On 봄여름가을겨울: after watching spring

As I watched the film, I compared the boy to myself. Since I grew out of childhood and met peers who had been taught with different methods than me and people who think the background I came from affected me in negative ways, I continuously pondered on the issue of whether I was educated the right way, on what parts of my mother’s attitude toward me I should adopt and should not adopt. Because I was born to an over protective mother, I was not allowed many chances to make mistakes. In my memories, places where otherwise would have been filled with mistakes I made and the things I learned from it are filled with the millions and billions of warning advice she gave me on each and every danger she feared would come to me. But, the master in the film did not act as my mother lived. At times when my mother would have freaked out and scolded me for my misbehaviors or actions that might harm me, master simply observed and took actions later. At times when I was sure mother would have said “Oh! That’s too dangerous”, he didn’t say a word. Still, I could understand both my mother and the master, not only with my mind but also with my heart. I understand and is grateful for my mother’s love and care for me. I believe that children need more attention than people at other stages of life and that motherly love plays an important role in it (I do not intend to undermine the role of fatherly love). Yet, I also identify with the master’s concern for the boy’s learning and a need for children to make mistakes even if risks follow.

I am still not sure which kind of approach to raising a child is better but I am certain that if I am to reach an answer that satisfies me, I need to learn and understand both approaches to fostering children. Though there weren’t much graphic or sound in the film, it lead me to q query I did not yet answer and helped me figure out what it is like to foster children in the way the master did. As Mr. Garrioch said, I think director Kim Ki Deuk is a good director. I am grateful for his efforts to deliver such topics of thought to the audience.