A Day Off

Directed by Lee Man-hee-I (이만희)

Written by Baek Gyeol (백결)

73min | Release date in South Korea: 1968

Synopsis
It is a Sunday in late winter. Church bells ring as Heo-wook (Kang-Shin Sung-il) sets off to meet his sweetheart Ji-yeon (Jeon Ji-yeon). Heo-wook, who cannot afford to start a family goes off to meet his friends to get money for an abortion for Ji-yeon who is carrying his baby, but ends up stealing from a friend when all his friends refuse to lend him money. The doctor recommends an abortion for Ji-yeon because she is ill. Heo-wook leaves the hospital and has a drink, then visits a bar and a roadside bar with a woman he meets in a salon. Completely intoxicated, Heo-wook makes love to her in a construction site but comes to his senses at the sound of church bells ringing and runs back to the hospital. He arrives to discover that Ji-yeon has died during the surgery and goes to tell her father, only to be turned away at the doorstep. Then the friend whose money he had stolen catches him and beats him up. Blood streaming down his face, he runs down the dark streets and reminisces about the happy times he had had with Ji-yeon.

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