KOREA FOUNDATION

The Tailor (2017)

· Director: Tran Buu Loc·Kay Nguyen / Vietnam

The Tailor is a film that explores the significance of traditional clothing as it flows back and forth between the past and the present, examining the ao dai, Vietnam’s beloved traditional garment. The story tells of a girl named Nhu Y, born into the home of a ninth generation ao dai tailor shop called Thanh Nu, and the conflict that ensues with her mother due to her disinterest in the ao dai, despite her evident intelligence and passion. One day, she is suddenly swept forward into the future to the year 2017, where she struggles to become a clothing designer to help regain her family’s honor and return to the glory days of old before the failure of the family business. The Tailor provides an opportunity for viewers to reflect on both the beauty of the clothing itself, as well as the value of preserving tradition. The film was also featured at the 22nd Busan International Film Festival in October 2017, prior to its official domestic release.