Next Sohee

Based on a tragic true story, July Jung’s Next Sohee is a strong indictment of exploitation in the job market in South Korea. Sohee is a cheerful and tenacious high-school student with a passion for dance. She signs a contract through her school to start an internship at a call centre but soon realises she is caught in a toxic work environment where trainees are abused and bonuses are non-existent. When her overworked supervisor is found dead, Sohee begins a psychological descent. The consequences lead to an investigation by Detective Yoo-jin who is determined to search for answers.

One day I heard about the death of a young girl. She was a stranger to me, but why did my heart hurt so badly to hear of it? Why did I feel so sorry for that child? Three years have passed, but her story has stayed with me like a lump in my throat. I just had to find out more about her. About how it happened. And so I got to know about Sohee. I found Detective Oh Yoo-jin, who had met Sohee. A child who succumbed to death all alone, and an adult who knew better than anyone the horror of being all alone. Their paths crossed, though at different points in time. The child is gone and no more, but from the bottom of my heart I wish that inside this film she shall remain alive, and be a name that many remember for a long time.

Director July Jung