Valley of the Lanterns is a drama film that revolves around an old woman named Sook-ja who lives in a remote village in South Korea. Sook-ja is a traditionalist who strongly holds onto the cultural values and practices of her ancestors. She takes great pride in the annual lantern festival of her village, during which thousands of beautiful lanterns are lit up and released into the sky.
However, Sook-ja's attachment to the past causes conflicts within her family who want to introduce some modernization to their lifestyle and businesses. Sook-ja's granddaughter Min-ji dreams of leaving the village to pursue a career in the city while her son Jin-ho wants to replace the traditional lantern festival with a more profitable tourist attraction.
As the conflicts escalate, Sook-ja becomes increasingly stubborn and refuses to compromise. She even threatens to take drastic measures to protect the lantern festival, which puts her family's future in jeopardy. The film explores the themes of cultural identity, generational clashes, and the struggle between tradition and progress.
Valley of the Lanterns is directed by Yi Geon-hyang and features a talented cast, including Kim Sae-ron, Moon Sung-keun, and Choi Moo-seong. The movie received critical acclaim for its poignant storytelling and beautiful cinematography, as well as its portrayal of a vanishing cultural heritage in modern Korea.