Synopsis

Our neighborhood is like an island—not one surrounded by the sea, but by rice fields. Even when we came and went in cars as usual, we thought the three of us would always be here together, for life. Just like when we learned to play instruments from our dads. But just as Sli once came in from the outside, today Haemun says he's leaving from within to the outside. Before Haemun goes, what can we leave behind?

Program Note

One of three childhood friends decides to leave their hometown in pursuit of his dreams. As departure and those left behind are the natural course of all relationships, how we handle these farewells often becomes a central theme in human connection. As each protagonist faces their own step toward the future, they share a moment of pause—conversing about daily life, softly singing music together, and wandering through the natural, unembellished landscape of their hometown. The opening scene, where the characters sit side by side on a midsummer schoolyard bench sharing ice cream and conversation, perfectly encapsulates the film’s gentle perspective on a precious moment in time. (Park Kkot)

Director

• 
  • Kim Seung-joo
  • Beginning with a self-composed performance at a high school film club event in 2013, Kim has since created several short films. After releasing a first album in 2020, Kim launched a music and video production crew called Lazy Monday Crew, marking the start of active work in both music and film. Kim later composed music for various short films, which led to gathering collaborators to produce the first short film, Outside (2024). Currently, Kim continues to compose scores for films across genres—from traditional Korean music to classical—and is working toward making a music film based on original compositions, inspired by the golden age of 2000s indie bands, early Korean indie festivals, and the Hongdae live café scene.