The South Korean film, "The Hill of Secrets" appears as a straightforward coming-of-age story, but subtly reveals its depth and intricacies. Located in a humble city near Seoul in 1996, the plot orbits around an 11-year old girl named Myeong-eun (Lee Ji-eun). Highly conscious about her image among her peers and teacher, she presents herself in an impressively mature manner.
We witness in the film's opening, Myeong-eun meticulously selecting a present for her school teacher, revealing a capricious side. Displaying remarkable character and practical promises in her run for the class prefect, she even neglects her family chaos to uphold the image of perfection she portrays. Her parents, preoccupied with their own concerns; her father, Seong-ho (Kang Gil-woo), stuck in her mother’s small shop due to unemployment; her mother Kyeong-hee (Jang Sun) constantly juggling her work while favoring her eldest son Min-gyoo (Choi Hyeon-jin) are all plights she conceals from her school environment.
A twist in the tale occurs when a new girl named Hye-jin (Jang Jae-hee) arrives, openly sharing about her modest family background. Hye-jin and her sister's candid, emotive personal essays attract more attention than Myeong-eun's, fanning the flames of her jealousy.
Interestingly, Hye-jin and her sister extend their friendship to Myeong-eun, inadvertently giving her valuable advice about the essence of true writing- being honest between the lines. Encouraged by their unadorned, honest essays, Myeong-eun begins to address her life and family in her writings, taking responsibility for her words and understanding their potential for harm and power.
Under the skilful direction of Lee Ji-eun, other characters around Myeong-eun, initially appearing as oversimplified, evolve into ones texturized with life and personality, lending a human depth to the story.
Despite Myeong-eun's consistent dishonesty, the plot never justifies it, instead allowing space for her moral growth through painful self-acceptance. "The Hill of Secrets" unfolds as an intimate tale about personal development and the ethics of writing, eliciting empathy for Myeong-eun while sensing her growth as an individual and writer.
