The Shower

A shy little boy has to cross a brook every day on his way to school. One day, he sees a little girl sitting on the stepping stones, playing with the water. She has moved here to the countryside from Seoul and refuses to go to school because she doesn’t have any friends and feels like a stranger. Gradually, the two become closer and an innocent love develops. At long last, the two spend a day together outdoors among flowering meadows and fields. They are suddenly caught in a rain shower and seek shelter in a hut, without knowing that this is both their first and last day they will spend together.
“The Shower” is a gentle story about budding love between a boy and girl. The film is an adaption of the short story of the same name written by Hwang Sun-Won in 1953, one of the most eminent works in Korean literature and still read to this day. Drawing his inspiration from the Korean landscape, director Ahn Jae-Huun relies on hand drawing and painting in this low-budget animation film. He succeeds in creating a colourful and naturalistic portrayal of the sensibilities unique to Korean culture, thereby prompting daydreaming and contemplation. (xn)