Seven years after debuting with “A Day” (2017), Cho Sun-ho presents his second feature. This time, however, he decided to direct a romantic comedy rather than a thriller. A remake of the Taiwanese “Hear Me” (2009), “Hear Me: Our Summer” premiered at the 29th Busan International Film Festival and was screened at the 54th International Film Festival Rotterdam.
Though his college life has ended, Yong-jun (Hong Kyung) finds himself at a loss, without a clear goal to pursue. Pressured by his mother (Jung Hye Young), he reluctantly takes up a part-time job delivering lunch boxes. While working, he meets Yeo-reum (Roh Yoon-seo) and instantly falls in love with her. While their relationship is developing timidly, Yeo-reum’s younger sister, Ga-eul (Kim Min-ju), cheers them on.
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At its core, “Hear Me: Our Summer” is a story of love, youth, and personal growth. Underlining the value of empathy and understanding, the story traces the characters’ transformation from being passive and uncertain to a more active approach towards life. Blending elements of drama, comedy, romance, and coming-of-age movies, Sun-ho also tackles a rarely depicted topic in cinema – the experiences of people with hearing loss. The story is simple and heartwarming for the most part, but the ending may be considered a let-down, as it follows the trope of a man undergoing trials to “earn” a woman’s affection.
As most of the dialogue is in Korean Sign Language, body language becomes a key element of communication, making the cinematography even more important than usual. Using vibrant colours that capture the essence of summer, the visuals create a cosy, sun-soaked atmosphere. Complementing this warmth is a charming, playful score that highlights the silliness and lightness of certain scenes without feeling intrusive, as it also leaves a lot of space for ambient sounds. One standout scene happens in a club, where the absence of music is contrasted with a “loud” visual layer, demonstrating that deaf individuals enjoy life and leisure just like anyone else.
The chemistry between Hong Kyung and Roh Yoon-seo is apparent, as they aptly impersonate infatuated people. The always present doubts, the awkward silence while hanging out, the honest smiles while reading messages from each other – all the typical things teenagers do when making first steps in romantic relationships. The only thing one could have a gripe with is that the characters are not, in fact, teenagers. After learning their precise age, their actions feel a bit out of place. While Yeo-reum’s social awkwardness may be attributed to certain sacrifices for her sister’s career, Yong-jun, who seemingly finished studies during which he “mostly hung out with friends”, appears overly immature.
The film’s most interesting element is the portrayal of deaf people. Although the lives of people with disabilities, including those with hearing impairment, improved in South Korea over the years, they still face prejudice and other difficulties. Due to the stigma they frequently experience, deaf people are excluded from popular social and cultural events. Cultural representation is an important factor in the context of accepting diversity, and “Hear Me: Our Summer”, despite maintaining a rather light and charming tone, does not refrain from showing the unpleasant experiences of this group of people. Even though its ending is underwhelming, one can hope that Sun-ho’s work will help to change the stereotypical thinking.
