Seven year old Sangwoo is such a horrible kid. He’s rude, snobbish, and is more interested in playing his video games than helping his mute grandmother out in the countryside. Understandably, it’s what makes the first few minutes of The Way Home a tad irritating. However, somehow writer-director Lee Jeong-hyang crafts a strong relationship between them. The film eventually makes it clear how out of depth they both feel, with the son homesick and unused to living without the conveniences of Seoul, and his grandma unable to figure out what he wants. It’s so heartwarming when they finally reach an understanding, even if the journey to get there would require the same grandma’s saintly patience.
This is the story of a 7-year-old boy, Sang-woo, born and raised in the big city, and his mute grandmother, who has spent her whole life in a small rural village.
