South Korean independent film “Don’t Go Back”, which I happened to miss when it was released in local theaters around the end of last year, is a small but interesting test run to watch. Although the result is rather modest on the whole, there are enough substance and spontaneity to support its little two-act comedy drama, and you can clearly sense the considerable potential from its first-time director, who happened to do a lot of things besides directing and co-writing the film.

First, let me give you some background information on the accidental production of the film. When director/co-writer/co-producer Ryu Hyun-kyun worked with her co-star/co-writer Kim Choong-gil during the shooting a little independent film directed by a saxophonist named KimOki, Ryu came to have a little idea for her movie, and she shot what would be the first part of her movie along with Kim while getting some assistance from KimOki and his several cast and crew members. To be frank with you, I really have no idea on how much Kim and Ryu are actually overlapped with their respective fictionalized versions in the film, but I can tell you instead at least that they are instantly spontaneous as clicking well with each other right from the very beginning. Starting from Ryu’s simple story settling, she and Kim improvised in one way or another during their first scene in the film, and their result is fairly fluid on the whole except a few moments of sudden editing.

Anyway, what happens during their scene is gradually amusing for us. As the shooting was wrapped, everyone becomes a bit relaxed, and that is when Kim confesses his growing attraction toward Ryu. While understandably being caught off guard by his confession, Ryu naturally tries to handle their awkward situation as tactfully as possible, but, to her frustration, Ryu remains persistent in his yearning toward her. As they push and pull each other during next several minutes, the movie slowly and deftly builds up its comic momentum, and its two lead performers do not make any misstep at all to the end.

After this effectively humorous setup, the story goes a bit further for extra amusement. Both Ryu and Kim respectively talk about the growing awkwardness between them to several others around them, and this leads to several humorous moments including the one where Kim is surprised to find that there is actually someone really drawn to him from the beginning. Needless to say, the mood becomes awkward between them, and then we get some little laugh as observing how these two characters come to lean on each other as sharing more of their respective romantic frustration.

And then the movie moves forward to several months later. After getting more frustrated with how his acting career has been going nowhere, Kim eventually decides to quit acting, and then he goes down to Busan for getting a job at some local clothing shop. Although he is willing to experience and learn more about business, he only comes to show how awkward he is as a salesman, and his employer decides to let him go in the end.

Meanwhile, Ryu also comes to Busan for her own reason. She is asked to do a little private lecture in front of the cast members of a little independent film made by one of her old colleagues, and she is initially willing to answer anything, but the situation becomes quite embarrassing for her as most of the cast members turns out to be pretty rude or inattentive. At least, one of them shows some respect and manner to her, and this figure generously invites her to a little jazz performance to be held in the following evening.

It is not much of a spoiler to tell you that Ryu and Kim eventually come across each other at that evening performance, but the movie does not hurry itself and its two main characters at all. We see them wandering around the beach area of Busan, but they somehow do not encounter each other without noticing anything at all, and they are genuinely surprised when they come to spot each other in the middle of the performance.

The story subsequently culminates to another private conversation between them. Mainly because there is not any regret or bitterness between them now, Kim and Ryu become more comfortable with each other than before, and they are all the more amused when there turns out to be something common between them. The movie remains open and uncertain about whatever will happen next between them, but now we sense some real connection between them, and that touchingly resonates with a song performed around the end of the evening concert. Again, Ryu and Kim ably complement each other with their distinctive personalities, and they are also supported well by several main cast members including Kim Mu-geon, Shin Min-jae, and KimOki, who also participated in the production of the film besides handling one of the substantial supporting roles in the film.

In conclusion, “Don’t Go Back” is a solid directorial debut for Ryu, who has been mainly known for appearing a number of notable South Korean movies and TV dramas for many years. I must confess that I have not paid much attention to her, but the movie shows that she is an engaging actress as well as a competent filmmaker, and I will surely see more of her considering how she keeps going even at this point. In fact, she also founded a distribution company for herself just for distributing her movie, and it will be really interesting to see the next steps in her multi-faceted career.