Daytime Drinking

Naj Sul
Daytime Drinking

South Korea 2008

directed by
Noh Young-Seok

screenplay
Noh Young-Seok

cinematography
Noh Young-Seok

music
Noh Young-Seok

editing
Noh Young-Seok

cast
Song Sam-Dong, Yuk Sang-Yeop, Kim Kang-Hee, Lee Lan-Hee, Shin Un-Seop, Tak Sueng-Jun

producer
Noh Young-Seok
production
Stonework

world sales
Finecut
4F, Incline Bldg., 891-37
Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu
Seoul, Korea T 822-569-8777
F 822-569-9466
E cineinfo@finecut.co.kr

format
35 mm, barvni/colour

running time
116'

»Things are completely different if you look at them through the bottom of a glass,« is what this filmic drinking odyssey seems to be communicating at first sight. But the question is whether or not its protagonist, Hyuk-Jin, who has just broken up with his girlfriend and is in need of cheering up, is aware of this. His friends convince him to leave in the morning for a small country town where a festival is underway, but the night, having taken its toll on them, causes Hyuk-Jin to end up there the following day alone. The festival has ended and the town has been abandoned. There follows a number of bizarre situations, strange encounters and, of course, endless amounts of traditional Korean rice brandy.

Noh Young-Seok created a Jarmuschian minimalist road film with a bit of Korean spice to it. Although this is a low-budget film, it has been hailed as a revival of Korean independent film production. The filmmaker managed to intertwine a humorous drinking trip with the unique Korean drinking culture, the winter landscape in remote places and a few strange eccentric characters. The film is distinguished by a light story and elaborate cinematography, while the protagonist's rhythm is dictated by the minimalist jazz guitar riff, which is also the work of the director.

While his inability to refuse an offered drink keeps involving Hyuk-Jin in strange and sometimes quite dangerous situations, the path of endless drinking and sobering up acquires new dimensions. Alcohol may be the cause of the consequent comedy of errors, but its ending lies in the hands of the main character. The film, which seems comical at first sight due to its unpretentious humour, deals in its more subtle tones with a more serious topic.

»Daytime Drinking is a simple story about a trip, some women and drinking. It's up to you to fill in the rest.« (Noh Young-Seok)

Noh Young-Seok

Noh Young-Seok was born in 1976 in Seoul, South Korea. He graduated from Seoul National University, where he majored in ceramic art. In 2008, he made his debut feature Daytime Drinking, which soon hit international film festivals and was awarded in Jeonju and Locarno. With his small story, he has earned acclaim as of one of the most promising younger Korean independent filmmakers.

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»Daytime Drinking is a simple story about a trip, some women and drinking. It's up to you to fill in the rest.« (Noh Young-Seok)