Mink Coat (2011 Film)

Mink Coat (Korean: 밍크코트; RR: Mingkeu Koteu), also known by its English title Jesus Hospital, is a 2011 South Korean drama film directed by Shin A-ga and Lee Sang-cheol. The film explores complex family dynamics, religious tension, and end-of-life decisions.

Promotional poster for the film Mink Coat.

Plot

Hyun-soon (Hwang Jung-min) works as a milk delivery person to support her family. She harbors a secret known only to her pregnant daughter, Soo-jin, and her mother, who lies in a coma in the hospital. When her siblings propose removing their mother from life support, Hyun-soon vehemently opposes the decision. As family tensions rise, the siblings suspect that Hyun-soon has joined a religious cult, leading them to exclude her from family discussions. The situation escalates as Soo-jin aligns with her mother, creating a deep rift within the family.

Actress Hwang Jung-min — Hwang Jung-min, who portrays the lead character Hyun-soon.

Production and Release

The film was written by Shin A-ga and produced by Lee Sang-cheol. It had its world premiere on October 8, 2011, at the 16th Busan International Film Festival. The film was released theatrically in South Korea on January 12, 2012. It features a runtime of 91 minutes.

Actress Han Song-hee — Han Song-hee, who plays the role of Soo-jin.

Actress Kim Mi-hyang — Kim Mi-hyang, who plays Myung-soon.

Actor Lee Jong-yoon — Lee Jong-yoon, who plays Joon-ho.

Reception and Awards

Mink Coat received critical recognition at several film festivals. At the 16th Busan International Film Festival, the film won the DGK Award for Best Actress (shared by Hwang Jung-min and Han Song-hee) and the Citizen Reviewers' Award. It also won the Grand Prize at the 37th Seoul Independent Film Festival. In 2012, the film was honored with the Best New Director award at the Korean Association of Film Critics Awards.

Film scene from Mink Coat — A scene from the film.

Q&A session for the film — A Q&A session held in Daegu, South Korea, in 2012.