A Normal Family
A Normal Family is a 2023 South Korean drama film directed by Hur Jin-ho and written by Park Eun-kyo and Park Joon-seok, based on the 2009 novel The Dinner by Herman Koch. It is the fourth film adaptation of the novel, following the 2013 Dutch film Het Diner, the 2014 Italian film I nostri ragazzi, and the 2017 American film The Dinner. The film stars Sul Kyung-gu, Jang Dong-gun, Kim Hee-ae, and Claudia Kim. It centres on two wealthy families who meet for dinner to discuss and decide how to handle a violent crime committed by their children.
The film premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival on September 14, 2023, and was released in South Korea on October 9, 2024.
Plot
Successful lawyer Jae-wan and principled doctor Jae-gyu are brothers who seem to have it all. Jae-wan has recently welcomed a new child with his second wife, Ji-soo. Jae-gyu's wife, Yeon-kyung, works as a successful translator while also caring for her mother-in-law, who suffers from dementia. When the two families gather for dinner, they appear to share a close familial bond, but beneath the surface, a subtle tension lingers between them.Jae-wan's daughter from his late first wife, Hye-yoon, and Jae-gyu's son, Si-ho, seem obedient in front of their parents, yet out of sight they indulge in reckless behavior. One evening, while the two families are dining together, Hye-yoon and Si-ho sneak off to drink at a party with friends. Later that night, on their way back, the two assault a homeless man on the street, leaving him severely injured.
Yeon-kyung accidentally comes across news footage showing CCTV video of the attack. Shocked to recognize the attackers as Hye-yoon and Si-ho, she considers hiding the truth, but Jae-gyu insists they must turn the children in. Meanwhile, Hye-yoon tells Jae-wan about the incident, pretending it happened to someone she knows. Sensing that she herself is responsible, Jae-wan fears that if the incident becomes public, it will not only tear apart their family but also destroy his career.
Cast
- Sul Kyung-gu as Yang Jae-wan
- Jang Dong-gun as Yang Jae-gyu
- Kim Hee-ae as Lee Yeon-kyung, Jae-gyu's wife
- Claudia Kim as Ji-soo, Jae-wan's second wife and Hye-yoon's stepmother
- Hong Ye-ji as Yang Hye-yoon, Jae-wan's daughter
- Kim Jung-chul as Yang Si-ho, Jae-gyu and Yeon-kyung's son
- Byun Joong-hee as Jae-wan and Jae-gyu's mother
- Choi Ri as Seon-ju
- Yoo Su-bin as Hyung-cheol
- Yoo In-sun as Na-rae's father
- Roh Jae-won as a doctor
Release