The Day he Arrives
(Book chon bang hyang)

While South Korea mass produces action films, Hong Sang-soo
makes film after film (four over the last two years) which invariably
use the same material: meals washed down with soju, tormented
and indecisive artists, unhappy love affairs. These films are almost a
genre in their own right – the lethargic and melancholy comedy. The
director does not even try to hide their predictable character, as the
title of one his films shows: Hahaha. Watching a Hong Sang-soo film
is indeed being on familiar and intimate ground. Intimacy is what
the main character of The Day He Arrives is looking for in Seoul, as the
film-maker’s alter ego. He spends three days walking, reading, taking
notes to get the feeling he is actually doing something, meets vague
acquaintances and a few friends who are genuine film characters
(critics, directors, students). A stolen kiss, quickly disappearing
snowflakes and a good hangover are but memories of his wandering.
The films displays a subtle, yet bitter irony which does not take the
narrative seriously, in order to blur the image everyone would like to
show to the outside world. JB