'A Home from Home' sheds light on orphaned child preparing for adulthood

A scene from the film, "A Home from Home" / Courtesy of Triple Pictures

By Kwak Yeon-soo

Director Lee Seung-hwan said he wanted to tell a story about an orphan's transition to adulthood and independent living in his coming-of-age film, “A Home from Home.”

In the film, actor Hyun Woo-suk stars as Do-yoon, who is about to leave his orphanage when he reaches the legal age of adulthood. Unexpectedly, he is reunited with his father, Seung-won (Jung Woong-in), who reappears after 15 years to take him home. Do-yoon adjusts to his newfound family, which also includes Jae-min, his little half-brother.

However, Seung-won's death makes Do-yoon the legal guardian of Jae-min, and he discovers something strange in his late father's documents while trying to claim the insurance money. As he gets closer to the truth, Do-yoon feels more confused about his identity.

“I wondered what it would be like to carve out one's own path, because choosing a new direction in life comes with tons of choices. Although Do-yoon can make an easier and safer choice, he sticks to his faith and walks the harder path. I made this film hoping that young people will be confident in making a lot of big decisions,” he said during a press conference for the film, Tuesday.

“When orphans leave institutions and prepare for independence, they depend a lot on external circumstances. However, I believe they make choices on their own instead of seeking advice from others. And this applies to younger people who are about to enter adulthood,” Lee said.

The poster for the film, "A Home from Home" / Courtesy of Triple Pictures

Hyun, who is playing his first big screen leading role, shows vulnerability and desperation to find his true self.

The rising actor said he looked for references, but in the end, decided to create the character by himself. “I tried to understand Do-yoon's mind, and put both his and my heart into the acting and deliver it to the viewers,” he said.

Actor Jung said he doesn't consider Seung-won a selfish father. “Seung-won is such a complex character. He may be a bad father to Do-yoon, but he is a good father to Jae-min. I don't want to judge him,” he said.

“The story may feel dark, but I wanted to explore various societal problems in a low-key, introspective manner. I tried to focus on characters' relationships with surrounding characters rather than on his emotional journey,” director Lee said.

“A Home from Home” will hit local theaters on July 21.