A man runs through the crisp early morning air—through the woods, mountains, and roads of Jeju. He runs day and night, even in a marathon. Yet his heart remains trapped in the Sewol ferry on April 16, 2014. Kim Dongsoo, who survived the tragedy, became known as the ‘hero in blue pants.’ The nation watched his final rescue efforts, and later, the news of his self-harm during the Sewol ferry incident hearings. But he remembers nothing of the last five minutes of that day. A story about Kim and his family, Relay Race is a film about trauma. Though film is utterly inadequate to capture the invisible, Ko Hyoju’s camera remains like air by his family’s side, transparently reflecting their inner worlds as they struggle to live with their pain. This is a searing work that approaches the deepest wounds of the Sewol ferry tragedy, yet also a brilliant family drama that gently touches our aching hearts.
