One of South Korean cinema’s most quietly influential films is heading back to the big screen. Jeong Jae-eun’s Take Care of My Cat is officially getting a 25th anniversary theatrical re-release in North America in summer 2026, after distributor Kani Releasing secured the rights from Barunson E&A.
For longtime fans — and a new generation of viewers — the announcement marks a rare chance to rediscover a film that captured a turning point in Korean society with remarkable sensitivity.
A Coming-of-Age Story That Still Feels Timely
Released in 2001, Take Care of My Cat follows five close friends in the year after their high school graduation, as adulthood slowly pulls them in different directions. What begins as shared optimism soon gives way to economic pressure, class divides, and personal disillusionment.
The ensemble cast includes:
- Lee Yo-won as Hae-joo, working at a brokerage firm and adjusting to corporate life
- Ok Ji-young as Ji-young, an aspiring artist caring for her grandparents while dreaming of studying abroad
- Bae Doona, in an early breakout role as Tae-hee, an unconventional young woman who forms a bond with a poet living with cerebral palsy
- Lee Eun-sil and Lee Eun-ju as twins Bi-ryu and Ohn-jo, who face discrimination because of their Chinese heritage
At the emotional center of the story is Tee-tee the cat, whose quiet presence becomes the fragile thread still holding the group together as their lives drift apart.
Incheon, Globalisation, and Growing Up Too Fast
Shot in Incheon, an industrial port city transformed by South Korea’s rapid entry into global markets, the film subtly reflects the anxieties of a country changing faster than its youth can keep up with. School offered equality and shared routine — adulthood offers competition, hierarchy, and unequal opportunity.
Over time, the film has come to be regarded as a landmark of Korean independent cinema, praised for its honest portrayal of female friendship, class struggle, and the emotional cost of social mobility.
Director Jeong Jae-eun has often spoken about the importance of releasing the film at the dawn of the new millennium, saying she wanted to show women’s lives and experiences that she hadn’t seen represented on screen before.
Why the Re-Release Matters Now
Despite its reputation, Take Care of My Cat has had very limited exposure in North America since a small theatrical run more than two decades ago. The upcoming anniversary release aims to correct that — placing the film back into cultural conversation where it arguably belongs.
Kani Releasing’s co-founder and artistic director described the film as foundational to the company’s vision, comparing its sense of time and place to the works of Edward Yang — a story deeply rooted in its city, yet universal in emotion.
Ahead of the wider re-release, the film will screen this month at Metrograph in New York City as part of a special Bae Doona career retrospective, further building momentum around its return.
A Legacy That Keeps Growing
Since Take Care of My Cat, Bae Doona has gone on to become one of Korea’s most internationally recognised actors, while the film itself has continued to gain appreciation through festival screenings and critical reassessments. It previously screened at the International Film Festival Rotterdam and New Directors/New Films, gaining sleeper-hit status long after its original release.
The re-release also reflects Kani Releasing’s mission to broaden North American access to Asian cinema — not just new works, but overlooked classics that shaped generations of filmmakers and audiences.
Final Words
Twenty-five years later, Take Care of My Cat hasn’t lost its relevance — if anything, its themes of uncertainty, economic pressure, and drifting friendships feel even sharper today. Its return to theaters isn’t just nostalgic; it’s necessary.
For viewers who missed it the first time — and those ready to see it again — summer 2026 will offer a rare chance to experience one of Korean cinema’s most tender, truthful films the way it was meant to be seen.
