2025-12-08

Next Sohee 다음 소희

Next Sohee Is Korean Cinema at Its Bleak and Brilliant Best

12.02.2025
South KoreaFilm and TV


Next Sohee Is Korean Cinema at Its Bleak and Brilliant Best
ByKap Seol

Behind South Korea’s economic growth, there’s a system that grinds workers to the bone at every stage of the life cycle, from high school students to retirees. The film Next Sohee dramatizes the impact of that system to devastating effect.


Still from Next Sohee. (Zurty Studios, Echelon Studios, Solaire Partners)



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Not so long ago, K-movies and TV dramas were considered cool, even thought-provoking. That was before their breakthrough into the global mainstream, when ideas were typed into laptops in corner coffeehouses in Seoul by young directors and writers, rather than processed as if they were spreadsheet entries by CFOs or CFAs in cushy offices in Hollywood.



It was also when these South Korean artists abhorred clichés. Big money, both at home and from Hollywood, has probably quenched their thirst for fame and wealth, but the price was the loss of edginess. K-films have become trimmed and reprocessed through the Hollywood machine.

It is no wonder that season 2 of Squid Game, while more expensive to make and more aggressively marketed, cannot even be compared with its first season for intensity and intrigue. It is no coincidence either that Bong Joon-ho’s first big Hollywood studio film, Mickey 17, was a cliché-loaded flop. It all felt like kimchi marinated with corn syrup instead of coarse salt.

Both Squid Game and Parasite found global acclaim for their criticism of capitalist inequality. Of course, there are many rooms in the house of mass art, even for harsh and satirical views on capitalism, so long as they remain in the safe realm of depicting a desperate, middle-aged man’s attempts to claw his way back up after a precipitous fall in class status and dignity. I often quipped to myself that they were an inequality painkiller for middle-class, middle-aged insecurity.

Bucking this trend is Next Sohee, an independent film written and directed in 2022 by Jung Joo-ri — also known as July Jung — who is one of a few young female directors in South Korea’s film scene

Next Sohee serves late capitalism on a cold plate, raw and fresh. It is a strong narrative about working-class children who are even denied access to the bottom rungs of the social ladder that the protagonists of Squid Game or Parasite at least had the chance to hold on to.


The Good Chaebol

For this, the film earned recognition at international film festivals from Tokyo to Paris and had a limited theatrical release in Europe. In the United States, Next Sohee went straight to streaming this year. It is now available for free on Tubi and Roku.



Next Sohee is based on the 2016 suicide of Hong Soo-yeon, who plunged to her death in an icy reservoir after four months of harassment and wage theft during her externship at LB Hunet, a call-center subcontractor of LG U+, the telecom unit of the LG conglomerate. Globally known for its durable home appliances, LG is usually regarded as a “good chaebol” — a family-owned industrial conglomerate — because it has largely stayed free of the corruption and corporate malfeasance scandals that routinely tarnish the reputation of other chaebols such as Samsung or Hyundai.

Then again, perhaps LG could keep its hands clean because it has ruthlessly outsourced dirty jobs to subcontractors like LB Hunet, where Hong was part of a customer retention team ominously called “Save.” Of course, LG was not alone in this practice.

All corporations, small or large, have benefited from a new policy introduced by the conservative government of Lee Myung-bak in the early 2010s, which was ostensibly meant to reduce youth unemployment. Lee, a former Hyundai CEO, prettified the statistics by pushing as many vocational high school students as possible into workplace externships, thereby lowering the youth unemployment rate on paper.

Each school district was assigned to externship quotas, which were then passed down to vocational schools. Kids were farmed through workplaces regardless of their interests, skill sets, or basic safety considerations. The government tied financial aid and subsidies for each district and each school to the achievement of their annual quotas.

While the government keeps no official data, a Catholic publication has profiled seven students, including Hong, who ended their own lives or died on the job during the period of 2011 to 2021. In a nutshell, the youth employment program, which was advertised as an emulation of Germany’s apprenticeship model, turned out to be a free-market Stakhanovite campaign that pitted districts and schools against one another for unattainable placement targets within a fixed budget. The policy still remains in place.

Spreadsheet Saga

Next Sohee is about the silent violence of ubiquitous spreadsheets. Sohee found herself crushed under a giant spreadsheet posted on the call-center wall — a grid that assigns retention targets to externs, showing in real time how their potential incentives shrink each week over unmet targets.



Spreadsheets were pinned on the walls of principals and district supervisors, quantifying young students in grids. Sohee’s death should be a rounding error that could still result in funding cuts for her school and district.

Having been trained as a pet caretaker, the seventeen-year-old was entirely unprepared for a call center staffed entirely by teenage girls like her. She was told to answer every call with “We love you, sir/madam” (rendered as “Thank you for calling us” in the English-language subtitles).

Sohee’s task was to coax, placate, or deliberately mislead already-discontented customers into keeping their service (subtitled as “dissuasion” not “retention”). After a series of runarounds and repeated calls, customers just hurled expletives at her, with a side order of perverts trying to twist the conversation into obscenity.

When she finally met her retention target, after hours of unpaid overtime and a great deal of emotional strain, her supervisor withheld her incentive pay anyway. Sohee could not just walk away: she feared the penalty and humiliation back at her school and the reaction of her parents, who had lost any meaningful way to communicate with their only child.

In her debut film role, Kim Si-eun inhabits the character of Sohee, with her puppy-eyed innocence, anger, and frustration. Bae Doona, who may already be familiar to English-speaking audiences from Cloud Atlas and Sense8, plays the police detective who investigated Sohee’s death in defiance of her supervisor. Bae previously played the lead in Jung’s debut feature, A Girl at My Door, a rare LGBTQ film in South Korea.

The subtitles are less than perfect. But that shouldn’t deter you from watching a genuine cinematic gem that should rank highly on left-wing movie lists.



Contributors

Kap Seol is a Korean writer and researcher based in New York. His writings have appeared in Labor Notes, In These Times, Business Insider, and other publications. In 2019, his exposé for Korean independent daily Kyunghyang revealed an imposter who falsely claimed to be a US military intelligence specialist posted to the South Korean city of Gwangju during a popular uprising in 1980.


==

Next Sohee

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Next Sohee
Theatrical release poster
Hangul
다음 소희
RRDaeum Sohui
MRTaŭm Sohŭi
Directed byJung Ju-ri
Written byJung Ju-ri
Produced by
  • Kim Dong-ha
  • Kim Ji-yeon
Starring
CinematographyKim Il-yeon
Edited by
  • Lee Young-lim
  • Han Ji-youn
Music byJang Young-gyu
Production
companies
  • Twinplus-Partners Co. Ltd.
  • Crank-Up Film Co. Ltd
Distributed byZurty Studios, Echelon Studios, Solaire Partners
Release dates
  • May 25, 2022 (Cannes)
  • February 8, 2023 (South Korea)
June 12, 2025 (North America)
Running time
135 minutes
CountrySouth Korea
LanguageKorean
Box officeUS$1.4 million[1][2]

Next Sohee (Korean: 다음 소희; RR: Daeum Sohui) is a 2022 South Korean drama film, directed by Jung Ju-ri and starring Bae Doona and Kim Si-eun. The film revolves around a business-oriented high school student, Sohee (Kim Si-eun), who has to go on field training to her call center, and a female detective, Yu-jin, who investigates her subsequent death. It is loosely inspired by the real-life suicide of a girl on a similar temporary training program.[3] It was selected as the first Korean closing film at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival and screened as part of the Critics' Week section for special screenings.[4]

The film was screened on May 25, 2022 at Espace Miramar in Cannes and received a 7 minute standing ovation.[5] It was also screened at the 26th Fantasia International Film Festival as the closing film and won the Best Director award in the Cheval Noir competition category and the Best Asian Feature silver award in the Audience Award category. It was released on February 8, 2023 in South Korea.[6]

Synopsis

The film is about Sohee (Kim Si-eun), a high school student who starts training for a subcontracted position at a call center. She is unable to bear the stressful work culture. A mysterious incident leads to her death. Detective Oh Yoo-jin (Bae Doona) starts an investigation into her death.[7]

Plot

Sohee, a high school student who enjoys dancing in her spare time, is called in by one of her teachers who informs her that he has finally managed to get her an externship spot in a company called Human and Net, one of the many call service centers for S-Plus Korea Telecom(a fictional telecommunications company). Before starting her externship, Sohee has to attend a training session which turns out to be just makeup lessons as well as body shaming of the trainees. Once starting her externship, Sohee learns quickly that the main goal of the company is actually to increase and maintain sales of S-Plus's subscription services to their customers instead of helping them when they decide to cancel their services or face technical difficulties. She is advised to stall the customers as much as possible so that they will eventually change their minds and decide to keep their services or buy other services that S-Plus telecom provides. Throughout the course of her externship, Sohee has to deal with the verbal abuse of rude customers who yell and swear at her, even experiencing an incident where a customer insinuates himself carrying out sexual assault on her, to which she loses her temper and yells back. Sohee also notices how she is getting exploited by the company as she is underpaid with the excuse of being an extern. Sohee also occasionally has to attend team meetings which include just getting reprimanded for not being the top performing call center under S-Plus. Junho, Sohee's manager is the only person in the call center that is understanding and tries to help Sohee and the other workers as much as he can. One day while walking to work, Sohee witnesses the discovery of Junho's dead body in his car parked outside the parking lot of the company building. It is implied that he committed suicide by self inducing carbon monoxide poisoning. It turns out that Junho felt guilty of the exploitation of labour of the externs and had sent in whistleblower complaint letters to upper management, yet was ignored.

A new female manager takes over and she is very focused on driving up sales. She pressurizes Sohee into signing a form that rebuked the complaints made by Junho (which Sohee unwillingly signs). At a company dinner, Sohee gets into a fight with one of the externs who grudgingly blame her for performing so well and hence causing the other externs'added pressure to increase their sales too. After yet again experiencing only getting partially paid for her work even though she is now hitting sales targets, Sohee starts to focus on actually processing customer requests to cancel their subscriptions and services from S-Plus instead of persuading them to pay more for other services. Her manager witnesses this and angrily reprimands Sohee, so Sohee calls out the blatant exploitation of externs in the company as well as the multiple instances of her underpaid work, to which the manager mocks Sohee for being poor and always grubbing for money, but this angers Sohee and she hits the manager and is Subsequently put on three days of unpaid disciplinary leave of absence. While on leave and suffering from the guilt of signing the form stating Junho's claims of the company mistreating externs were false, Sohee silts her wrists while on a drunk night out with a friend and is subsequently hospitalized. Sohee requests to quit her externship, but Sohee's teacher just scolds her and tells her to return to work. Depressed at the prospect of returning to the call center and slightly intoxicated from drinking alcohol, Sohee commits suicide by jumping into a reservoir after a night out with friends.

The second half of the film follows the investigations of Yoojin, a female detective officer into the suicide of Sohee after her body is found as well as reinvestigations of Junho's suicide, which further details Human and Net's violation of labour laws on their workers in order to drive up sales as well as Sohee's high school's irresponsible choices of externship placements for their students in order to meet an employment rate. Throughout the investigations, human and net and the school's management constantly blame Sohee for her own suicide citing that she was undisciplined and had temper issues. Yoojin tries to take legal action against these institutions for their actions leading up to Sohee's suicide but is constantly reprimanded by her own superior to let go of the case as it is causing them trouble. The movie ends with Yoojin tearfully watching an old video recording of Sohee practicing a dance routine in a studio which was the only video left on Sohee's now retrieved phone before she turned it off and committed suicide. It is unknown to the viewers whether human and net or the school ultimately changed their unsafe practices following the suicide of Sohee.

Cast

Production

At the end of 2016, director July Jung saw a story of a high school girl sent by her school to work as an intern in a telecommunication company's call center to gain real-world work experience. But, within three months she committed suicide on her job. The investigation brought to the surface that the girl experienced stressful working conditions in the call center. This story became the basis of her film titled Next Sohee.[15]

Next Sohee is Jung's second film, following the 2014 detective drama A Girl at My Door, which also starred Bae Doona and was invited to the "Un Certain Regard" selection of the 67th Cannes Film Festival.[7]

Principal photography began on January 16, 2022[16] and filming wrapped on February 28, 2022.[17]

Release

The film had its world premiere at the Critics' Week, a parallel section of the Cannes Film Festival, on 25 May 2022 at the Espace Miramar theater. Subsequently it will be released in South Korea in 2022.[18] It was also invited to the competition section of the Amsterdam Film Festival,[19] and selected as the closing film of the 26th Fantasia International Film Festival in the Cheval Noir section, where it was screened on August 3, 2022.[20][21] At the festival it won the Best Director award in the Cheval Noir competition category[22] and the Best Asian Feature silver award in the Audience Award category.[23] It also made it to the 'Korean Cinema Today - Panorama' section of the 27th Busan International Film Festival and was screened on October 6, 2022.[24] In January 2023 it was screened at The 34th Palm Springs International Film Festival on January 8, 2023,[25][26] and at the 6th Pingyao International Film Festival held from 14 to 19 January 2023,[27] where it won Roberto Rossellini Best Film Award,[28]

The film was released theatrically in South Korea on February 8, 2023.[6]

Next Sohee will release theatrically in the United States and Canada on June 12, 2025 by Zurty Studios and Echelon Studios.

Home media

The film was made available for streaming on IPTV (KT olleh TV, SK Btv, LG U+ TV), Home Choice, Google Play, satellite TV (Skylife), WAVVE, Naver Series ON, Google Play, Cinefox, Watcha Play, and Webhard from March 16, 2023.[29]

Reception

Box office

The film was released theatrically on 562 screens on February 8, 2023.[30]

As of December 31, 2023, with gross of US$858,534 and 118,899 admissions, it is at the 41st place among Korean films released in 2023.[2][30]

Critical response

On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes website, the film has an approval rating of 94% based on 17 reviews, with an average rating of 8/10.[31]

The film has received positive reviews from international critics. It received a standing ovation of 7 minutes at the premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.[32] Patrick Brzeski of The Hollywood Reporter introduced Next Sohee as "Cannes' hidden gem".[33] Whereas Wendy Ide of Screen Daily found the film "leisurely paced" and appreciated the direction of Jung Ju-ri writing, "Jung's direction is unshowy but solid, with minimal score and a focus on persuasive performances captured by an empathetic lens." However, Ide criticized her writing, stating, "this has the feel of a screenplay which could have benefited by a sharper focus and a leaner approach to its storytelling."[3] Clarence Tsui of the South China Morning Post gave the film 4 stars out of 5 and praised the performance of Kim Si-eun writing, "Kim puts in a powerful performance as a student crushed by her work at a call centre." He opined that the film could be "delineated into two halves that could be described as the 'personal' and the 'political'". In the second half Bae Doona takes over the story as detective Yoo-jin, where she investigates Sohee's demise and seeks justice. Concluding his review, Tsui wrote, "Jung has stirred up a stink with a film that's visceral to the extreme in revealing the dark dealings that make an economy click, and a steep warning about the possibilities of more Sohees to suffer from such indignity and injustice."[34]

Elena Lazic writing for The Playlist criticized the director's approach on handling the film, writing, "the director opts for a less believable and more dramatic blunt-force approach, rather than portray her [Sohee's] experience there as one that slowly comes to affect her mind and priorities until her warped sense of priorities and self-worth leads her to end her life." Lazic, giving the film a C, concluded by stating, "The film's attempt at evoking both Sohee and Oh Yoo-jin's shared humanity feels rather trite, and its overall emotional landscape and its study of exploitation, both are stuck in a rather monotonous sense of indignation and tragedy that ultimately feels frustratingly unproductive".[35] French critics site Le Bleu du Miroir praised the performances of actors and screenplay writing, "Magnificently carried by its two actresses, neat in its writing and in its staging without fuss but always at the service of the story and its characters, Next Sohee asserts itself as an excellent closing choice for Critics' Week and confirms the promises of a filmmaker to follow."[36] Panos Kotzathanasis reviewing the film for HanCinema rated it with 7.5/10 and praised the editing writing, "editing results in a slow pace that suits the aesthetics of the movie to perfection". He also appreciated cinematography opining, "cinematography captures the bleakness of the lives of the protagonists through mostly saturated colors and mid-shots". Concluding Kotzathanasis wrote, "Next Sohee is an excellent drama that highlights the issues with the Korean system and their consequences in the most pointed but also rewarding way."[37]

Accolades

Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination
Award ceremonyYearCategoryNomineeResultRef.
Fantasia International Film Festival2022Cheval Noir Award for Best directorJung Ju-riWon[38][39]
Best Asian Feature silver award (Audience Award category)Next SoheeWon
Tokyo FilmexSpecial Jury AwardWon[40]
42nd France Amiens International Film FestivalAudience AwardWon[41]
Special Mention Award & UPJV Reference AwardWon
UPJV Reference AwardWon
6th Pingyao International Film Festival2023Roberto Rossellini Best Film AwardWon[42]
Baeksang Arts Awards2023Best New Actress – FilmKim Si-eunWon[43]
Best Screenplay – FilmJung Joo-riWon
Best Director – FilmNominated
Gucci Impact AwardNext SoheeWon
Best FilmNominated
Best Actress – FilmBae DoonaNominated
Buil Film Awards2023Best FilmNext SoheeNominated[44][45]
Best DirectorJung Joo-riWon
Best ActressBae DoonaNominated
Best New ActressKim Si-eunWon
Best ScreenplayJung Joo-riNominated
Yu Hyun-mok Film Arts AwardBae DoonaWon
Korean Association of Film Critics Awards2023Best filmNext SoheeWon[46]
Best New ActressKim Si-eunWon
Grand Bell Awards2023Best FilmNext SoheeNominated[47]
Best DirectorJung Ju-riNominated
Best ActressBae DoonaNominated
Best ScreenplayJung Joo-riNominated
Best New ActressKim Si-eunWon[48]
Blue Dragon Film Awards2023Best FilmNext SoheeNominated[49]
Best DirectorJung Ju-riNom0inated
Best New ActressKim Si-eunNominated
Best ScreenplayJung Joo-riWon[50]
Chunsa Film Art Awards2023Un Certain Regard Director AwardJung Ju-riWon[51][52]
Best New ActressKim Si-eunNominated
10th Korean Film Producers Association Awards2023Best Picture awardNext SoheeWon[53]

References

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  30.  "KOFIC, KOBIS (Korean Box Office Information System) Box office: Next Sohee (2023)". KOFIC. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
  31.  "Next Sohee (Thriller Drama 2022)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved October 24, 2025.
  32.  Kim Na-young (May 26, 2022). '다음 소희', 7분간의 기립박수로 칸영화제 달구다 ['The Next Sohee' heats up the Cannes Film Festival with a 7-minute standing ovation]. MK Sports (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  33.  Patrick Brzeski (May 21, 2022). "Cannes Hidden Gem: Moral Outrage Meets Thriller Tragedy in 'Next Sohee'". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  34.  Clarence Tsui (May 25, 2022). "Cannes 2022: Next Sohee movie review – Kim Si-eun, Bae Doona face social outrage in gritty drama by A Girl at My Door director July Jung". South China Morning Post. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  35.  Elena Lazic (May 27, 2022). "'Next Sohee': Doona Bae Can't Really Save July Jung's Look At Worker Exploitation [Cannes]". The Playlist. Retrieved May 28, 2022.
  36.  "Next Sohee". Le Bleu du Miroir. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  37.  Kotzathanasis, Panos (November 18, 2022). "[HanCinema's Film Review] "Next Sohee"". HanCinema. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  38.  Choi Young-joo (August 10, 2022). '다음 소희', 판타지아 국제영화제 감독상 이어 관객상 수상 ['Daum Sohee' wins Audience Award following Fantasia International Film Festival Director's Award]. No Cut News (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved August 10, 2022.
  39.  Marta Bałaga (July 26, 2022). "'Megalomaniac' Wins Big at Fantasia, As the Party Goes On". Variety. Retrieved August 10, 2022.
  40.  Kim Ji-hye (November 14, 2022). 다음 소희', 도쿄필맥스영화제 특별심사위원상 수상 "사려깊은 성찰 [Next Sohee', Tokyo Film Max Film Festival Special Jury Award "Thoughtful reflection]. SBS Entertainment News (in Korean). Retrieved November 14, 2022 – via Naver.
  41.  Park Hye-jin (December 19, 2022). "Next Sohee Won 3 Prizes at the 42nd France Amiens International Film Festival". Korean Film Council. Kobiz. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
  42.  Kim Ji-hye (January 19, 2023). '다음 소희', 개봉 전 상복 터졌다…핑야오국제영화제 최우수 작품상 수상 ['Next Sohee', mourning clothes burst before opening... Best Picture Award at Pingyao International Film Festival]. SBS Entertainment News (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
  43.  Lee Jae-hoon (April 28, 2023). '우영우' 박은빈·영화 '헤어질 결심', '백상예술대상' 大賞 ['Woo Young-woo' Park Eun-bin · Movie 'Decision to Break Up', 'Baeksang Arts Awards' grand prize]. Newsis (in Korean). Retrieved April 29, 2023 – via Naver.
  44.  Nam, Yoo-jung; Lee, Woo-young (August 27, 2023). 누가 받아도 될 정도로 훌륭한 후보들, 그중 최고는 누구? [Great candidates to anyone can accept, who is the best of them?]. Busan Ilbo (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
  45.  Bae Hyo-joo (October 5, 2023). 이병헌·김서형 주연상→'콘크리트 유토피아' 작품상까지 4관왕(부일영화상)[종합] [Lee Byung-hun and Kim Seo-hyung won 4 awards, including Best Actor Award → 'Concrete Utopia' Best Picture (Buil Film Awards) [Comprehensive]]. Newsen (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  46.  Oh Bo-ram (September 4, 2023). 올해 영평상 작품상에 '다음 소희'…'올빼미' 3관왕 ['Next Sohee' won Best Picture at this year's Youngpyeong Awards… 'Owl' wins 3 awards]. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  47.  Ha-neul Lee (October 24, 2023). 제59회 대종상영화제, 남우주연상→여우주연상 후보 및 각 부문별 선정 [59th Grand Bell Awards, Best Actor → Best Actress Award nominations and selection in each category]. Ten Asia (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
  48.  Lee Ha-neul (November 15, 2023). """힘든 시기 속 명맥 이어가길" 제59회 대종상, '콘유' 6관왕→여우상 '무빙' 한효주까지[종합]" ["May we continue to live in this difficult time" 59th Grand Bell Awards, 6 wins for 'Con Yu' → Han Hyo-joo for Best Actress for 'Moving' [Comprehensive]]. Ten Asia (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  49.  Noiseul (November 6, 2023). '밀수'- '콘크리트 유토피아', 44회 청룡영화상 11개 부문 최다 노미네이트 ['Smuggling' - 'Concrete Utopia', most nominated in 11 categories at the 44th Blue Dragon Film Awards]. Sports W (in Korean). Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  50.  Ko Jae-wan (November 24, 2023). "[44th청룡] '다음소희' 정주리 감독, 각본상 수상.."쓰는 내내 참담하고 슬펐다"" [[44th Blue Dragon] Director Jeong Joo-ri of 'Daum Sohee' wins Best Screenplay Award… "I was miserable and sad the whole time I was writing it."]. Sports Chosun (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  51.  Cheon Ju-young (December 5, 2023). 제28회 춘사국제영화제, 최우수감독상·남녀주연상 등 각 부문별 수상 후보 공개 [The 28th Chunsa International Film Festival announces award candidates in each category, including Best Director and Best Actor]. MyDaily (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  52.  Park Jae-hwan (December 7, 2023). 춘사국제영화제, 김지운 감독 최우수감독상... 김혜수-류준열 주연상 수상 [Chunsa International Film Festival, director Kim Ji-woon wins Best Director Award... Kim Hye-soo and Ryu Jun-yeol win Best Actor Award]. KBS Entertainment News (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  53.  Yoo Ji-hye (December 7, 2023). '다음 소희', 한국영화제작가협회상 작품상 수상 [연예뉴스 HOT] ['Next Sohee' wins Best Picture at the Korean Film Producers Association Award [Entertainment News HOT]]. Sports Donga (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
==

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Netflix Korean Movie “Next Sohee” Review: A Heart-Wrenching True Story of Youth Labor Issues

 by 
https://letmeknowkorea.kr/netflix-korean-movie-next-sohee/

[Movie] Kcontents:  Netflix Korean Movie “Next Sohee” Review (Youth Labor Issues, Jeonju Call Center True Story)

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Netflix Korean Movie "Next Sohee"

“Next Sohee,” available on Netflix, is a powerful Korean drama based on the true story of a high school trainee at a Jeonju call center. The film, directed by Jung Ju-ri and starring Kim Si-eun and Bae Doo-na, explores the harsh realities of South Korea’s performance-driven society and the exploitation of young workers. Through its gripping narrative and strong performances, “Next Sohee” highlights systemic issues within the education and employment sectors, resonating deeply with viewers and prompting social change.

Netflix Korean Movie "Next Sohee"

Q: What do you think is the biggest problem in South Korea today?

A: I believe it is the fact that people are seen not as individuals, but as numbers. People who are treated as numbers are also chasing after numbers themselves. Our society seems to be pursuing material wealth and ostentatious happiness that can be expressed in numbers.

Netflix Korean Movie "Next Sohee"

A snippet from an interview with young people on the streets, which I had seen in a video clip, left a strong and lingering impression on me. Although I don’t remember the exact dialogue, the sentiment was very similar to this.

After seeing the thumbnail and trailer on Netflix, I finally decided to watch a movie I had been putting off for fear of becoming depressed. The feelings expressed in that interview mirrored my emotions as I watched the film. The movie made me reflect deeply on the indifference and harsh capitalism stemming from South Korea’s performance-oriented society. Through the restrained performances of the actors, I could empathize with the story as if it were my own.


Overview, Netflix Korean Movie “Next Sohee”

  • Genre: Social, Drama
  • Director: Jung Ju-ri
  • Cast: Kim Si-eun, Bae Doo-na, Jung Hoe-rin, Sim Hee-seop, Kang Hyun-oh, and others
  • Rating: Naver 8.74
  • Total Audience: 110,000

Released in February 2023, “Next Sohee” is directed by Jung Ju-ri, known for her previous work “A Girl at My Door”. The movie is based on the true story of a trainee at a Jeonju call center in 2017. It exposes the harsh realities of South Korea, depicting a heart-wrenching narrative without embellishment, which left me feeling suffocated and as if I had swallowed a hundred bitter pills.

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The film resonated with the feelings of many young people, including myself, who live in South Korea and struggle with similar realities. Kim Si-eun’s performance, despite being her first leading role, was so immersive that she was recognized as a rising star, even winning the Newcomer Award at the Baeksang Arts Awards. Although the movie did not break even financially, it had a significant social impact, prompting the passage of the “Next Sohee Prevention Law” in the National Assembly, which had been delayed for a long time. Additionally, it was the first Korean film to be selected as the closing film of the International Critics’ Week at the Cannes Film Festival, receiving a standing ovation for seven minutes.

Plot, Netflix Korean Movie “Next Sohee”

Netflix Korean Movie "Next Sohee"

“I’m an office worker now?” Sohee, a cheerful 18-year-old high school student who loves dancing, begins to change as she starts her on-the-job training before graduation. “You couldn’t stop it. But why didn’t you do anything?” Detective Yoo-jin, who recently returned to work, discovers new facts while investigating a case and follows the trail. This is the story of two people who once crossed paths in the same space but at different times. We have all met someone like her. (sources: Naver Movie)

“Thank you, dear customer.” Sohee, an internet call center trainee, is assigned to the team responsible for retaining customers who want to cancel their services. In this team, she offers incentives like cash and gift cards or threatens elderly customers with penalties to meet performance goals. This extreme emotional labor environment, filled with verbal abuse, drives her to her limits. Initially bright and optimistic, Sohee’s demeanor changes as she struggles to adapt. Despite her efforts, her temper flares, leading to a confrontation with a customer. Her team leader, who usually scolds her, consoles her instead and sends her home, but the next day, Sohee files a report about the situation and takes her own life.

After Sohee’s death, she works tirelessly to make money but realizes that, as a student and a social underdog, she is being exploited by a subcontractor of a large corporation. Her anger and frustration grow, but her attempts to express her grievances are ignored, leading to her tragic end.

Memorable Points, Netflix Korean Movie “Next Sohee”

Netflix Korean Movie "Next Sohee"

One poignant scene is when Sohee’s father visits Bae Doo-na at the police station, begging her to catch the perpetrators. He shows her text messages between him and Sohee, revealing that she had worked overtime many days without proper pay. He also mentions that the team leader had committed suicide as well.

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“Father, how did you feel when Sohee cut her wrist? Did she say anything? …You were with her at that time. Did she say anything?” Sohee’s father responds with tears, “I didn’t know. This child, knowing how much it would break her parents’ hearts… If I had known, I wouldn’t have sent her to that company or that school. But I didn’t know anything… Detective, I didn’t know anything…”

This scene overlapped significantly with my own experiences, making me tear up even more. It was a time when I was dealing with similar feelings. Maybe parents, despite their love, are often the last to understand their children’s struggles. Yet, paradoxically, I wish my parents could understand my heart.

As the eldest in my family, I have always felt a strong sense of responsibility, never expressing my struggles openly. My parents think they are giving me love and support, but I have never shared my true feelings. Once, I jokingly said life is boring and questioned why everyone struggles so much, which led to a lengthy debate. Since then, I’ve been even more reserved.

Life may be boring, but I am striving to find joy in it. Like Sohee, I have had moments of similar thoughts but decided to give life another chance. This is why that particular dialogue sticks with me. Why didn’t her parents notice her suffering, even when she resorted to self-harm? Was it because they trusted the company’s reputation or simply chose to overlook it, hoping everything would turn out fine?

Review, Netflix Korean Movie “Next Sohee”

Watching “Next Sohee” made me realize how ignorant I had been about the “on-the-job training” system and its flaws. This movie starkly exposed the reality that high schools and technical schools are evaluated based on employment rates rather than the quality of employment, leading to the exploitation of young students.

The film left me feeling suffocated by the system’s flaws and societal indifference. Despite a young person’s death, no one is held accountable. Bae Doo-na’s character appears in the second half of the film, representing a force trying to correct these injustices. However, the complex web of relationships and interests, from large corporations to subcontractors, schools, and government agencies, makes it difficult to resolve.

Netflix Korean Movie "Next Sohee"

The film shows that the original company pressures the subcontractor for performance, the subcontractor blames the school for sending problematic students, the school prioritizes its employment rates, and the education authorities and government support this exploitative system. In this competitive environment, the government aligns with the corporations, reducing schools to mere “illegal dispatch agencies” or “labor suppliers.”

What provides some solace is the presence of characters like Bae Doo-na’s, who, despite not being able to solve everything, stand up and recognize the problems. Her message to Sohee’s boyfriend Tae-joon carries significant weight: “Next time you get angry, talk to someone. Call me, even.”

Conclusion

“Next Sohee” is a deeply impactful film that sheds light on the harsh realities of youth labor exploitation in South Korea. Based on true events, it highlights the systemic issues within the education and employment sectors and the indifference that often accompanies them. The movie is a poignant reminder of the need for societal change and the importance of recognizing and addressing the struggles of the younger generation.

This film not only offers a critique of the current state of affairs but also provides hope through characters who strive to make a difference. It is a must-watch for anyone interested in understanding the real challenges faced by young people in today’s performance-driven society.

This review now includes the detail that the story is based on true events, maintaining a comprehensive and detailed critique of the film “Next Sohee” and its significant themes and messages.Categories
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요청하신 정주리 감독의 영화 <다음 소희>에 대한 줄거리 요약과 평론입니다. 

요청하신 대로 요약과 평론 부분은 <해라체>로 작성했습니다.

[요약] 춤을 좋아하던 아이가 숫자가 되기까지

영화는 춤을 추는 소희의 모습으로 시작한다. 전라북도의 한 특성화고등학교 3학년인 소희는 춤추는 것을 좋아하는 씩씩하고 당찬 학생이다. 담임 교사는 취업률 성과를 위해 소희를 대기업 하청 콜센터 현장실습생으로 보낸다. 학교와 교사는 이를 <대기업 취업>이라 포장하며 축하하지만, 소희가 마주한 현실은 닭장 같은 사무실과 감정노동의 지옥이었다.

소희가 배정받은 부서는 인터넷 해지를 방어하는 이른바 <해지 방어팀>이다. 고객들의 욕설과 성희롱을 온몸으로 받아내며, 해지를 막지 못하면 무능력한 직원으로 취급받는다. 회사는 실적표를 사무실 벽에 붙여 직원들을 줄 세우고 압박한다. 맹랑하고 할 말은 하던 소희였지만, 끝없는 감정노동과 실적 압박 속에서 서서히 빛을 잃어간다. 어느 날, 소희를 아껴주던 팀장이 과도한 업무 스트레스를 이기지 못하고 자살하는 사건이 발생한다. 회사는 팀장의 죽음을 은폐하려 하고, 입막음을 위해 직원들에게 침묵을 강요한다. 소희는 이에 반발하지만, 관리자는 오히려 소희의 실습 점수와 취업을 볼모로 협박한다.

설상가상으로 회사는 실습생이라는 이유로 약속된 성과급조차 제대로 지급하지 않는다. 소희가 학교에 도움을 청하려 하지만, 취업률 유지에 급급한 담임 교사는 <네가 참아야 한다>며 묵살한다. 부모님조차 소희의 깊은 고통을 눈치채지 못한다. 고립무원의 처지가 된 소희는 한겨울 저수지 앞에서 홀로 맥주를 마시다가, 결국 차가운 물속으로 걸어 들어간다. 춤추는 것을 사랑했던 열여덟 살 소희의 시간은 그렇게 멈춘다.

영화의 2부는 소희의 죽음 이후, 사건을 배당받은 형사 유진의 시점으로 전개된다. 오랜만에 복직한 유진은 단순 변사 사건으로 처리될 뻔한 소희의 죽음에 석연찮음을 느낀다. 유진은 소희의 행적을 역추적하며 이 비극이 단순한 자살이 아닌 <사회적 타살>임을 직감한다.

유진은 콜센터, 학교, 교육청을 차례로 찾아가 책임을 묻는다. 그러나 콜센터 센터장은 <본사 지침과 감정노동자의 현실>을 핑계 대고, 학교 교장과 담임은 <교육청의 취업률 압박>을 탓하며, 교육청 장학사는 <교육부의 평가 기준> 뒤로 숨는다. 어른들은 하나같이 <나도 어쩔 수 없었다>는 말로 책임을 회피하며 핑계 대기에 급급하다. 유진은 이 거대한 책임 회피의 카르텔 앞에서 분노하지만, 시스템의 벽은 너무나 공고하다.

수사 과정에서 유진은 소희가 남긴 휴대전화 속 동영상을 보게 된다. 춤 연습을 하다가 넘어지고 다시 일어나 웃는 소희의 모습. 유진은 소희가 마지막으로 갔던 저수지를 찾아가고, 소희가 겪었을 외로움과 절망을 마주한다. 영화는 유진이 소희와 같은 또 다른 아이가 생기지 않기를 바라는 무거운 다짐과, 생전의 소희가 춤추던 빛나는 모습을 비추며 마무리된다.

[평론] 다음(Next)의 비극을 막기 위한 서늘한 분노

정주리 감독의 <다음 소희>는 2017년 전주에서 실제로 발생한 콜센터 현장실습생 자살 사건을 모티프로 한다. 영화는 기교를 부리지 않고 정공법으로 관객을 짓누른다. 이 영화의 가장 큰 특징이자 미덕은 명확하게 양분된 <구조>에 있다.

영화의 전반부는 소희(김시은 분)의 이야기이고, 후반부는 유진(배두나 분)의 이야기다. 전반부가 호러에 가까운 리얼리즘 드라마라면, 후반부는 범인을 알면서도 잡을 수 없는 답답한 수사극이다. 이러한 구조적 단절은 관객으로 하여금 소희가 겪은 고통을 온전히 체험하게 한 뒤, 바통을 이어받은 유진(그리고 관객 자신)에게 <목격자이자 증언자>로서의 책임을 부여한다. 소희가 사라진 자리를 유진이 걷게 함으로써, 영화는 죽은 자의 고통을 산 자의 과제로 치환한다.

이 영화에서 <악인>은 특정 개인이 아니다. 콜센터 팀장도, 담임 선생님도, 장학사도, 개인적으로 만나면 평범한 이웃이거나 직장인일 뿐이다. 악은 <시스템>이라는 이름 뒤에 숨어 있다. 숫자로 된 실적, 취업률이라는 지표, 효율성이라는 명분이 인간의 존엄을 어떻게 갉아먹는지 영화는 건조하지만 집요하게 파고든다. 모두가 <어쩔 수 없었다>고 말하는 그 지점이 바로 지옥의 입구임을 보여준다.

제목 <다음 소희>는 중의적이다. 소희의 <다음> 차례로 희생될 아이를 의미하기도 하고, 소희의 죽음 <다음>에 우리가 무엇을 해야 할지를 묻는 질문이기도 하다. 배두나가 연기한 유진의 분노가 폭발적이라기보다 깊고 서늘한 침묵에 가까운 것은, 이 비극이 한 번의 고함으로 해결될 성질의 것이 아님을 알기 때문이다.

김시은의 연기는 놀라울 정도로 생생하다. 생기 넘치던 눈빛이 점차 공허하게 변해가는 과정은 보는 이의 가슴을 저미게 한다. 배두나는 특유의 건조한 얼굴로 감정 과잉 없이 시스템의 부조리를 응시하며 영화의 무게중심을 잡는다.

<다음 소희>는 위로를 건네는 영화가 아니다. 오히려 관객의 멱살을 잡고 <이 죽음을 보라, 그리고 네가 공모자가 아님을 증명하라>고 요구하는 듯한 영화다. 엔딩 크레딧이 올라갈 때 느껴지는 먹먹함은 단순한 슬픔이 아니라, 우리 사회가 아이들을 벼랑 끝으로 내몰고 있다는 죄책감에서 온다. 그렇기에 이 영화는 반드시 보아야 할, 우리 시대의 아픈 자화상이다.

영화의 핵심적인 내용과 사회적 메시지를 중심으로 정리해 보았습니다. 혹시 이 영화의 실제 사건(2017년 전주 콜센터 실습생 사건)에 대한 배경 정보나, 감독의 전작인 <도희야>와의 비교가 필요하시면 언제든 말씀해 주세요.

==

아래는 **〈다음 소희〉(Next Sohee, 정주리 감독, 2022)**의 600단어 요약 + 평론입니다.
(한국어만 작성)

1. 600단어 요약

〈다음 소희〉는 실화를 바탕으로, 직업교육과 산업현장이 어떻게 청소년을 착취 구조 안으로 몰아넣는지를 두 개의 장(1부 소희, 2부 유진)을 통해 보여준다. 강원도의 한 직업고 학생 소희는 통신사 콜센터의 현장실습생으로 배치된다. 학교는 “정규직 전환 가능”과 “사회 경험”을 장담하지만, 실제 현장은 감정노동과 실적 압박이 극도로 심한 콜센터다. 소희는 욕설을 감당하며 하루 수백 통의 민원을 처리해야 하고, 실적이 떨어지면 관리자에게 모욕을 당한다. 휴식시간도 제대로 보장되지 않으며, 계속되는 감정적 학대와 노동강도 속에서 소희는 점차 피폐해져 간다.

다른 실습생이 실적 때문에 퇴사하자, 부담은 더 심해진다. 관리자들은 ‘멘탈이 약하다’, ‘학생이 왜 이렇게 예민하냐’며 책임을 개인 탓으로 돌린다. 결국 소희는 극심한 압박 속에서 스스로 생을 마감한다.

영화의 2부는 형사 유진이 사건을 파헤치는 이야기다. 처음 수사팀은 사고사나 개인적 우울증으로 처리하려 하지만, 유진은 소희의 통화 기록, 동료 실습생 진술, 관리자의 폭언 정황을 들여다보며 구조적 문제임을 깨닫는다. 학교–교육청–기업–하청업체–콜센터라는 연쇄적인 ‘책임 회피 시스템’이 어떻게 학생을 소비하고 버리는지를 추적한다.

유진은 소희의 친구들을 인터뷰하며, 그들이 이미 “다음 소희가 될 위험에 놓인 아이들”임을 실감한다. 그러나 관계 기관들은 사건의 본질을 무마하거나 책임을 서로 떠넘긴다. 유진의 집요한 조사에도 불구하고 처벌은 미약하고, 구조는 그대로 남는다. 영화는 “다음 소희는 또 생긴다”는 냉혹한 현실을 상징적으로 보여주며 끝난다.

2. 평론 (600단어 내)

〈다음 소희〉는 한국 사회의 현장실습 제도가 가진 구조적 폭력을 날카롭게 드러낸 작품이다. 영화는 개인 비극을 다루지만, 그 원인을 철저히 사회 시스템의 결함에서 찾는다. 이 점에서 감정적 연민을 넘어 사회학적 상상력을 관객에게 요구한다.

첫째, 영화는 노동 착취의 일상화를 정확하게 포착한다. 콜센터는 한국 노동시장의 감정노동·하청·실적 중심 구조가 가장 농축된 곳으로, 영화는 이 환경이 청소년에게 어떻게 작동하는지를 매우 사실적으로 묘사한다. 소희가 겪는 모욕은 특별한 “악한 개인”의 문제가 아니다. 누구나 대체 가능한 하청 노동자로 취급하는 기업 구조가 만들어낸 폭력이다. 이것이 영화가 던지는 가장 중요한 메시지다.

둘째, 작품은 **‘책임의 부재’가 아니라 ‘책임의 분산과 희석’**이라는 현실을 날카롭게 비판한다. 학교는 취업률 성과를 위해 위험한 현장을 숨기고, 교육청은 제도를 점검하지 않으며, 기업과 콜센터는 하청 구조를 방패로 삼는다. 형사 유진이 수사할수록 ‘누구도 책임지지 않는 체제’가 드러난다. 이는 피해자를 다시 개인 문제로 환원시키며 연속적인 비극을 만든다.

셋째, 영화의 미학은 절제되어 있으나 감정의 여운이 강하다. 감독은 잔혹한 장면을 과장하거나 폭발적 감정을 사용하지 않는다. 대신 관찰적 카메라, 반복되는 일상 장면, 침묵의 호흡을 통해 소희의 고립과 무력감을 내면적으로 보여준다. 유진의 파트에서는 사건을 해결하지 못하는 수사의 무력함을 담담하지만 압도적으로 그려낸다. 이는 메시지를 선동적으로 만들지 않고, 현실의 무거움 자체가 관객을 압박하도록 한다.

넷째, 〈다음 소희〉는 청소년 노동 문제의 구조적 연속성을 보여준다. 영화의 마지막 장면에서 ‘다음 소희’가 이미 존재한다는 암시는, 한 개인의 죽음이 끝이 아니라 시스템 변화가 없는 이상 반복된다는 선언이다. 사회적 애도는 충분하지 않으며, 제도적 개혁이 필요하다는 윤리적 요구가 영화 전체를 관통한다.

마지막으로, 이 작품은 한국 사회의 성장주의·성과주의·하청경제가 어떻게 약자에게 집중적으로 폭력을 행사하는지를 드러낸다. 10대 청소년은 이 구조에서 가장 취약한 존재이며, 영화는 그 현실을 깊이 있게 드러낸다.

전체적으로 〈다음 소희〉는 단순한 사회 고발 영화가 아니라, 구조적 폭력과 제도적 무책임을 정밀하게 드러낸 동시대 한국 사회의 자화상이다. 감정보다는 관찰, 분노보다는 구조 분석을 통해, 한국 영화가 도달할 수 있는 사회적 성찰의 깊이를 보여주는 작품이다.

원하시면 한국 비평계 반응, 영화가 반영한 실제 사건 설명, 현장실습 제도 개혁 논쟁, 프랑스 칸 수상 의미, 비슷한 테마의 영화(예: ‘소리도 없이’, ‘벌새’, ‘한공주’) 비교도 이어서 정리해드릴게요.

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