Introduction (2022) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The film alternates between Korea and Berlin. Korea features a traditional medical waiting room and a seaside restaurant, representing family ties and cultural expectations. Berlin's cosmopolitan streets serve as a backdrop for artistic aspiration and cross-cultural encounters, highlighting the contrast between the characters' homeland roots and new opportunities abroad.

• korea
• berlin
• setting
• locations
• cross-cultural

Young-ho travels to Berlin to visit his estranged father, seeking connection and a sense of belonging. His trip is also driven by his artistic aspirations, as the arrival of a famous actor connected to his family stirs his interest in pursuing an acting path. The journey represents his attempt to bridge family distance while exploring his own ambitions.

• young-ho
• berlin
• father
• acting
• ambition
• family

The cross-cultural theme examines how characters navigate between Korean identity and life abroad. Ju-won's stay with her mother's artist friend in Berlin demonstrates how diaspora connections shape identity and choice. Travel and foreign spaces test characters' loyalties, adaptability, and personal growth, showing how living between two cultures creates both opportunity and tension.

• cross-cultural
• berlin
• diaspora
• identity
• ju-won
• artist

The Old Actor is a famous performer connected to Young-ho's family who acts as a bridge between past and present. His presence stirs memories and questions of mentorship, while also testing familial approval and the costs of success. He represents the tension between artistic achievement and personal relationships, and influences Young-ho's aspirations toward acting.

• old actor
• ju-bong gi
• mentorship
• fame
• young-ho

The memory and illusion theme explores how imagined encounters and memories blur with present events, particularly in the beach scene that rekindles old ties. Characters wrestle with what is real versus what is remembered, shaping decisions about love, art, and family. The ocean setting reinforces introspection and the fragile boundary between dream and reality.

• memory
• illusion
• beach
• dream
• reality
• ocean

The ambition and fame theme follows how characters pursue acting and recognition. The arrival of the famous actor stirs Young-ho toward an acting path and tests familial approval, sacrifice, and the costs of success. The film examines how ambition can reshape relationships while offering a sense of belonging through artistry.

• ambition
• fame
• acting
• success
• young-ho
• family

Young-ho's father is a doctor named Young-ho Kim who remains in Berlin. His estrangement from Young-ho sets the emotional backdrop of the story, creating a pervasive sense of longing. His past choices and professional distance color Young-ho's path and longing for reconciliation, representing the tension between family expectations and personal dreams.

• father
• doctor
• estrangement
• family
• berlin
• young-ho

Ju-won is a fashion student visiting Berlin with her mother who hopes to study in Germany. She considers ways to secure the means to do so, testing her loyalty and independence. Through her connection with a local artist who offers her a place to stay, she navigates the tension between her Korean roots and her aspirations for a future abroad.

• ju-won
• fashion student
• berlin
• study abroad
• artist

Korea anchors the story in family ties, cultural expectations, and traditional settings like the medical waiting room and seaside restaurant. Berlin represents artistic aspiration, cosmopolitan freedom, and cross-cultural encounters. The contrast between these settings highlights the characters' inner tensions, family obligations versus personal dreams, heritage versus new beginnings.

• korea
• berlin
• contrast
• setting
• cultural expectations

The seaside restaurant back in Korea provides a reflective, intimate space that punctuates the emotional arc. It serves as a place where characters confront memories and rekindle old ties, aligning with the memory and illusion theme. The ocean setting reinforces introspection and the fragile boundary between dream and reality, making it a key location for emotional revelation.

• seaside restaurant
• ocean
• memory
• reflection
• korea