South Korean filmmaker Lee Yujin brings a refreshing and nuanced perspective to the screen with Manok, a film that beautifully combines humour with moving themes of acceptance and belonging. Set in the rural village of Iban-ri, Manok follows its titular character as she returns to her hometown in the wake of her mother’s passing, only to find herself confronting old wounds, deep-seated prejudices, and an unexpected path to self-reconciliation.

At its core, Manok is a story about identity – both personal and communal – exploring the tensions between past and present, tradition and progress. Through the lens of Manok’s journey, Lee Yujin brings to one’s attention the marginalisation of rural communities, generational divides within Korea’s queer experience, and the subtle but profound ways that comedy can be used to soften, yet not diminish, the weight of serious social issues.

During the BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, we managed to sit down with Lee Yujin to discuss the delicate balance between comedy and drama, the significance of Manok’s setting, and the film’s exploration of relationships, perseverance, and finding one’s place in the world.

View of the Arts: Manok combines humour and poignant moments to address serious themes of acceptance and ostracism. How did you balance the comedy with the emotional aspects of the story?

Lee Yujin: I think what I focused on the most was where to place the emotionally driven scenes and the comedic ones within the overall narrative. I also made a conscious effort to ensure that the comedy arose naturally from the characters’ unique traits, so that it wouldn’t undermine the emotional core of the film

VOA: The film’s rural setting in Iban-ri feels timeless, almost untouched by modernity. What inspired this choice for the backdrop, and how did it serve the narrative of Manok’s journey?

LY: Like many other countries, South Korea has developed in a very urban-centric way. Rural areas are not only economically and culturally marginalized, but also face educational disadvantages. It’s similar to Manok’s past. Her return to her hometown symbolizes a return to a place she once escaped from (PAST). With that in mind, I chose to portray Iban-ri as a village that seems largely unchanged from the past that Manok experienced.

VOA: Manok’s return to Iban-ri following her mother’s death seems to be a form of solace-seeking. What did you want to convey about Manok’s relationship with her past and the emotional weight she carries?

LY: Hometowns are often portrayed as places of comfort – a safe haven people long to return to when they’re hurt by life in the big city. But for Manok, her hometown is a place that’s both nostalgic and painful. Still, after being hurt by her long-time partner Geum-ja and her juniors in the city, and grappling with complex feelings about her late mother, Manok decides to return home. At first, it feels like a place where she no longer belongs. But over time, she begins to carve out a space for herself there. I didn’t want her hometown to remain a symbol of past wounds. Just as I hoped Manok could move beyond her pain, I also wanted Iban-ri to feel like a place that’s no longer stuck in the past.

VOA: The film presents Manok’s ostracism from the village in a straightforward manner. Was it important for you to depict this discrimination so openly, without sugarcoating it?

LY: The discrimination Manok faces is depicted in a relatively open way, but I chose to minimize the emotional impact it has on her. That’s because what mattered more to me was how she responds to it—her attitude and the decisions she makes when confronted with such moments.

First and foremost, through this film, I wanted to explore intergenerational understanding within the Korean queer community, as well as the relationship between our past and present.

VOA: The character of Jaeyeon offers a touching portrayal of rejection and self-discovery. What drew you to explore his struggles alongside Manok’s, and how did you work with Sung Jae-yun to portray this emotional journey?

LY: First and foremost, through this film, I wanted to explore intergenerational understanding within the Korean queer community, as well as the relationship between our past and present. The world has made some progress, but it can also regress in an instant. I wanted someone to reach out a hand to Jae-yeon, who lives in a rural, isolated space – symbolic of the past. And I thought it was important that the one offering that hand be Manok, a middle-aged woman who has endured and survived countless instances of discrimination.

For the character of Jaeyeon, we held auditions under the condition that the actor had to be queer themselves. Most of the applicants had no prior acting experience. That’s how we met Sung Jae-yun, who was also acting for the first time. To shape the character together, Jae-yun and I had many conversations about his own teenage years – when he first discovered his identity, how it felt to come out, and what his school life was like. Those personal stories helped bring the character to life.

VOA: There are several symbolic elements in the film, such as the brussel sprouts standing in for chrysanthemums. Can you explain the significance of these symbols and how they relate to the overall themes of the movie?

LY: The vegetable was translated simply as “brussel sprouts,” but it’s actually yeolmu, a type of young radish used to make kimchi in Korea. Just like her mother once did, Manok makes kimchi and shares it with people around her—the orchard workers, Granny Soon-i, and others. In Korea, sharing homemade kimchi is a heartfelt gesture, a way of expressing care.

VOA: One of the most memorable lines in the film is from Geumja: “What do you think about spending our lives together being a couple of good-for-nothings?” How did you want this line to shape the dynamic between Manok and Geumja?

YJ: Sometimes, we leave the person we love when we feel most ordinary or insecure in the relationship – especially someone like Manok, whose pride runs deep. But Geum-ja is the one who knows her better than anyone. To me, her words felt like a second proposal: “Even if we’re no longer exciting, shall we still try to stick together and make it work?”

VOA: Manok is a quirky, fast-paced comedy, but its heart is rooted in themes of love and acceptance. How did you ensure the film stayed grounded in its emotional core despite its eccentricities?

YJ: Comedy needs boldness, but if it’s forced, it can disrupt the character’s emotions and narrative. However, when comedy naturally stems from a character’s unique traits, I believe it can actually enhance and strengthen their emotional journey.

VOA: The characters’ relationships with one another, especially Manok’s with the villagers and Geumja, are central to the film. How did you approach crafting these dynamics to reflect the complexities of rural queer life?

YJ: At its core, this film is about Manok – and, more broadly, about Jae-yeon as well. I built the supporting characters by layering their stories around these two. While developing the dynamics of a small rural town, where sides are taken and family ties are closely intertwined, I also had to consider budget constraints and how many characters would be enough to tell the story without compromising its depth. The key focus was how each character, whether positively or negatively, is connected to Manok.

VOA: The film is full of zany moments, from rap battles to humorous exchanges at the police station. What inspired these eccentric scenes, and how did they help convey the film’s underlying message about acceptance and joy?

YJ: The police station scene had the potential to be more violent – and honestly, quite dull. Hate speech tends to follow a predictable pattern, and I didn’t want to give it more weight by presenting it as a serious back-and-forth. That’s when the idea of a rap battle came in. To me, rap isn’t just about the lyrics; it’s about the attitude, the gestures, the expression – it’s highly performative. By shifting the focus to these nonverbal elements, I felt the message could be delivered in a way that’s both more dynamic and thought-provoking.

Written and interviewed by Maggie Gogler

Featured image BFI FLARE 2025 © Millie Turner 

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