Singing with Angry Bird
Jae-Chang Kim is a temperamental Korean opera singer known as Angry Bird. He started a children’s choir in the slums of the Indian city of Pune. The choir changed the lives of children: it gave them self-confidence and structure, and for some, the opportunity to visit Korea. But much to Angry Bird’s frustration, many parents aren’t convinced of the choir’s value. The film follows him as he attempts to organize a joint concert with the parents and their children—a project that often drives him to despair, because parents having trouble making ends meet will always choose work. Nevertheless, music provides a vibrant contrast to life in the slums. It moves both the parents and children, and brings them closer together in the process.
Hyewon Jee works has worked in the Korean television industry since 1995 as a commissioning editor for a nationwide broadcasting network. In 2008, she established a production company, Upright Media, with her partner, Wooyong Song. She has produced and directed many TV documentaries about culture, history, and human interest stories, and won numerous awards. Singing with Angry Bird is her first feature documentary.
