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House of Hummingbird
By Tara McNamara,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
South Korean teen drama mixes insight with rebellion.
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House of Hummingbird
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What's the Story?
HOUSE OF HUMMINGBIRD takes place in 1994 in Seoul. It follows Eun-hee (Ji-hu Park), an eighth grader whose parents, teachers, and classmates demand academic excellence. Life both at school and at home leaves much to be desired, and Eun-hee looks for happiness with her best friend and crush. But when a mysterious, caring new teacher takes over her Chinese calligraphy class, Eun-hee starts to realize what it means to be understood.
Is It Any Good?
Coming-of-age tales are often more interesting to reflective adults than to the kids the same age as the lead character, and this drama falls right into that bucket. It will hopefully be refreshing for those used to standard Hollywood fare to get the perspective of a South Korean girl -- this isn't a voice that's often represented in mainstream cinematic offerings. But those unfamiliar with the cultural attitudes and historical events of 1994 Seoul may need to do some extra legwork to understand what's going on. It's worth the effort, though, for a movie that tugs at your brain.
Eun-hee's experiences include the intense social pressure of academics, a deep-seated fear of embarrassing her parents, and the impact of her community and culture prioritizing the male gender. House of Hummingbird's meandering approach may not work for all viewers: Eun-hee has a health scare, a family member dies, friends and boyfriends are unreliable, parents focus more on their kid's achievements than personal growth -- though there's plenty baked in, you might wonder where it's all going. But through her storytelling, writer-director Bora Kim lets us know that we must have patience. Her film, like life, is about the journey.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how House of Hummingbird depicts life in South Korea in 1994. How does it compare to your life now? What parts of the movie reflect the year, and which reflect the culture or place?
Have you seen other films that deal with physical abuse by a sibling? Why do you think that's not often displayed in Hollywood movies?
What does Eun-hee's teacher represent to her? What do you think the filmmaker wants you to take away?
How does this movie compare to other coming-of-age dramas you've seen? What does that term mean? Why is it a popular genre?
How are smoking and drinking portrayed in the film? Are they glamorized?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: June 26, 2020
- Cast: Ji-Hu Park , Sae-byeok Kim , Seung-Yun Lee
- Director: Bora Kim
- Studio: Well Go USA
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Brothers and Sisters , Friendship , Middle School
- Run time: 138 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: June 20, 2023
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
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