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Be with You
Movie

Be with You

2018 • Unknown

Woke Score
1
out of 10

Plot

Along with his young son, Ji-ho, Woo-jin misses his wife Soo-a, who died after promising to return a year later with the rainy season. Miraculously, they reunite with Soo-a when the rainy season comes around, but she has no memory of her husband and son whom she dearly loved.

Overall Series Review

Be with You is a deeply sentimental South Korean romantic fantasy centered on a traditional nuclear family unit. The plot revolves around a man, Woo-jin, his son, Ji-ho, and the miraculous, but temporary, return of the boy's deceased mother, Soo-ah, who has no memory of them. The film’s conflict is purely personal and emotional, driven by the family's efforts to rebuild their bond and grapple with an inevitable, second farewell. The story highlights the deep love and sacrifices inherent in a marriage and the parent-child relationship. The narrative celebrates the husband’s devotion as a single father and the wife's vital role as a mother, positioning the nuclear family as a source of transcendent strength and hope. There are no political or ideological lectures; the focus remains entirely on the characters' emotional journey and their intimate, loving family life.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics1/10

The movie is a South Korean production featuring an entirely Korean cast, and the story’s conflict is driven by personal loss and fantasy rather than any form of systemic oppression or identity-based hierarchy. Character worth is judged solely by their love and devotion to their family.

Oikophobia1/10

The film focuses on the intimate life of a Korean family in a local setting and is a remake of a Japanese story. There is no criticism or vilification of its own or any other specific civilization, home, or ancestors; the themes are universal and respectful of the core family unit.

Feminism1/10

The core of the movie is a celebration of marriage, parental love, and the nuclear family structure. Motherhood is highly valued, and the husband, Woo-jin, is portrayed as a devoted and competent father. Gender roles are distinct and complementary, with no evidence of the 'Girl Boss' trope or anti-natalist messaging.

LGBTQ+1/10

The narrative centers entirely on the heterosexual pairing of Woo-jin and Soo-ah and their son. The traditional male-female pairing and nuclear family are the unquestioned, normative structure of the film. There is no presence of alternative sexual or gender ideology or deconstruction of the family unit.

Anti-Theism1/10

The central plot relies on a fantastical event—the wife's miraculous return and the concept of an afterlife/destiny—which introduces a transcendent element to the story. The narrative focuses on hope and destiny, which is antithetical to a spiritual vacuum or moral relativism, without attacking or featuring any traditional religion.