Daytime Drinking (2008)

Hey Guys!
So today I have a lovely review for you all from Aidy over at Aidy’s Reviews! I posted a book review for him this week of My Soul to Save by Racel Vincent. Go check it out! =D
Hope you like this review!

Daytime Drinking, 2008
Director/writer: Young-Seok Noh
 3.5 OUT OF 5 STARS

Daytime Drinking (Najsul) is a film teeming with Korean social courtesies that it isn’t any wonder why Hyuk-jin (Sam-dong Dong) finds himself in the strangest predicaments. Hyuk is in poor spirits after the love of his life broke up with him. A few of his friends decided to take him out to help him relieve his memories of her by a night of drinking—a lot of drinking, mainly Soju, a popular Korean alcoholic beverage (ranges from 25-30% up to 45% proof) and a hot meal. Thereafter, they all agreed to take a trip to the neighboring Provence of Gangweon, where a friend of a friend has a guest house for them to stay and they can spend more time there well, drinking and eating.

Hyuk-jin was reluctant to go in the beginning, but he decided to make the trip went anyway, however, his friends were nowhere to be found. They were hung-over from the previous night and conveniently forgot about their planned excursion. One of his friends insisted that he wait for him at a guest house until he was able to meet him there.

He set out to enjoy the trip on his own.

What follows Hyuk-jin are a series of misadventures and misunderstandings. When he arrived at what he believed to be the residence of the inhospitable host his friend suggested, he meets a beautiful acquaintance–who eventually drugs and robs him; a creepy truck driver who has a problem with “personal boundaries; ” an enthusiastic poet who chokes him while he slept and; one too many bottles of soju.

Daytime Drinking is director, writer Young-Seok Noh’s first film and clever at depicting minimalist drama with freckles of comedic anecdotes that are quite understandably “realistic” and seemingly personable. Who hasn’t at one time or another been “stood-up” by the best friend or for that matter, a group of friends? Or who hasn’t been lured into buying a drink or two for a pretty lady? The movie doesn’t insinuate that Hyuk’s is headed towards any danger at all–just a guy who finds himself in one way or the other in awkward situations.

Being torn apart by his recent breakup, Hyuk-jin, and perhaps like many others who may have found themselves in similar situations, has turned to alcohol and the comfort of a close circle of friends to overcome his grief. Little did he know that the same people who he felt should have his back to rebound from his loss, ended up abandoning him all the same–in a manner of speaking that is? In this film, it seems that Korean drinking etiquette–never refusing the offer of first drink—may have been the culprit.

Never matter the drinking bit of it, being neglected still hurts. Add in some incredibly impressive, cinematic extraordinary, also the original musical score all by Young-Seok Noh. What presents are soliloquies of reflective events for viewers to ponder and perhaps take Hyuk-jin’s hard won lessons to heart.

In the end, just as he was coming to the realization that his drinking was the source of his problems, he found himself yet again in a situation where another pretty face just might be the end of him. Overall, Daytime Drinking is another brilliant Korean comedy that is surprisingly enjoyable to watch.