As far as artistic ventures go, “Log in Belgium” does have a distinct advantage at being fairly unique. Flanked by the backdrop of COVID, it instantly stands out and evokes the audience's own memories of the 2020 lockdowns, as well as the way the world seemingly suddenly stood still. It is unlikely to steal headlines, nor is this particular type of feature for everyone, but Teo Yoo's directorial debut is nonetheless intriguing, and deserves a fair degree of praise for its outside the box thinking.
“Log in Belgium” is screening at the Florence Korea Film Festival
The film begins with a Tsai Min Liang quote: “When a person is lonely, the person becomes real. Real to be oneself.” This is, in many ways, an encapsulation of the first 40 minutes of proceedings, where we venture into actor Teo Yoo's newfound loneliness in his Antwerp-based isolation. Accompanied by an alter ego of himself, who functions as someone who gives both advice and, at times, almost interviews the movie's subject, it is a rather intriguing way of shaping this type of seclusion. From there, we see him tussle with authenticity, privilege and melancholy all while the world remains stuck in its own bubble of quarantine.
To his credit, Teo Yoo manages to pull off a thought-provoking feature which smartly avoids self-indulgence. The viewer can feel his pain, even if they cannot necessarily relate to it, and the actor garners a fair degree of sympathy from his hotel life. Even simple things, like lining up Haribos to make them look like a concert audience, make sense in the overall narrative, and serve a necessary purpose as the brisk, one hour runtime passes by.
Continuing, while Teo Yoo ponders an absence of melancholy from cinema, and expresses a want for a film that can “show sadness and beauty at the same time,” he himself ends up striking that astute balance when the scenery moves from the desolate, lonely Antwerp into the normality of Seoul. For the remainder of the movie, we see a man in his comfort zone, surrounded by friends, associates and one other part of his life he deeply missed, work. The mixing of a drop of blood is traded for award wins, while the empty supermarket shelves and meals for one are swapped with feasts surrounded by family. The fine equilibrium between pain and jubilation is shown succinctly, which ultimately allows for a much more engaging, uplifting release.
While not much can be said about the acting given this is a documentary style release, Teo Yoo still deserves praise for the subtlety of his performance in certain areas, such as when he depicts an alter ego, or his own wounded self. He is clearly at home on screen, and nothing about the film suggests otherwise.
Similarly, technical plaudits should be given for the brisk, sharp editing, as well as the rustic cinematography. It all feels real (because it was), and the absence of glamour becomes a real selling point here. Buoyed by a carefully placed soundtrack, which complements the more atmospheric sounds of day-to-day life, Teo Yoo's movie really thrives in this area.
Overall, “Log In Belgium” is a smartly developed, excellently executed project which shows that there is plenty of beauty in lower budget affairs, and that sometimes all you need is a smartphone to capture your vision. Showing melancholy and beauty, just as he wanted, Teo Yoo crafts something well worth attention.