Vertical cinema ‘My Father’s Table’ unveils character stills of Jung Jin-young, Lee Jung-eun and Byun Yo-han!

The newly released character stills capture the contrasting expressions of Ha-eung, Soon-ae and Myung-bok as they sit around the same table. Ha-eung (Jung Jin-young), seated before the meal with his arms crossed and a deeply displeased expression, immediately reveals the nature of a father who has spent 40 years as the unquestioned head of his household — a “tyrant at the dinner table.” His look of disapproval, suggesting he would reject even a single side dish that failed to suit his taste, lays bare the demanding personality of a man who has taken three home-cooked meals a day for granted all his life. After gripping a kitchen knife for the first time in his life — with hands once used to repair shoes — Ha-eung is now responsible for preparing his family’s meals, raising questions about the changes he will undergo. 

Soon-ae’s (Lee Jung-eun) still hints at the transformation of a wife who, after preparing every meal for her family, now gets to sit down and receive one herself. Holding a spoon as she faces the meal her husband has prepared, Soon-ae appears markedly more at ease than she did during the years she was responsible for feeding the family. After handing over the kitchen to her husband because of what the film calls “cooking amnesia,” Soon-ae becomes a stern judge evaluating his food. The reversal of their relationship at the dinner table adds intrigue to the new changes ahead. 

The image of eldest son Myung-bok (Byun Yo-han) beaming at the table creates a distinctly different mood from those of Ha-eung and Soon-ae. Having preserved warm memories of his mother’s home cooking from childhood, and serving as the family member closest to the parents’ changing daily lives, he watches as his father begins preparing meals and the family gradually changes. At times an observer caught between his bickering parents, Myung-bok also absorbs those changes as a member of the household under the same roof. His presence is expected to add energy to the story.

The three characters’ contrasting expressions as they sit around the table capture a household beginning to change over the home-cooked meals it once took for granted. Starting with the everyday subject of family meals, the film explores the dynamics of a family relationship that was too familiar to examine, presenting the story with humor and realism in a way audiences of all ages and genders can relate to. 

Above all, the acting ensemble of Jung Jin-young, Lee Jung-eun and Byun Yo-han is a key draw of 〈My Father’s Table〉. The three actors bring to life the familiar speech patterns and looks unique to a family that has lived together for many years, as well as the emotions revealed without anyone needing to say a word. The vertical frame, which captures the characters’ faces and expressions at even closer range, further creates an opportunity to experience a level of acting density unlike that of conventional films or dramas. Audiences will be watching to see how director Lee Joon-ik uses his first vertical cinema project to portray the three actors’ performances and everyday lives.

〈My Father’s Table〉, a story as comforting as the home cooking you crave most today, will open exclusively at Lotte Cinema locations nationwide on Sept. 9 (Wednesday). On Aug. 29 (Saturday), it will screen as an invited selection at the inaugural Korea Short Drama Awards, co-hosted by Cineplay and the Korean Film Archive, followed by a conversation between director Lee Joon-ik and the audience. The film will then be released in installments on the short-drama platform Lezhin Snack on Sept. 17(Thursday) and 24(Thursday). In theaters, audiences can see it as a single 146-minute work; on Lezhin Snack, it will be available as an episodic short drama.