Bum)

Director

Lee Hyung-gon

Lee Hyung-gon majored in Visual Design at Hongik University and was part of the 2nd graduating class of the Korean National University of Arts School of Film. His works include Pungjang, Nangan, and others. His graduation film Enjoy Your Summer was screened in the competition section of the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival. He also demonstrated a refined visual sensibility through the music video for the film Bus Stop. The Fox Family marks his feature film directorial debut.