SYNOPSIS
On the first day of summer vacation, Sun, an outcast at school meets Jia who is new in town. They become best friends ever, sharing their secrets and spending the most beautiful summer together. But when the new school year begins, Sun notices a strange vibe around Jia. Trying to get along with Bora and other cool kids who always leave Sun out on purpose, Jia starts to distance herself from Sun. In the meantime, Sun does not want to be a lonely kid again. Desperate and upset without being able to restore her friendship with Jia, Sun reveals Jia’s deepest secret. Are there any chances for Sun and Jiato become “best friends” again?
 

PROGRAM NOTE

 Sun is a fourth grade student whose parents run a small snack bar while her grandfather is hospitalized. Her family consists of her mother who always keeps track of a limited household budget, her father who finds drinking a stress release, and her little brother she has to take care of. Despite all the difficulties, Sun is growing up with a caring family. Meanwhile, on the first day of summer vacation, a new kid named Ji-a, who lives with her grandmother after her parents get divorced, transfers into Sun’s class. They become best friends ever but not long after, Ji-a becomes jealous of Sun who is close to her mother and starts to distance herself from Sun. Ji-a even joins Bo-ra and other kids in leaving out Sun on purpose. However, Ji-a also becomes subjected to bullying. Just then, Sun reaches out to Ji-a.

 The film explores the world of children by moving back and forth between places including schoolyard, classroom, stationery shop, and a friend’s home. This film seems realistic because it succeeds in effectively connecting the social spaces occupied by children with the feelings shared. It also shows how the world of kids is the extension of the world of adults where people can be excluded because of their class and family backgrounds. An imaginary line between Ji-a and Sun divides the world into two: that of a rich kid in a divorced family and that of a poor kid in a caring family. Will they be able to cross this line and eventually reconcile with each other? The first and last scenes of the film would be a great example of antithesis. In the first scene where a group of children are playing dodge ball, some kids insist Sun be out because she has stepped on the line. Meanwhile, in the last scene again, both Sun and Ji-a are forced to be out. What is different this time is Sun sides with Ji-a. Then, these two make eye contact, which can be read as an allegory about the solidarity among victims, minorities, and the oppressed that are excluded from the dominant society. (Sunah KIM)