"The Sentiment Film: Minari" by Monica Koh

The Story of a Korean Family Looking for the American Dream

Minari is a widely acclaimed film, proving its potential with nominations for six categories at the Academy Awards. This film was originally based on a true story about Director Lee Isaac Chung, a second generation immigrant from Korea to America. Through his film, he shares sentimental memories of his childhood as a young Korean-American boy. 

The movie portrays a Korean-American family who moves to the outskirts of Arkansas so that the father can make his dream of running a farm come true. On the other hand, his wife always wants to put the family first over work. There is also the grandmother who agrees to move to the U.S. to help take care of her grandchildren. As the family starts their new lives in a small wheeled house in Arkansas, they face many challenges: their children face racial discrimination from their peers, unfortunate mishaps prevent the father’s farming business from succeeding, and the loving grandmother suddenly falls ill. Despite these hardships, the film illustrates how the family sticks together through time and time again.

Minaris Bloom Everywhere

Although minaris are not well-known plants in America, they are very common in South Korea. In the movie, the grandmother plants minaris that she brought from Korea. Unlike other plants that need excessive pampering, minaris do not need much attention to grow. One perspective is that the minari plant is a symbolic figure to represent Korean Americans and other immigrants who succeed even if they do not start out with the best conditions. Just as the minari easily grows without needing much care, immigrants begin their life with minimal privilege. Then, they succeed at blossoming into strong figures.

The United States is a land of opportunity for many immigrants, allowing for a chance to obtain the American Dream. Minari is just one depiction of millions of stories about what the American Dream means to foreigners. In a land of mixed cultures and races being created as a new scene of life, stories like the one in Minari continue to inspire new generations and remind immigrants of their humble roots.