It starts as a romcom with an amusing first meeting of the main couple. Cheol (Kim Ju-hun) visits a small food joint owned by Ran (Ryu Hyun-kyung). It occurs that he runs a rival cafe in the neighborhood. But what follows doesn't take a formulaic turn, in which we would observe the cheeky strives leading, through many twists and turns, to the happily-ever-after affectionate union between the former business opponents. Also, Cheol and Ran are both mature people, not a usual couple in their mid-twenties. They get married off-screen, we don't witness their courtship. Though their relationship will be the backbone of the movie. The debuting director Shin Tack-su (with one short under his belt) constructs his modest dramedy on the fundament of shorts, concise dialogues, and anecdotic scenes.
Fairy is screening at Asian Pop Up Cinema
The plot, concealing the title's explanation, is almost just a pretext-one. One day, on a drive back home from a non-alcohol-free get-together, Ran and Cheol hit a boyish-looking man with their car. Panicked and afraid of possible consequences, they take the unconscious, mysterious guy, who carries no ID, to their apartment. When he wakes up, he has an unusual request. He asks them if he could stay with them for a while. They agree and angel-faced Seok (Kim Sin-bi) enters their life. He starts helping in Cheol's restaurant, what suddenly results in a huge business boost. Any guesses who might be the title “fairy”? But do not expect it to be a rags-to-riches tale about a food joint. The “Fairy touch” of Seok exceeds beyond customers' satisfaction. What he really repairs is… Cheol and Ran's relationship. Seok is more a symbolic figure than a real character, used to build a story about a couple's path to mutual respect, apprehending each other's needs and desires, and reaching an agreement upon everyday struggles and misunderstandings. It's also about settling a compromise in a relationship and finding ways to support each other.
The action hardly ever leaves the interiors and most of the scenes don't engage more than 3 characters talking at one time, so it gives a very cozy and indie feel. It could be easily turned into a theatre play. Kim Ju-hun and Ryu Hyun-kyung manage to keep the viewer's attention, although the script doesn't offer them plenty of characterization. Kim Sin-bi as Seok is enjoyably innocent and enigmatic. The very interesting plot point is addressing the economical problems in a relationship, but it seems a bit underdeveloped. Also, the story of Cheol's enlightenment as to his mistakes in his previous marriage deserved more focus.
The run-time closes within just 79 minutes, but the pace is slowing down too much at times, and the movie lacks a smooth flow between the scenes. However, it leaves with a feel-good warmth, and the interactions between Ran and Cheol are intriguing enough to give it a chance.
