Uncle 'Bar' at Barbershop

In the early 80s, in a small barbershop on the outskirts of Seoul, there is a barber with a small stature just like the size of the barbershop. When there are no customers, he cleans up the barbershop, drinks tea, and enjoys listening to the radio, which reads sad stories, and is moved. The neighbors of the neighborhood visit him without any burden and share their stories. Sometimes, the neighborhood trio (Mr. Gu, Mr. Jeon, Mr. Park) tease him for being a woman, but the barber just smiles. One day, the barber gets into an argument with Mr. Gu, the owner of the hole-in-the-wall shop, due to a misunderstanding, and when Mr. Gu blurts out the word “woman,” the barber has a big fight with Mr. Gu. Morning comes as always. As usual, the barber’s wife tightly bandages the barber’s bulging chest. And the barber, she, rides her bicycle to the barbershop, hiding her hidden chest.

Directed by Kwon Jong-kwan, Uncle 'Bar' at Barbershop leans on a strong ensemble — Lee Yoon-mi, Choi Sung-woong, Kim Gun-ho — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2000.