A new South Korean film is bringing attention to the often-overlooked experiences of young workers transitioning from school to factory life. "The Final Semester," directed by Lee Ran-hee, tells the story of vocational high school students who spend their last semester working internships at factories instead of attending traditional classes, unlike their peers at general high schools who focus on college preparation.
The film centers on Chang-woo, played by Yoo Lee-ha, a student beginning his final semester internship at a factory. Chang-woo accepts his teacher's recommendation for the position, which comes with attractive benefits including special college admission opportunities and military service exemption. However, his decision is heavily influenced by his family's difficult financial circumstances, making the practical benefits of the internship essential for his future.
Director Lee Ran-hee, who previously gained recognition for her 2020 film "A Leave" about laid-off workers, once again focuses on working-class realities in her latest work. This time, she explores the perspective of young people caught in the challenging transition between their school years and the beginning of their professional lives. The film captures the stark contrast as Chang-woo trades his school uniform and classroom friendships for daily commutes to a demanding work environment.
The factory setting presents Chang-woo with harsh realities including tough evaluations from senior colleagues and the constant stress of working in an environment where industrial accidents can have fatal consequences. While Chang-woo silently endures these new challenges, his fellow intern Woo-jae, played by Yang Ji-woon, takes a different approach by abruptly quitting, highlighting how young people respond differently to the same workplace pressures.
"The Final Semester" takes a quiet, observational approach to documenting Chang-woo's daily experiences. The film shows both the difficulties he faces, including criticism from supervisors when he makes mistakes due to inexperience, and the small victories, such as the genuine joy he feels when receiving his first paycheck. This realistic portrayal extends to the film's treatment of industrial accidents, presenting them not as distant news stories but as real dangers that affect actual people in the community.
Speaking at the film's premiere at a Seoul theater, Director Lee explained her motivation for focusing on young workers. "I thought that looking at how the friends or juniors of the deceased young workers are living would be a better way to look at the youth and people who start working at a young age," she said. "Instead of focusing on fatal industrial accidents, I wanted to tell a story that properly looks at the young workers who are still living in the present."
The director made a deliberate choice to avoid creating simple villain characters, particularly when portraying factory supervisors. Rather than presenting them as antagonists, Lee shows them from a worker's perspective, emphasizing that they too are employees dealing with their own workplace constraints. "I didn't want to create a structure where the characters in the film are pitted against good and evil," Lee explained. "Everyone in the film has limitations and is a person who tries their best in their own way."
"The Final Semester" has received significant recognition within South Korea's film industry, winning ten awards at prestigious domestic film festivals. The film's success includes four awards at the 2024 Busan International Film Festival, demonstrating both critical acclaim and industry recognition for its authentic portrayal of young workers' experiences.
The film offers a calm but powerful look at the experiences of those just beginning their working lives, providing warm encouragement to young people facing uncertain futures. By focusing on the present-day reality of young workers rather than sensationalizing workplace tragedies, "The Final Semester" creates space for audiences to understand and empathize with this often-invisible population. The movie is scheduled for nationwide theatrical release on September 3, making this important story accessible to audiences across South Korea.
