Park Joon-seok

A Normal Family (2023), directed by Park Joon-seok, digs right under the polished surface of what we’re all supposed to call “normal”—and then kicks up the dirt. The movie throws us into the lives of two brothers, both doctors, who seem to have everything sorted out: good jobs, loving families, neat little routines. But hey, nothing’s ever as tidy as it looks on the outside, right? One night, their kids get tangled in a violent incident, and suddenly that shiny family image starts cracking. The brothers and their wives have to make a choice—protect their kids no matter what, or stick to their morals and face the fallout. Yeah, it’s messy. The film’s got this slow-burn tension, building up with every awkward dinner and sideways glance. You feel the pressure, the anxiety, and honestly, you’ll probably start wondering what you’d do in their shoes. There’s no black and white here, just a whole lot of gray. The story pokes at how far people will go for their families, even if it means lying or crossing lines they swore they never would. Park Joon-seok doesn’t hold your hand or spell everything out; he just drops you in and lets you stew in the discomfort. It’s a pretty raw look at family, secrets, and the whole illusion of being “normal.” By the end, you’re left questioning where loyalty ends and selfishness begins.