Although there are many independent Korean films playing at the domestic film festivals, very few get a theatrical release or become available through DVD. One such success from last year was the debut feature of Noh Young-seok, DAYTIME DRINKING. And this really is Noh’s film: he is the director, writer, cinematographer, editor, art director and musical composer. The film debuted at the Jeonju film festival in May 2008, traveled to many international festivals, including Toronto, and then had a brief theatrical run in Korea last February. It is now available on DVD and became a small cult hit through word of mouth. Although often billed as a comedy, it is peculiar kind of humour that has become more popular in the last decade. Similar to the more familiar black comedy, it is what we may call uncomfortable or awkward comedy, a form made popular in the West by TV shows such as THE OFFICE and CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM. Much of the humour of DAYTIME DRINKING derives from the socially tense moments the lead character encounters. In its small and understated way, the movie is a kind of horror film as much as a quirky comedy.

The story revolves around Hyuk-Jin, a recent university graduate who has just been dumped by his long-time girlfriend. His friends suggest a trip from Seoul to Gangwon province in order to cheer him up. However, his three friends do not show up and he is alone in this unfamiliar territory. The rest of the story involves various misadventures that turn his journey into a kind of psycho-sexual nightmare, complete with strange coincidences and characters acting as almost symbolic punishment for Hyuk-Jin’s sexual desire. The everyday nature of the story contrasts dramatically with the exaggerated situations and characters that he has to face. The film it reminded me of the most was one of Martin Scorsese’s smaller and lesser known works, AFTER HOURS (1985). In that film, the lead character has a horrible night of adventures in the Soho district of New York after meeting an attractive woman in a cafe. The setting of DAYTIME DRINKING is the complete opposite, but for someone from Seoul (he lives in Jamsil even), the countryside setting of this film is just as foreign and dangerous. And, oddly enough, just as compelling and attractive because of that danger. Despite all he goes through, the film ends with Hyuk-Jin getting another invitation from an attractive woman to join her on a trip. The metaphor for being a young single man seems very clear: endless possibilities and endless danger, the absolute freedom of masculine adventure and the constant threat of symbolic (and maybe even literal) castration.

Stylistically, the film is in many ways what you would expect from a first-time feature. There is a great deal of experimentation with cinematic technique, producing a style that is highly varied. I think this is a positive, however. Unlike the many “independent” American films, there is a real sense that director Noh is constantly thinking what style to use for each sequence and not dismissing any stylistic approach that may work. Early in the narrative, there is a great deal of quick cutting, especially the opening conversation between the four friends. But as the narrative progresses further and further away from his comfort zone, the style varies. First, while waiting in his hotel room alone, there are a number of jump cuts.

As the story advances and Hyuk-Jin encounters different people, the editing often slows down and consists of many longer takes. This adds an element of realism, but also a degree of entrapment as well. As an audience, when you expect an edit, especially after a film has established faster editing as a norm, the withholding of a cut creates unease. Thus, surprisingly enough, the long takes become rather subjective, reflecting Hyuk-jin’s mental state.

Thus, although the subject matter is very reminiscent of recent American indies, the style is closer to the spirit of the French New Wave, with moments of rapid quick cutting and long stretches of single takes. Overall, the film is too slight to be considered a truly great work, but it is a very impressive first film and Noh is a filmmaker that hopefully will get the chance to make and distribute more movies in the coming years.

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