[Seulssine] The 'Puppy' That Kang Hyung-wook Would Faint Seeing

[Smart Cine Review]
'Meongmoongi' Opens on the 1st of Next Month
Starring Actors Yoo Yeon-seok and Cha Tae-hyun
Old-fashioned Setting Like a 90s Movie

"Living only in the yard is the life that companion dogs hate the most. If you can't raise them inside the house, then you shouldn't raise them at all."

Animal trainer Kang Hyung-wook has strongly advocated for raising all companion dogs indoors. In the 70s and 80s, when there were more country houses than apartments, many homes raised dogs by letting them roam freely in the yard, but now things are different. Even for mansions with large yards, it is well known that companion dogs should not be raised outside. This is not just 'knowledge' but 'common sense' to us.

What kind of expression would Kang Hyung-wook make if he watched the movie "Meongungi" (director Kim Joo-hwan)? "Meongungi" was unveiled through a press screening held on the 15th at CGV Yongsan in Ichon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul.

A Sloppy Story Leaning on Cute Animals

'Mungmu' stills [Photo by YWorks Entertainment]

The story is simple. It depicts a young man Minsu (played by Yoo Yeon-seok) who, ahead of his wedding, tries to give up his companion dog Loony, whom he has raised for 11 years, due to his girlfriend (played by Jung In-sun) suffering from allergies. Afterwards, a road movie unfolds as Minsu and his cousin (played by Cha Tae-hyun) search for a new home for Loony and encounter unexpected events.

Minsu is happy when his girlfriend accepts his proposal and immediately decides to find a new family for Loony. Minsu’s cheerful act of posting photos of his dog on social media (SNS) and looking for an adopter is not relatable. The plot itself fails to convince the audience. Since the beginning is unconvincing, the process of searching for an adopter is also uninteresting. Throughout the movie, the question "Why?" keeps popping up.

Although (commercial) movies are newly created fiction and are viewed with consideration for cinematic imagination and fictional stories, if the basic setup does not convince, it is difficult to draw the audience into the film. The audience needs to somewhat nod along with the protagonist’s story to become engaged, but "Meongungi" fails to capture the audience from the start.

"Meongungi" is a film with noticeable directorial flaws. Cha Tae-hyun and Yoo Yeon-seok are portrayed like the 'Two Cops' duo who dominated the 90s. The acting is not the problem. The comic tone of the dialogue set by the director and the artificial background music complete the film’s retro feel.

The numerous companion dogs appearing are endlessly adorable, but if you open your phone and turn on YouTube right now, you can find videos cuter than these. Please put aside the complacency that just because cute puppies appear, people will go to the movies. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, movie ticket prices have risen and there are many options like online video streaming services (OTT), so audiences look for a definite reason to go to the theater. Films relying on the innocence of animals or children no longer work in this era.

15 Million Companion Dog Population Era... No Fun or Emotion

'Meongmu' stills [Photo by YWorks Entertainment]

In the era of 15 million companion dogs, it has become a social norm that animals are no longer human possessions but companions, family, and more. The movie "Meongungi," which deals with companion dogs as its subject, should have been more cautious. The ending provokes a hollow laugh. The story is sloppy from beginning to end. It delivers neither dramatic fun nor any meaningful message.

The era of 2 billion annual theatergoers is effectively over. Although occasional 10 million viewer films appear, the theater atmosphere has not returned to what it was before the COVID-19 pandemic. I hope many good films will be made so that audiences regain trust in movies shown in theaters. In this context, "Meongungi" is a disappointing work.

"See, I should have just watched it on OTT at home."

I strongly hope that movies of a certain quality will be shown in theaters so that audiences do not utter such words after watching a film in the theater. Released on March 1. Running time 112 minutes. Rated for all ages.