The President's Barber

I’ve never watched Forrest Gump myself, so despite hearing the similarities, it’s hard to picture them. What I realized from The President’s Barber, however, was that Song Kang-ho’s character Han-mo definitely did not belong. Like in The Host, his character was a little simpleminded. When he was a regular barber he had a normal life, but had no status, reputation or whatsoever. However, when one day Han-mo somehow ended up as the president’s barber, it was not hard to tell that from that day onwards, his life would changed forever. He was able to travel to the United States with the president, just because he was the president's barber. People would ask him for favours, and he was highly respected amongst friends and family. However, with a reputation comes equal stress. He struggled to play by the rules of his new life, and his son was tortured along the way. The President seemed like a normal person, getting his beard shaved and his hair cut, just like every other man in this world, but when standing next to Han-mo, he was someone who had more power and reputation than anyone else in Korea. This contrast between Han-mo and the president is what made this movie so interesting, because it’s least expected. Don’t presidents have high-class designated specialists as their barbers? 

Nevertheless, in the end the president was assassinated and when Han-mo was asked to return to the presidential palace to become the barber of the new president, Han-mo refused. Maybe he thought that being the president’s barber one time was enough: yes, he gained reputation, but lost his dignity along the way. He was there when the government needed him, but where was the government when his son was taken and tortured?