Gull

O-bok’s eldest daughter is about to get married to an educated, well-off young man, but she’s far from happy. It’s not just hot weather, hot flushes, her daughters’ materialism, her mother’s dementia, her husband’s drinking, or the impending gentrification of the food market where she sells fish – although all of that will push her to take a stand. After trying to cover it up, O-bok reveals to her daughter that she was raped by a fellow stallholder, the man organising the traders against their landlords. Increasingly furious, O-bok eschews the useless police to pursue her own justice, even if it means a physical fight.

Directed by Kim Mi-jo, Gull leans on a strong ensemble — Jeong Ae-hwa, Lee Sang-hee, Go Seo-hee — 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 2021.