An Eighty-Four Year Old Youngful Man Lives in the Cabin

A fresh appealing glimpse into both a culture and a poignant time of life, An Eighty-Four Year Old Youngful Man Lives in the Cabin introduces viewers to Jongmin Cho, an elderly Korean man who lives with his 78-year-old wife in a primitive mountain cabin. Together, they brave the harsh winters, gathering brush to repair the roof of their small home, digging potatoes out of their storage place in the ground and cooking simple meals made from their own harvested vegetables. The program flows in an almost meditative fashion. Unpretentious yet seductive in nature, these glimpses into their homespun existence teach viewers much about the couple and their rich traditions. Throughout the program, Jongmin Cho gives a running commentary about his life, an almost stream-of-consciousness narrative forged by his own life experiences. As the couple banters and argues, the familiarity of any two people who’ve lived together for many years emerges. At this film’s quiet close, Jongmin Cho peers out from his winter cabin, leaving viewers with the sense and hope that he is looking forward to his 84th spring. Executive producer Hae In Jin, along with producer/director Hyun Jin Hong and writer Hee Suk Cho, paint a lovely portrait of two people growing old together that transcends time and culture. With its distinctive flavor and effect on the senses, a Peabody is awarded to An Eighty-Four Year Old Youngful Man Lives in the Cabin, for bringing forth the common denominators that link all human beings.