The long-running documentary program Screening Humanity turns its lens to the intimate rhythms of one family’s life.
Airing from March 30 to April 3, “Baekbal Mojajeon” traces four generations bound together by care for a 99-year-old mother living with dementia. Rather than spectacle, the episode observes the quiet negotiations of daily life, where fatigue, responsibility, and affection intersect under one roof.
In an apartment in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, six family members share a layered existence shaped by time. From a great-grandmother nearing a century to a 14-month-old child just beginning to form memories, the household becomes a living archive of generations. Once the composed center of the family, Ra Jung-im faced prolonged loss after her husband’s passing before being diagnosed with dementia. Her youngest son, Hyuk-seong, stepped in as primary caregiver, altering the family’s structure and pace.
The weight of care extends beyond a single individual. His wife, Young-hee, absorbs much of the emotional strain, navigating unspoken fatigue and quiet resilience. The arrival of a granddaughter introduces a subtle shift in atmosphere. With their daughter’s family moving in and Hyuk-seong retiring three years ago to care for his mother full-time, roles within the household continue to evolve.
Hyuk-seong’s daily routine now follows his mother’s condition with precision. Time is measured through care schedules, limiting even brief social interactions. Known among friends as “the Cinderella of 5 p.m.,” he remains tethered to home, often leaving gatherings early to return to his responsibilities.
The surrounding family members confront their own choices. Bohyun, their daughter, decides to send her young child to daycare to ease the burden, a decision that stirs mixed emotions in Young-hee. As generations overlap, the structure of care shifts, adapting to new realities.
As the mother’s condition gradually worsens, the demands of caregiving intensify. Unpredictable moments define the rhythm of each day. Hyuk-seong maintains constant vigilance, while Young-hee supports him from the background. A brief outing offered to the couple becomes less an escape than a necessary pause, allowing them to regain the strength to continue.
Within this shared space, two timelines quietly coexist: one life nearing its end, another just beginning. A wheelchair and a stroller placed side by side at the entrance become a restrained but powerful image of continuity. “Baekbal Mojajeon” resists dramatization, instead focusing on the accumulation of ordinary choices, asking what it truly means to care for one’s parents. In its stillness, it suggests that care may ultimately be an act of returning time once received.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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