June 10, 2023
FILM: LIQUOR STORE DREAMS
DIRECTED BY: SO YUN UM
STARRING: HAE SUP UM, DANNY PARK, MAY PARK
RATING: 3 stars out of 4
By Dan Pal
Liquor Store Dreams is documentary which explores two Korean American children of immigrant parents who found a place in society as owners of liquor stores in south central Los Angeles. It’s an engaging and eye-opening look at generational differences, cultural conflicts, and societal changes that have major effects on those businesses and the dreams associated with them.
Filmmaker So Yun Um is partially the subject of this story as her own father has owned his store for several decades. He discusses the changing neighborhood as well as its history during the 1992 Los Angeles uprising when Korean shop owners were left helpless as looting and fire left Koreatown in ashes and rubble while many businesses were lost. We hear him talk about the effects of these cultures clashing in such a violent manner and how this led to a rise in prejudicial feelings and discrimination. As the years went on he, and others of this extremely large Korean association of California business owners, discuss getting robbed, not feeling safe, and how some of the issues have led to suicidal thoughts and growing tensions among some members of the community.
Still, what is also fascinating to hear and see is how the Black and Korean sub-cultures have so often come together through employment and customer needs. As one person states, “Not everybody is an enemy.” This remained especially true as the pandemic hit in 2020 and the Black Lives Matter movement created more causes for concern and economic issues. Yet, there is still an emphasis expressed here that life has value and specifically helping each other out should be the value of life during and after such trying times.
Of course, a big part of the story featured here is So Yun Um and her relationship with her father. This includes his incessant nagging for her to get married. But the larger and more philosophically relevant discussion surrounds the future of businesses like this when the current generation of owners passes. Yun Um discusses this with her sister as well as Danny Park, another Korean American who chose to give up his dream corporate job at Nike to take over the family liquor store when his father became ill. Is it important to carry on the family business? What role does it take in the larger community? Should one forsake bigger dreams?
For So Yun Um, her dream of a career in filmmaking has been heading into a more likely direction due to the success of this work at film festivals in the past year. Her style is pretty raw: shaky camera movements, some out of focus shots, as well as a narrative arc that meanders a bit but still reaches a satisfying conclusion. She includes many clips from films such as Do the Right Thing, Falling Down, and Menace II Society that have not always presented the Korean experience in America in a positive or inspiring light. With this film though, she is able to present a fully realized portrait of a community, it’s people, and businesses that is not often given a showcase in mainstream films. For that she should be applauded as it hopefully will inspire other Korean Americans and other cultural groups to tell their stories.
Liquor Store Dreams is available to rent on AppleTV+. On July 10th, it will also be featured on the PBS documentary series POV.
FILM: LIQUOR STORE DREAMS
DIRECTED BY: SO YUN UM
STARRING: HAE SUP UM, DANNY PARK, MAY PARK
RATING: 3 stars out of 4
By Dan Pal
Liquor Store Dreams is documentary which explores two Korean American children of immigrant parents who found a place in society as owners of liquor stores in south central Los Angeles. It’s an engaging and eye-opening look at generational differences, cultural conflicts, and societal changes that have major effects on those businesses and the dreams associated with them.
Filmmaker So Yun Um is partially the subject of this story as her own father has owned his store for several decades. He discusses the changing neighborhood as well as its history during the 1992 Los Angeles uprising when Korean shop owners were left helpless as looting and fire left Koreatown in ashes and rubble while many businesses were lost. We hear him talk about the effects of these cultures clashing in such a violent manner and how this led to a rise in prejudicial feelings and discrimination. As the years went on he, and others of this extremely large Korean association of California business owners, discuss getting robbed, not feeling safe, and how some of the issues have led to suicidal thoughts and growing tensions among some members of the community.
Still, what is also fascinating to hear and see is how the Black and Korean sub-cultures have so often come together through employment and customer needs. As one person states, “Not everybody is an enemy.” This remained especially true as the pandemic hit in 2020 and the Black Lives Matter movement created more causes for concern and economic issues. Yet, there is still an emphasis expressed here that life has value and specifically helping each other out should be the value of life during and after such trying times.
Of course, a big part of the story featured here is So Yun Um and her relationship with her father. This includes his incessant nagging for her to get married. But the larger and more philosophically relevant discussion surrounds the future of businesses like this when the current generation of owners passes. Yun Um discusses this with her sister as well as Danny Park, another Korean American who chose to give up his dream corporate job at Nike to take over the family liquor store when his father became ill. Is it important to carry on the family business? What role does it take in the larger community? Should one forsake bigger dreams?
For So Yun Um, her dream of a career in filmmaking has been heading into a more likely direction due to the success of this work at film festivals in the past year. Her style is pretty raw: shaky camera movements, some out of focus shots, as well as a narrative arc that meanders a bit but still reaches a satisfying conclusion. She includes many clips from films such as Do the Right Thing, Falling Down, and Menace II Society that have not always presented the Korean experience in America in a positive or inspiring light. With this film though, she is able to present a fully realized portrait of a community, it’s people, and businesses that is not often given a showcase in mainstream films. For that she should be applauded as it hopefully will inspire other Korean Americans and other cultural groups to tell their stories.
Liquor Store Dreams is available to rent on AppleTV+. On July 10th, it will also be featured on the PBS documentary series POV.