Take Care of My Cat (고양이 부탁해)

Take Care of My Cat

Take Care of My Cat, Jung Jae-eun’s quietly, unassuming film, tells the story of five friends who have recently finished high school and are moving out into the working world instead of entering college. Because of their less-than-ideal positions in life (impoverished, unhappy, and unappreciated), the young women are thrown into uncertainty as to what will become of them. Compounded with this uncertainty is the growing feeling that they are falling out of touch with each other. Wrapping this all together into an extremely presentable package is the director’s intelligent and modern approach to filmmaking.

These troubling forces drive the group to attempt to reconnect and find balance by meeting once a month; however this is really “an admission that something is changing” (Take). When Jae-eun proposes that friendship almost inevitably deteriorates, she really strikes a chord with global audiences of almost all ages—most importantly it will attract older generations that might not relate to the more modern style—because it’s something everyone has experienced. Often films, such as Reign O’er Me, explore the reconnection of friends after a long period of time; instead Take Care examines the painful process of falling out of touch. It can often be very crippling at a period of great change in one’s life, but such as is the eventual case of Ji-Young who loses everything, it can be extremely liberating too.

Jae-eun’s smart style leaves a memorable impression in the way that enhances the realism of the film and allows the audience to better identify with the characters. One thing she tactfully avoids is the stereotypical Korean melodrama. Instead of spilling tears into fluffy pillows the characters deal with their problems by smoking cigarettes, taking walks, drinking, bickering, and stubborn silence. Melodrama represents the ideal excitement the audience seeks, but Take Care offers a stark and more relatable realism as a substitute. Despite choosing not to employ the melodrama that is often popular with Korean youth (and also seen in many Hollywood films about young people), Jae-eun still takes a hip stance in the presentation of her film. As Anthony Leong notices, her “slick…use of on-screen text to highlight the text messages that the girls send to one another over their cell phones and contemporary beats in the film’s soundtrack” offer a fresh delivery that appeals to the younger generation (Leon)g. Finally the employment of realistic, gritty locales stands out: from the crowded underground flea market to the cramped alleys of Ji-Young’s neighborhood to the run-down depiction of Inchon’s port. Straying from My Sassy Girl’s bright Seoul lights, Jae-eun’s choice of setting brings out the quiet desperation of the characters.

Take Care smartly handles its heavy subject matter, staving off melodrama while still leaving the audience with a warm sense of hope at the end. This subtle nature is probably in part responsible for disappointing box office returns, but those who have seen it certainly enjoy the film.

"Take Care of My Cat." Love HK Film.Com. 2002. 10 Apr. 2008 .

Leong, Anthony. Korean Cinema: the New Hong Kong. Trafford, 2003. Anthony Leong's Media Circus. 10 Apr. 2008 .