Written, directed and edited by Steven Whatmough, who also stars as protagonist Nam-Hong, The Korean from Seoul is predominantly weird, but strangely wonderful nonetheless.
The film isn’t particularly concerned with whether or not you can follow the plot, launching us in without any preamble. Nam-Hong arrives in Australia and is hired as the head of security for an export company. The comedic element of the film largely come from finding humour in the ridiculousness, and at times problematic, nature of corporations. This works well, despite the overwhelming strangeness of the film. Whatmough shows evidence of amusing observations in his writing as the head of Chandlerdale Exports, William, asks how a violent intruder in the office might be dealt with, to which Nam-Hong replies that he would tell them that their ‘frame of mind isn’t really suitable for our working conditions’.
The corporate videos/ adverts are a good addition and help string the sporadic narrative together. One of the funniest moments of the film is an advert for some kind of security box, where every word under the sun is used to describe the product and its features without ever actually explaining what it does. Whatmough makes good use of graphics, animation and green-screens too. Even though the film still has a very indie feel, this doesn’t compromise the enjoyment. For example, the fight scene staged on top of a train obviously doesn’t look realistic, but somehow it works with the general atmosphere.
There are some really good moments of editing from Whatmough, and his performance as the quiet, drunk protagonist is fitting. Ben Carew, as the head of the company, is convincing and captures the essence of the middle aged white man in a way that is at times shocking and also humorous.
I can’t help but wonder if the whole film is a drunken fever dream from Nam-Hong’s perspective as he fights a bunch of cereal smugglers on the top of the train. There are some quite poignant observations about race, including a particularly interesting deconstruction of the ideology of the ‘foreigner’. However, these do risk being lost to a general confusion.
Indeed, the weirdness of The Korean from Seoul is part of its charm, but the film could benefit from a little more clarity and a better pace in areas. Some people will love it, and some people will hate it – like Marmite… or Vegemite (since this is an Australian film).
Watch the trailer below.