'The Journey to Gyeong-ju' balances tragedy, humor in grief-driven road trip

From left, actors Park So-dam, Kong Hyo-jin, Lee Jeong-eun and Lee Yeon in a scene from “The Journey to Gyeong-ju” / Courtesy of Lotte Entertainment

Eight years after her youngest daughter went missing during a school trip, a grieving mother sets out on a road trip with her remaining three daughters to get revenge on the killer, recently released from prison.

This premise drives "The Journey to Gyeong-ju," the commercial debut by director Kim Mi-jo, who previously won the Grand Prize at the Jeonju International Film Festival with "Gull" (2021), a powerful indie drama about an elderly woman seeking justice.

"The Journey to Gyeong-ju" follows Ok-sil (Lee Jeong-eun) and her three daughters, Jang-ju (Kong Hyo-jin), Young-ju (Park So-dam) and Dong-ju (Lee Yeon), as they head to the southwestern city of Gyeongju to deliver their own justice to Baek Sang-hyun (Byun Yo-han), the killer who received a lenient sentence.

Their deadly plan often goes wrong in funny and awkward ways, but the mother’s strong desire for revenge makes the story deeply moving. The city of Gyeongju is where the youngest daughter, who is also named Gyeong-ju, suffered the terrible tragedy on her school trip, making the family's road trip a painful return to the place where their happiness ended.

Director Kim explained that she wanted to balance comedy and tragedy within a commercial road movie framework while exploring how survivors process loss.

"It is never easy for ordinary people to kill someone, and I wanted to focus on each individual family member's journey," Kim said. "I wanted to show how those left behind endure loss and move forward."

Addressing the casting of Byun, who took on the antagonist role without a guarantee, Kim said he was the perfect fit to control the film's tense atmosphere.

"The character appears with a plastic bag over his head until the middle of the film, acting as a key figure who shifts the movie's tone," Kim said. "I needed an actor with strong presence and charisma.”

Actor Byun Yo-han, right, in a scene from “The Journey to Gyeong-ju” / Courtesy of Lotte Entertainment

Lee performs with intense focus as Ok-sil, a mother whose life stopped the day her daughter vanished.

"The story begins with a ordinary family of four daughters being torn apart after an unexpected tragedy," Lee said after the premiere, Thursday.

"The family members all have different thoughts about the plan, but the mother feels her life ended that day and she cannot give up. She believes only revenge can fix things, driven by her deep love for her lost daughter and late husband."

Kong Hyo-jin, who plays the eldest daughter, reflected on the moral dilemma her character faces throughout the journey.

"I do not share much similarity with my character, and during filming, I constantly asked myself if stopping the mother was the right thing to do," Kong said. "We often discussed how real daughters of a victim would react in such a situation."

Byun expressed deep respect for his co-stars, calling his special appearance a valuable learning experience.

"I had no reason to hesitate," he said. "I shared a long history with the production head and have worked with Lee four times now. I was also a big fan of Kong, a school alum with Park So-dam, and deeply impressed by Lee Yeon's acting talent. I joined this project to learn from these incredible actors."

"The Journey to Gyeong-ju" will open in local theaters on Aug. 26.