Program Note

The 1970s—a time of acoustic guitars, long hair, and folk songs—marked a major turning point in the history of Korean popular music. Young singer-songwriters began performing their own compositions, filled with emotional lyrics and subtle social commentary, captivating audiences across the country. At the heart of this musical revolution was Korea’s first music hall, “C’est Si Bon,” which opened in Mugyo-dong, Seoul.

The film begins with a lesser-known fact: that the folk duo “Twin Folio,” known for its iconic members Song Chang-sik and Yoon Hyung-joo, originally had a third member. The fictional character “Geun-tae” is inspired by Lee Ik-kyun, who left the group shortly before its rise to fame. Through Geun-tae, the film weaves a story of love and parting, set against the backdrop of 1970s Korea and accompanied by the beloved songs of C’est Si Bon’s era.
(MAENG Soo-jin)

Director

Kim Hyun-seok

Director Kim Hyun-seok began his film career as a screenwriter. While studying business at Yonsei University, his first screenplay *A Good Day to Fall in Love* was adapted into a film. His script *The Proxy*, written during his military service, won the Best New Screenplay Award at the 1995 Grand Bell Awards, gaining attention as a rising talent.

With his third script *If the Sun Rises in the West* brought to life by production company Myung Films, Kim went on to serve as assistant director on *The Isle* and co-writer for *Joint Security Area*. Known for his solid storytelling and field experience, he built a strong relationship of trust with producers and spent two years writing the screenplay for his directorial debut, *YMCA Baseball Team*.