Da-seul, an outstanding student both in personality and academics, is eighteen this year.
However, she has an unusual quirk—she loves makgeolli (Korean rice wine) so much that
she secretly sips it even at school, carrying it in empty cosmetic bottles. Her family took over a traditional makgeolli brewery when they moved to their current town during her childhood. The brewery is known for sticking to the old-fashioned method of using only yeast, rice, and water, and its flavor is highly praised among the locals. The secret to its taste lies in a mysterious yeast that had been in the brewery since they took over. One day, however, Da-seul undergoes a complete change. The lively, cheerful girl loved by everyone seems to have vanished, and instead, she falls sick, claiming that the yeast has disappeared. Her family insists that the yeast is still there and that it's all just a figment of her imagination, but Da-seul is certain she can feel the absence of the yeast. Determined, she sets out on a quest to find the missing yeast.

The Yeast is a film that embodies Dasul’s faith. When Daseul was a child, her father took over the brewery they now run, and during that process, he happened to receive a mysterious batch of nuruk (fermentation starter-the yeast) of unknown origin. From that moment on, Daseul believed that this nuruk was something truly special—and has held on to that belief ever since. Through the film, I wanted to capture Daseul’s unwavering faith in the nuruk, as well as the reactions of those around her who witness that belief. After the nuruk disappears, Daseul falls into despair and sorrow, questioning whether her faith had been misplaced. However, as the story reaches its end, all doubt and distrust begin to fade, and she comes to realize once again that her belief was not in vain.

2025년 제29회 부천국제판타스틱영화제
2025년 제10회 울산울주세계산악영화제