Miracle on Jongno Street (Korean: 종로의 기적) is a 2010 South Korean documentary film directed by Lee Hyuk-sang. The film follows four gay men connected to Jongno, Seoul, and depicts their everyday lives, relationships, activism, and experiences of coming out.[1][2] It premiered at the 15th Busan International Film Festival in October 2010, where it received the BIFF Mecenat Award, and was released theatrically in South Korea on June 2, 2011.[3][1]
| Miracle on Jongno Street | |
|---|---|
| Hangul | 종로의 기적 |
| RR | jongnoui gijeok |
| MR | chongnoŭi kijŏk |
| Directed by | Lee Hyuk-sang |
| Produced by | Kim Il-ran |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography |
|
| Edited by |
|
| Music by | Jeong Ji-yun |
Production companies |
|
| Distributed by | Cinema Dal |
Release dates |
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Running time | 109 minutes |
| Country | South Korea |
| Language | Korean |
The film is set around Nagwon-dong in Jongno, an area described by film sources as a gathering place for gay men in Seoul.[2][4] It was also selected as Best Independent Film of the Year by the Korean Independent Film Association.[5]
Synopsis
editMiracle on Jongno Street documents the lives of four gay men in Seoul. So Jun-moon is a film director working through the personal and professional difficulties of coming out. Jang Byeong-gwon is a human rights activist involved in LGBT advocacy. Choi Young-soo, a cook from outside Seoul, finds community through G-Voice, a gay men's choir. Jeong Yol is an office worker who reflects on the legal and social limitations placed on same-sex relationships in South Korea.[2][6]
The documentary presents Jongno and Nakwon-dong as social spaces where gay men gather, form friendships, and build community.[1][2] The director also appears in the film, connecting the four subjects' stories with his own reflections on coming out and gay identity.[4][7]
Production
editThe film was directed by Lee Hyuk-sang and produced by Kim Il-ran. It was produced by PINKS, a queer feminist media collective, in collaboration with Chingusai, a Korean gay men's human rights organization.[1][5] According to an interview in Cine21, the film developed from a coming-out project begun by Chingusai in 2003, and Lee became involved while working with PINKS on films related to sexual minority communities.[8]
In a director's note published by PINKS, Lee described the documentary as a record of four gay men living openly amid discrimination against sexual minorities in South Korea.[9] The film was shot in color on HDV. Cinematography was credited to Lee Hyuk-sang, Kim Il-ran, Kim Seong-hui, and Hong Ji-yu; editing was credited to Lee Hyuk-sang and Kim Il-ran; and music was composed by Jeong Ji-yun.[2][9]
Release
editMiracle on Jongno Street had its world premiere at the 15th Busan International Film Festival in October 2010, where it received the BIFF Mecenat Award.[3] It was released theatrically in South Korea on June 2, 2011, with distribution by Cinema Dal.[1]
The film also screened at the Seoul Independent Film Festival.[2] PINKS lists additional screenings at the Incheon Human Rights Film Festival, the Seoul Human Rights Film Festival, the Asia Queer Film & Video Festival in Japan, and the Festival Franco-Coréen du Film in France.[9]
Reception
editThe Korean Film Council describes Miracle on Jongno Street as the first feature-length gay documentary film in Korea.[1] Haus der Kulturen der Welt similarly describes it as the first Korean documentary on its subject and notes that the film marked Lee Hyuk-sang's public coming out as a director.[4]
In 2010, the Korean Independent Film Association selected the film as Best Independent Film of the Year. According to Kyunghyang Shinmun, the association stated that the film encouraged heterosexual viewers to understand and respect lives different from their own and gave sexual minorities courage for self-affirmation.[5]
Accolades
edit| Year | Festival / organization | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Busan International Film Festival | BIFF Mecenat Award | Won |
| 2010 | Korean Independent Film Association | Best Independent Film of the Year | Won |
See also
edit- LGBT rights in South Korea
- LGBT culture in South Korea
- Busan International Film Festival
- Korean independent film
- Documentary film
References
edit- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Miracle on Jongno Street (2011)". Korean Film Council. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Miracle on Jongno Street". Seoul Independent Film Festival. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
- 1 2 "History: 2010 Awards". Busan International Film Festival. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Miracle on Jongno Street (Jongno-ui Gijeok)". Haus der Kulturen der Welt. November 11, 2021. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Son, Bong-seok (December 31, 2010). "퀴어다큐멘터리 '종로의 기적' 올해의 독립영화로 선정". Kyunghyang Shinmun (in Korean). Retrieved June 5, 2026.
- ↑ "종로의 기적". Seoul Independent Film Festival (in Korean). Retrieved June 5, 2026.
- ↑ "종로의 커밍아웃". Hankyoreh 21 (in Korean). Retrieved June 5, 2026.
- ↑ "나는 나로서 자유롭다". Cine21 (in Korean). June 7, 2011. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
- 1 2 3 "종로의 기적". PINKS (in Korean). Retrieved June 5, 2026.
External links
edit- Miracle on Jongno Street at the Korean Film Council
- Miracle on Jongno Street at the Seoul Independent Film Festival
- Miracle on Jongno Street at PINKS
- Miracle on Jongno Street at IMDb