Program Note

A well-crafted rap is not so different from an autobiographical poem. Rappers are most authentic when they confront their wounds and truly see themselves.

*Sunset in My Hometown* follows Hak-soo, a talented yet struggling rapper who has failed six times on the audition TV show *Show Me the Money*. When he hears that his father has collapsed, he returns to his rural hometown, where he must finally confront his troubled past. In doing so, he begins to grow.

Actor Park Jung-min trained in rap to play the role of an unknown rapper, and his performance—combined with heartfelt lyrics—deeply moves the audience. Set against the beautiful sunset of the Byeonsan region, the evocative score by music director Bang Jun-seok adds even more emotional resonance.
(SONG Kyeong-won)

Director

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  • Lee Joon-ik
  • Lee Joon-ik made his directorial debut in 1993 with the family film *Kid Cop* and has since run the production company CineWorld. He pioneered the fusion historical drama genre with *Once Upon a Time in a Battlefield* (2003), which drew 2.9 million viewers nationwide. His 2005 film *The King and the Clown* surpassed 12 million viewers, becoming the biggest box-office hit of the year.
    
    With *Radio Star* (2006), *The Happy Life* (2007), and *Sunny* (2008), Lee completed a beloved trilogy of music-themed films that solidified his reputation as one of Korea’s foremost filmmakers.