Review of Seoul Vibe: entertaining, fashionable, and fun

The movie, which was directed by Moon Hyun-sung, centres on a group of friends who are sent on a perilous expedition.

Story:

The movie, which takes place in 1988 in Korea, centres on Park Dong-wook and his friends who get themselves into trouble while tasked with spying on a few powerful people and gathering data on slush funds held by the prior government.

Review:

The most recent Korean action comedy on Netflix, Seoul Vibe, is a fast-moving comedy with elements of various Hollywood action movies, most notably the Fast and the Furious franchise. But this movie’s “rooted” plot is what makes it entertaining and compelling. The entire action and drama takes place in Korea in the 1980s, a time when the nation was not only hosting the biggest sporting event in history but was also experiencing a period of social and political upheaval. The movie, which was directed by Moon Hyun-sung, contains thrilling chase scenes, gorgeous graphics, excellent performances, a terrific music, and it’s also a little bit absurd.

A talented driver named Park Dong-wook and his travelling buddy Joon-ki arrive in Seoul at the beginning of the movie after finishing a job that involved moving weapons through Saudi Arabia. Dong-wook longs to visit the United States, but his plans are derailed when a prosecutor threatens to imprison him for engaging in illicit activity. He does, however, promise Dong-wook and his gang a US visa if he is successful in learning about the billion-dollar slush fund that the previous administration has been hoarding. They need to win over General Lee, Chairwoman Kang In-right-hand sook’s man, and other key members of the underground economy before they can do this. The gang chooses to undertake this dangerous task.

The highlight of the film is its characters. Yoo Ah-in’s Dong-wook believes he is the best driver in the world. When he returns to his homeland, he realises that his neighbourhood has been destroyed in the name of “maintenance”. But this hardly matters to him since he was never too interested in politics nor social welfare. All he cares about is relocating to the US and participating in a racing tournament. Lee Kyu-hyung’s Bok-Nam is the funniest of them all. He is an unlicensed taxi driver who is Dong-Wook’s most trusted friend. Oh Woo-sam aka John is played by the charming Go Kyung-pyo. He is a DJ and is extremely popular among women. Park Ju-hyun plays Park Yoon-hee, Dong-wook’s younger sister who is the leader of a biking club in Seoul. She is confident, flirtatious and playful. Ong Seong-wu’s Joon-ki is the youngest in the group who is a mechanic. These five characters and their friendship keep the film going.