This movie is really hard to watch. It's one of those stories where things start going wrong right from the beginning, and only proceed to get worse and worse from there. The movie is actually really good. The writing is very witty, and director, Young-Seok Noh has an excellent sense of comedic timing. It's just all so painful to watch our hapless hero, Hyuk-jin, stumble from one disaster, right into another. The basic plot starts with Hyuk-jin right after his girlfriend has dumped him. He's in a deep funk and his friends think he's in need of a little cheering up, so they take him out to the bar, where they all proceed to get rollicking drunk. In a flurry of intoxicated exuberance, the friends make plans to continue this little pep rally the next day at a little countryside resort that one of their cousins runs a few hours drive away. Unfortunately Hyuk-jin doesn't recognize these plans for the drunken puffery they are, and sets off for the bus station the following morning, completely believing that his friends will be waiting for him at the resort. Of course, it's no surprise when none of them are there to meet him when the bus finally gets there. Hyuk-jin is hung-over, awake far too early in the morning, and stranded at a virtually deserted, outdoor bus stop in the middle of rural Korea, in the dead of winter. And, Korea has some of the coldest winters on earth. On top of this, his cell phone reception is pretty spotty. Not a good way to start one's weekend.
All this sounds pretty awful already, but trust me that the story only gets more and more traumatic. Hyuk-jin's biggest problem is that he just keeps trusting people that he really shouldn't—his flaky friends, strangers he meets on the bus, pretty ladies soliciting him for booze money. And they all keep pushing liquor on him. He's already feeling pretty hung- over and queasy, so more alcohol is that last thing Hyuk-jin's in the mood for. Unfortunately, it seems to be the only form of sustenance on offer, no matter where he goes. You read the pain right on his face. Sooner or later, you'd think this guy would learn his lesson, but Hyuk- jin is a romantic at heart, and just can't help looking for the good in people. So, I liked this movie. It's pretty rough going, yes, but sometimes a little dark humor is exactly what I'm in the mood for.
All this sounds pretty awful already, but trust me that the story only gets more and more traumatic. Hyuk-jin's biggest problem is that he just keeps trusting people that he really shouldn't—his flaky friends, strangers he meets on the bus, pretty ladies soliciting him for booze money. And they all keep pushing liquor on him. He's already feeling pretty hung- over and queasy, so more alcohol is that last thing Hyuk-jin's in the mood for. Unfortunately, it seems to be the only form of sustenance on offer, no matter where he goes. You read the pain right on his face. Sooner or later, you'd think this guy would learn his lesson, but Hyuk- jin is a romantic at heart, and just can't help looking for the good in people. So, I liked this movie. It's pretty rough going, yes, but sometimes a little dark humor is exactly what I'm in the mood for.