The Recorder Exam (2011) - full transcript
Nine-year old Eunhee anxiously prepares for her recorder exam as she struggles to find a place within her own family.
Funded by Korean Film Council
Seoul Film Commission
Seoul, 1988
Mom...
Mom, are you busy?
I didn't bring my recorder.
Could you please bring it
to school?
Okay...
What did she say?
Louder!
Great job.
Listen, play it tututu not
huhuhu! Got it?
Yes!
Eunhee Kim.
That will do.
Quiet everyone.
We will have our recorder exam in the
music hall at the end of the month.
The song will be
‘A Yellow Flower’.
Good performers can invite
their parents
and showcase their skills
at the school concert.
The principal will be there too,
so let's all work hard.
Yes!
The Recorder Exam
You going to meet Bandana boy?
Nope,
just friends.
Bye.
What's your father doing?
Talking on the phone?
Go and see.
Later, four o'clock?
Not that place, cafe Pyungwha.
Okay.
Love you too.
What's he doing? You saw him?
Talking on the phone?
I'll be back from work around 8.
Prepare your brother's dinner, okay?
I saw your sister go out again.
Gold medal! Gold medal!!!
Sunyoung Kim takes the gold in archery!
High school girl Kim made it!
Kim's national pride radiates on her face.
This is a glorious moment in the
1988 Seoul Olympics!
Bye.
- Have a pleasant day.
- Have a pleasant day.
Keep up with your studies.
Yes.
Sunday is not an excuse to slack off.
Go read a book or something.
Want to be an idiot?
Love you too.
How was it?
It sounds very different than the recorder.
Why don't you play it on your recorder?
Let's play.
Can I... try yours?
Yes.
- Hanna!
- Yes.
Do you girls want some fruit?
- Thank you, Mom.
- Thank you very much.
Your name was Eunhee, right?
So pretty.
Enjoy.
By the way, your mom knocks?
Yeah, why?
Rock-Paper-Scissors!
I like you.
I like your name too. ‘Hanna!’
It sounds like an American name.
If you go to the US,
you won't need to change your name.
All the other kids tease me,
but to you, I'm not ashamed
to talk about my parents' job.
What's wrong with your parents' job?
But people make fun of them.
Those kids are bastards.
Bye.
Why are you here?
Dad, I got an ‘A’ on a test.
You did?
Good job.
What subject?
Art.
Well done.
Dad. I have something to ask.
- Is my pepper ready?
- Almost done.
What is it?
I was wondering
if I could get a new recorder.
Brother's recorder is too old and
the sound isn't good.
- How much longer?
- Just another minute.
Let's talk tomorrow morning
when we jog. Okay?
Yes...
Eunhee!
Get some ice cream.
Shh!
You remember my friend?
Hi!
Sleepy.
Go back to sleep.
Can I use the bathroom?
No. My parents might wake up.
Just hold it.
Should we use the blanket?
Yeah, we can spread it later.
She sleeps there sometimes.
You think you can stay out as late
as you want?
I'm sorry, Father.
How many times do I have to tell you?
To get back home early?!
I'm sorry.
It won't happen again.
Who the hell were you with last night?
Why do you keep humiliating this family?
You should be studying!
Want to be an idiot? An idiot?
Mom!
Mom?
Music
Corn Harmonica
Hey!
Hey!!
What?
Bring me the pencil sharpener.
It’s in your room.
Bring it to me!
Hey! Quit it!
Or I'll tell dad you ruined
my study time.
Hey!!! Come here!
I told you not to play.
I have an exam.
I need to practice.
What is more important,
your exam or my exam?
Quit it, got it?
Bastard.
What?
I'm gonna kill you!
Open the door!
If you don't open up,
you're dead meat!
You got 5 seconds or else
I'll beat you even harder.
5!
4! 3!
What’s wrong?
Brother hit me!
He hit me again!
I couldn’t even breathe!
I'm tired.
I told you not to fight with him.
We didn’t fight.
- He hit me!
- Stop crying. You're loud.
You look like a monkey.
What are you doing?
What's wrong?
Why aren't you practicing?
I don't feel like it.
Why?
Just don't feel like it.
And also my recorder is too old.
Ask your mom to buy you
a new one!
I'm going home.
Eunhee!
Come sleep on the bed.
Come out now.
Now, let's go to the closing ceremonies of
the '88 Seoul Olympics.
Wow, these games went by so fast.
Mom... are you tired?
Yes.
Why?
What's up?
Mom, I have a recorder exam
the day after tomorrow.
Do you? Do your best.
Okay...
These Seoul Olympics are a testament
to how much we’ve developed.
We ranked 4th right behind the US.
This is an amazing achievement…
Mom...
What.
Do you think I am pretty?
Yes.
What’s pretty about me?
Everything.
My nose is pretty?
Yes.
Eyes?
Pretty.
Ears?
Come here.
The Recorder Exam.
Good performers can invite their parents.
I will do my best! Cheers!
- Set the spoons.
- Yes.
Listen, everyone. Look at me.
Let's do our best so that our class can
go to the end-of-the-year show!
Yes!
What did I say?
Not huhuhu but...
- Tututu!
- Great. Let's go.
Dobong Elementary School
Okay. Good job.
Next.
Next.
Good luck.
Good job. Next.
Written and Directed by Bora Kim
Seoul Film Commission
Seoul, 1988
Mom...
Mom, are you busy?
I didn't bring my recorder.
Could you please bring it
to school?
Okay...
What did she say?
Louder!
Great job.
Listen, play it tututu not
huhuhu! Got it?
Yes!
Eunhee Kim.
That will do.
Quiet everyone.
We will have our recorder exam in the
music hall at the end of the month.
The song will be
‘A Yellow Flower’.
Good performers can invite
their parents
and showcase their skills
at the school concert.
The principal will be there too,
so let's all work hard.
Yes!
The Recorder Exam
You going to meet Bandana boy?
Nope,
just friends.
Bye.
What's your father doing?
Talking on the phone?
Go and see.
Later, four o'clock?
Not that place, cafe Pyungwha.
Okay.
Love you too.
What's he doing? You saw him?
Talking on the phone?
I'll be back from work around 8.
Prepare your brother's dinner, okay?
I saw your sister go out again.
Gold medal! Gold medal!!!
Sunyoung Kim takes the gold in archery!
High school girl Kim made it!
Kim's national pride radiates on her face.
This is a glorious moment in the
1988 Seoul Olympics!
Bye.
- Have a pleasant day.
- Have a pleasant day.
Keep up with your studies.
Yes.
Sunday is not an excuse to slack off.
Go read a book or something.
Want to be an idiot?
Love you too.
How was it?
It sounds very different than the recorder.
Why don't you play it on your recorder?
Let's play.
Can I... try yours?
Yes.
- Hanna!
- Yes.
Do you girls want some fruit?
- Thank you, Mom.
- Thank you very much.
Your name was Eunhee, right?
So pretty.
Enjoy.
By the way, your mom knocks?
Yeah, why?
Rock-Paper-Scissors!
I like you.
I like your name too. ‘Hanna!’
It sounds like an American name.
If you go to the US,
you won't need to change your name.
All the other kids tease me,
but to you, I'm not ashamed
to talk about my parents' job.
What's wrong with your parents' job?
But people make fun of them.
Those kids are bastards.
Bye.
Why are you here?
Dad, I got an ‘A’ on a test.
You did?
Good job.
What subject?
Art.
Well done.
Dad. I have something to ask.
- Is my pepper ready?
- Almost done.
What is it?
I was wondering
if I could get a new recorder.
Brother's recorder is too old and
the sound isn't good.
- How much longer?
- Just another minute.
Let's talk tomorrow morning
when we jog. Okay?
Yes...
Eunhee!
Get some ice cream.
Shh!
You remember my friend?
Hi!
Sleepy.
Go back to sleep.
Can I use the bathroom?
No. My parents might wake up.
Just hold it.
Should we use the blanket?
Yeah, we can spread it later.
She sleeps there sometimes.
You think you can stay out as late
as you want?
I'm sorry, Father.
How many times do I have to tell you?
To get back home early?!
I'm sorry.
It won't happen again.
Who the hell were you with last night?
Why do you keep humiliating this family?
You should be studying!
Want to be an idiot? An idiot?
Mom!
Mom?
Music
Corn Harmonica
Hey!
Hey!!
What?
Bring me the pencil sharpener.
It’s in your room.
Bring it to me!
Hey! Quit it!
Or I'll tell dad you ruined
my study time.
Hey!!! Come here!
I told you not to play.
I have an exam.
I need to practice.
What is more important,
your exam or my exam?
Quit it, got it?
Bastard.
What?
I'm gonna kill you!
Open the door!
If you don't open up,
you're dead meat!
You got 5 seconds or else
I'll beat you even harder.
5!
4! 3!
What’s wrong?
Brother hit me!
He hit me again!
I couldn’t even breathe!
I'm tired.
I told you not to fight with him.
We didn’t fight.
- He hit me!
- Stop crying. You're loud.
You look like a monkey.
What are you doing?
What's wrong?
Why aren't you practicing?
I don't feel like it.
Why?
Just don't feel like it.
And also my recorder is too old.
Ask your mom to buy you
a new one!
I'm going home.
Eunhee!
Come sleep on the bed.
Come out now.
Now, let's go to the closing ceremonies of
the '88 Seoul Olympics.
Wow, these games went by so fast.
Mom... are you tired?
Yes.
Why?
What's up?
Mom, I have a recorder exam
the day after tomorrow.
Do you? Do your best.
Okay...
These Seoul Olympics are a testament
to how much we’ve developed.
We ranked 4th right behind the US.
This is an amazing achievement…
Mom...
What.
Do you think I am pretty?
Yes.
What’s pretty about me?
Everything.
My nose is pretty?
Yes.
Eyes?
Pretty.
Ears?
Come here.
The Recorder Exam.
Good performers can invite their parents.
I will do my best! Cheers!
- Set the spoons.
- Yes.
Listen, everyone. Look at me.
Let's do our best so that our class can
go to the end-of-the-year show!
Yes!
What did I say?
Not huhuhu but...
- Tututu!
- Great. Let's go.
Dobong Elementary School
Okay. Good job.
Next.
Next.
Good luck.
Good job. Next.
Written and Directed by Bora Kim