A Corner Shop tells the story of a small store that has faced several difficulties throughout its existence. The store's name is Cat on a Picnic, a social enterprise that opened in 2011, that makes and delivers lunch boxes. Here, adults support young people who have chosen not to attend school by helping them hold down jobs, which in turn gives them a chance at an independent life. It is an alternative community where the CEO and employees call each other by nicknames, and share concerns about building relationships and supporting independence, as well as working together to make and share profit. These things seem incompatible at first glance, but Cat on a Picnic marches onward, ceaselessly facing the challenges of time and the inevitability of change.
This film documents Cat on a Picnic from 2014 to 2017. Over the course of three years, the store’s size, labor intensity, and sales have seen changes. The store started out in a 10-pyeong space, with sales of less than 5 million a month. While enjoying a lively and comfortable space, everyone wondered how it would survive the cold realities of the world. Yet since opening, the store has not only survived but enjoyed a surprising growth in sales, but some wonder if the store will be able to retain its original energy and spirit. A Corner Shop portrays a community that is shaken by intense questions about life and work but refuses to give up reaching out to people, and also asks these questions of its viewers as it shares its journey. [SON Sinae]