[Review] 'Keuneomma's Crazy Bongo' Great Escape from the Worn-Out Holiday Kitchen

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] "This time, you will be alone for the ancestral rites."

Eunseo (played by Kim Ga-eun) and Jisang (played by Jung Jae-kwang), who are about to get married, visit the house to pay respects for the holiday. Eunseo is surprised by the preparations for the ancestral rites in the large family and faces the harsh reality of marriage. The eldest aunt (played by Jung Young-joo) stops preparing the ritual food while frying jeon (Korean pancakes) and starts the van that picks up the women one by one. Those who get on the eldest aunt’s van are bewildered at first but soon feel exhilarated as they escape the worn-out ‘Siwold’ (mother-in-law’s world). The women happily enjoy delicious food together and have a cheerful shopping trip.

In the Yoo family, preparing food for the ancestral rites has naturally become the women’s duty. In this patriarchal culture, the women throw down their spatulas, get into the van, and make a ‘great escape’ from the Siwold. The men lament that the core and root of the Yoo family’s ancestral rites have disappeared rather than worrying about the whereabouts of the women. The film humorously mocks the outdated patriarchal culture. The men do not lift a finger and show a helpless side, unable to do anything in the absence of the women, and this contrast is portrayed in an entertaining way.

Jung Young-joo, an actress who crosses genres including the musical 'Bernarda Alba,' plays the bold eldest aunt Lee Young-hee, who takes all the daughters-in-law on an escape. Kim Ga-eun, who appeared in dramas such as 'Because This Is My First Life' and 'Radiant,' plays Choi Eunseo, who is contemplating breaking off her engagement before marriage. Jung Jae-kwang, who gained attention for 'It's Okay to Not Be Okay,' plays Yoo Ji-kwang, acting as the fianc? of Kim Ga-eun’s character. Additionally, Hwang Seok-jung, Jo Dal-hwan, and Yoo Sung-joo also appear.

'Eldest Aunt’s Crazy Van' is produced and directed by Baek Seung-hwan, who directed the films 'Like the First Drink' and 'Double Patty.' It was released in theaters on the 21st and will be available on the Seezn app on the 28th. Afterwards, it will be released on various platforms including IPTV and is scheduled to be broadcast as an SBS Lunar New Year special film. Running time is 99 minutes, rated for viewers aged 12 and over.