A Brand New Life is a 2009 film. It is the debut feature of Ounie Lecomte, who directed and wrote the film. Loosely based on Lecomte's own experience, A Brand New Life is set in Seoul in 1975. The film portrays a girl who is left in a Catholic orphanage by her father and her struggle to adjust to a new life. A Brand New Life was released in South Korea on October 29, 2009. The film grossed over US$167,776 and was well received by critics. It won several awards, such as the Best Asian Film Award at the 22nd Tokyo International Film Festival and the jury award at the 2009 Cinekid Festival in Amsterdam.

Plot

Jin-hee (Kim Sae-ron) is a 9-year-old girl whose father leaves her at an orphanage run by Catholic nuns after remarrying. Before leaving her, her father buys her new clothes and a cake to convince her that she is going on a trip. This coincides with the Korean title, which literally means "traveler" or "tourist". In the orphanage, she tries to come to grips with the abandonment by her father and insecurities about a possible adoption. She gradually makes friendships, although she retains the belief that her father will return to take her back. She struggles, sometimes violently, to adjust to her surroundings and makes a failed attempt to run away from the orphanage. Eventually, Jin-hee is adopted by French parents who are eagerly waiting for her at an airport to meet their new child.

Cast