Padak is beautiful and cruel, sad and lively. Planned in 2007, this feature-length CG animation film shares the realistic trend of the recent Korean animation, but manages not to lose the delicate sensibility inherent to animation. The world seen by the live fish in the water tank of a sushi restaurant shows the stifling modern city life of people who live according to set rules. The fish do not know when their life would end, and the power game and conflicts created in small tank provide interesting allegories. The unique characters tailored for a mackerel, flatfish and bass add funny and moving stories. The fish’s movement and water texture enhance the true beauty of animation. Also, musical-style scenes that appear at intervals display a feast of colors and lines flowing across the screen with sorrowful music, as if to console the exhausted life of city people.

Director: Dae-hee Lee