by Ambar Chatterjee
“Güle Güle” is a rom-com directed by Ko Bong-soo, whose previous independent features, “Debt” (2023) and “Humidity Alert” (2021), also featured comedy as a recurring and essential element. It effectively holds together the rest of the story elements and adds Ko Bong-soo’s distinctive touch to the scheme of things. His latest film is no different in that regard, as the humour underlines the romance, frustration, helplessness, and ultimately the self-realization of the characters, particularly the trio that loosely forms what can be called a love triangle.
GÜLE GÜLE is screening at San Diego Asian Film Festival
The movie begins by introducing us to Lee Dae-sik (Lee Hee-jun) and Lee Jeong-wha (Seo Ye-wha), who are forced to put up with two extremely annoying individuals in the picturesque country of Türkiye. Dae-sik is on a business trip with his boss, Ko Wan-chang (Jungchun), who literally forces him to spend three days in the country, immersing himself in its history and culture. Jeong-wha is on a trip with her equally irritating husband, Na Byung-sun (Shin Min-jae), whose troubles with drinking and the habit of getting into unnecessary arguments and overanalysing simple situations keep getting on her nerves from the moment they are introduced.
To complicate matters, Dae-sik and Jeong-wha were in a relationship in college, which Jeong-wha unceremoniously ended. Her brutal dismissal of their relationship had a lasting impact on Dae-sik, who has stayed away from women ever since. As the two are forced to spend three days in close proximity and also in the company of people who are driving them to the point of outbursts, things get interesting. They find solace in the last place that they would expect and realize that they may have been wrong to let each other go without giving the relationship a second chance.
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Güle Güle is entirely dependent on two factors for succeeding—the writing and the performance. The writing is fantastic, as both the situations and dialogues envelop your senses and engage you from the get-go. There isn’t anything spectacular happening in the first hour of the story—no rip-roaring gags or disarming romantic exchanges between the protagonists. However, the emotional and mental states of all the characters are painstakingly established through their dialogues and intriguing sequences designed to develop their personalities. All of this could have felt extremely boring if the exchanges weren’t designed so well, didn’t feel so intriguing, or if the subtly quirky comedy hadn’t been addressed with such efficiency.
For much of the first hour, we see Dae-sik endure his boss Wan-chang’s hilarious power games. Similarly, Jeong-wha puts up with Byung-sun’s antics, who constantly embarrasses her in public. These portions are engaging, and the dialogues always build to a satisfying conclusion, documenting both relationships reaching a breaking point. One can clearly notice the frustrations of the two protagonists reaching a crescendo and setting up what was about to happen next.
Almost an hour into the film, you may feel that the director is giving us the same situations and content over and over again, camouflaged in different dressings. However, at this point, the story takes an unexpected turn. After an elaborate and utterly hilarious fight between Dae-sik and Byung-sun, the story enters its most rewarding, adorable, and crucial part. It is here that the self-reflections of Dae-sik and Jeong-wha take centre stage. This is the part that many couples who have fallen out of love but still look back on their past relationship with some fondness will relate to and probably fall in love with the film. The way Bong-soo builds Dae-sik and Jeong-wha up and explains why they behaved in a certain way up to that point is a masterclass in emotional manipulation of the audience, and it works wonders.
The director not only concentrates on the central story but also infuses the narrative with numerous brief exchanges among other characters, executed with such finesse and comic timing that it is bound to leave an impression. One notable sequence is the interaction between the four main characters and the hotel manager. The way he cons them and his mannerisms during these exchanges would amuse most viewers. You’re likely to be tickled by the antics of the Turkish guide who speaks Korean and also by the relentless verbal onslaught of Ko Wan-chang, who ends up being unintentionally funny.
All these elements work so well because of the excellent performances by the ensemble cast. The verbose nature of the first half never becomes tedious due to how endearing the characters are, even the annoying ones. The reflective and poignant dialogue between Lee Dae-sik and Lee Jeong-wha appeals to the viewer’s consciousness so effectively because of how heart-warming their performances are. Every emotion they want the audience to feel is conveyed with the utmost sincerity and organic realism.
The cinematography and background score are key elements that add to the impact and drama of the story. Bong-soo relies heavily on static frames, as his strategy is to capture the audience’s attention through the expressions and mannerisms characterising the emotional states of his actors. This approach demands that the focus remains transfixed on characters as they interact, making static frames the ideal choice. That said, the cinematographer uses wide angles on several occasions to showcase the enchanting landscape of Türkiye in their mesmerising beauty, adding an essential visual element to the film’s impact.
There are two songs in the movie, both of which are disarmingly melodious and meaningful—not just in the context of the film but also in life in general. However, their impact is much more pronounced when experienced alongside the story and the performances.
“Güle Güle” is the kind of film that comes as a welcome break from the large-scale spectacles we’ve grown accustomed to experiencing in theatres. It’s a film that demands complete attention and submission to its storytelling, and it has the quality and heart to earn that dedication. The emotional depth, superb performances, and skilled direction of a relevant and important story make this a rewarding watch.
