During the 2026 Lunar New Year season in Seoul, Ozu Yasujiro’s 1959 masterpiece Good Morning (Ohayo) returned to theaters. Known for his "tatami shots," Ozu is celebrated for a style that contemplates life through fixed low-angle cameras, restrained editing, and repetitive daily dialogues. Unlike Akira Kurosawa, who depicted grand history and passion, Ozu captured the lives of common people with a minimalist eye. Good Morning is a vivid manifestation of this aesthetic.
The setting is a newly developed suburban housing complex in 1950s Tokyo. The film unfolds through the landscapes of narrow alleys where small misunderstandings and rumors drift between tightly packed houses. Children play pranks on their way to school and gather at a neighbor's house after class to watch sumo wrestling on television. Their longing for modern gadgets reflects the rapid modernization and the dawn of a consumer society in Japan.
At the heart of the story are two brothers, Minoru and Isamu, who desperately want a "TV." When their father sternly refuses, the children rebel by pointing out the emptiness of formal adult greetings and choosing silence. After watching the film, the title Good Morning takes on a deeply symbolic meaning. Are these ritualistic greetings merely empty hypocrisies? Through the lens of 1958 Japan, Ozu explores the warmth of neighborhood bonds and the essential role of social etiquette.
The film masterfully depicts the social shifts of the late 1950s. As people moved from crowded downtown Tokyo to large-scale public housing (Danchi), a new class of consumers emerged, seeking the "Three Sacred Treasures": the black-and-white TV, washing machine, and refrigerator. A line from a local bar—"Is TV the trend now? It's going to turn the entire nation into idiots"—captures the era's anxiety regarding the explosion of mass media.
Cinematically, Good Morning remains captivating. The low-positioned camera stares at the space from the characters' eye level, and the actors speak directly toward the front, creating an intimate connection. The "ma" (void or space) between events allows the audience to reflect and organize their emotions. This aesthetic, built on the repetition of daily life rather than flashy devices, is the core of Ozu’s power.
In an age dominated by smart devices and streaming, revisiting this work provides a peculiar resonance. The sky is clear, and the neighborhood is peaceful. Within that tranquility, Ozu quietly asks: "Good Morning?" ★★★★ By Jae-hwan Park, Seoul (2026)
