Missing Grandmother’s Rough Hands

Now is the generation, which says the phrase “I love you” as commonly as “I’m hungry”, but in the movie `To Home…`, the word `love` never appears.

Also, the main characters are an odd couple, who seem unsuitable to talk about love. They are 7 year-old grandson Sang Woo and 77 year-old grandmother, who live in remote countryside. Besides, the grandmother is a `mute`.

However, although `To Home…` never says `I love you`, it shows deep and quiet love that moves one’s heart.

Sang Woo’s grandmother, just as all our grandmothers do, say `I am sorry` as `I love you`. And to Sang Woo’s unspeakable grandmother, `I am sorry` means rubbing part of her breast.

Even when childish Sang Woo shouts, “Give me money to buy batteries for the game player!”, or even when he kicks away chicken soup crying, “Who wants chicken drowned in water? I want Kentucky Fried Chicken!”, grandmother only rubs her breast.

But, why is she the grandmother in mother’s side? It may be the same grandmother, but `father’s mother` can seem to have some pride, while `mother’s mother` represents a humble but a strong figure. Just like the force of nature that embraces the city civilization, it was natural for director Lee Jung-Hyang, who was seeking to picture unconditional love, to choose grandmother in mother’s side.

`To Home…` reminds of some valuable facts that are forgotten, including how beautiful those rough and wrinkled fingers of grandmother can be.

While watching the movie, some may say, “It is unrealistic. There is no grandmother like that nowadays. It is so conventional to say grandmother only drinks tea after serving her grandson with good food.”

Those who say such things are the ones who watched the movie with eyes and understood it with mind. However, this movie is ought to be seen through heart. The grandmother behind the screen is home for the hearts that used to have, or want to have, such warm figure in their lives.

At the end, Sang Woo returns to Seoul, where his mother lives. As he is teaching his grandmother how to write, he gets angry with her, because she can even hold a pencil properly. He burst into tears saying, “Grandma, you can’t even talk on the phone, so what would you do when you get sick, if you can’t write letters!” When Sang Woo says this, he is one span of hand grown.

Although they may possess nothing, and have learnt nothing, did all our grandmothers not have taught and raised their grandchildren like this? Sang Woo called her grandmother `mute` and `fool` when he first met her, but by the time of departure, he leaves rubbing his chest.

Behind the ellipses in the title `To Home…`, indescribable love, regret, and affection are hidden.

While you laugh at Sang Woo’s cute behavior, your eyes will soon become wet. When the movie ends and you read the dedication, “This movie is dedicated to all our grandmothers in this world”, you must feel thankful if your eyes become wet again and you remind grandmother in one side of your memories, for you have such grandmother…

Rating: All. Release Date: 5th.

Sue-Jean Kang sjkang@donga.com