[Review] 'Talju' Depicting Defector Soldier's Escape Story Overlapping with North Korea's Filth Balloon Timing

Dreaming of a Better Future: Defection Story of a North Korean Soldier
Claiming 'Self-Discovery' Instead of Military Spirit...

Lead Actor Lee Je-hoon Criticized for Poor North Korean Dialect Acting
Unexpectedly Playing Zion.T's "Yanghwa Bridge"

Movie 'Talju' Still [Photo by Plus M Entertainment]

The film "Talju," depicting the defection story of a soldier who surrendered, will be released on the 3rd of next month. Amid rising tensions between North and South Korea due to North Korea's trash balloon provocations and incursions across the Military Demarcation Line, there are criticisms that the film's release is insensitive to the current atmosphere.

The movie portrays the chase between North Korean soldier Gyunam (played by Lee Je-hoon), who begins his defection, and Security Department officer Hyunsang (played by Koo Kyo-hwan), who pursues him to protect the present day. Director Lee Jong-pil said at a press screening held on the 17th at Megabox COEX in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, "Somehow, the timing of the release ended up like this, and I don't know if it's positive or negative."

He added, "The film tells a story beyond ideology," and "I just wanted to make it entertaining," defending the film. Despite the director's protest, the film does not stray from its background setting. A drama does not have to be grand to deal with 'ideology.' The two main characters are set as a 'North Korean soldier' and a 'North Korean Security Department officer,' but if the intention was to portray personal beliefs, they could have been set as rural youths in South Korea. This means the film borrowed the dramatic backdrop of North Korea.

Movie 'Talju' Still [Photo by Plus M Entertainment]

Regardless of the release timing, "Talju" is disappointing even as a film. In short, it is a 'defection story of a surrendered soldier.' The protagonist Gyunam, who dreams of defecting, says, "I will decide my own path," as he heads to South Korea. Although it attempts to superficially present 'universal human desires,' it fails to depict them convincingly. The film injects the necessity of Gyunam's 'self-discovery,' but the weak setup makes it somewhat burdensome. It also lacks genre appeal. Expectations that the two North Korean soldiers would clash fiercely are not met.

The film features 'hip' music. Songs like Zion.T's "Yanghwa Bridge" are awkwardly inserted, seeming like an attempt to attract Generation Z (born 1997?2012) audiences, which makes one raise an eyebrow. 'North Korea' is not a code that Generation Z finds interesting. It is an outdated setting popular in living rooms during the 1980s and 1990s.

Movie 'Talju' Still [Photo by Plus M Entertainment]

Recently, many actors realistically portray North Korean dialects in various content. Since "Talju" is mainly set in North Korea, the actors should vividly express the dialect. However, Lee Je-hoon's clumsy dialect acting as the North Korean soldier in the early part of the film hinders immersion like a speed bump. His tone does not match that of Koo Kyo-hwan, who skillfully portrays the dialect in opposition, making it feel like there is a hole.

The soldier's personal conviction to defect also fails to come across convincingly. Lee Je-hoon does not deeply express why he risks his life heading south. After the film's release, many have expressed disappointment with Lee Je-hoon's acting. His performance did not break away from his previous roles. In the early part, he resembles the detective from the film "Detective Hong Gil-dong: The Missing Village" (2016), then when the chase begins, he becomes Kim Do-gi from the drama "Taxi Driver" (2021?2023), and in the latter part, he turns into the young man from the film "I Can Speak" (2017). When he holds the phone, the drama "Signal" (2016) comes to mind.

Variation is essential for actors. They must constantly reveal new faces and broaden their spectrum. This keeps the public continuously consuming the actor. Lee Je-hoon clearly revealed his acting limitations with "Talju." Through this, he has accepted a very heavy task. It is hoped that in his next work, he will show a 'new face,' not the 'upright young man' from bank or public service ads, nor the 'little detective' burning with a sense of justice.

Koo Kyo-hwan grabs the collar of "Talju" and runs with it. He builds a three-dimensional character out of what could have been a one-dimensional role, adding tension. He also plays a role in tightly filling somewhat typical settings and weak plausibility. The special appearance of Song Kang is also remarkable. When Song Kang and Koo Kyo-hwan appear in the same scene, it feels like a different film, which is interesting. The surprise appearances of actress Esom and her 'model friends' Lee Ho-jung and Shin Hyun-ji, who play displaced persons, fail to fulfill functional roles. No matter how much of a (loyalty) special appearance it is, the setting of 'North Korean displaced persons' does not fit and disrupts immersion. Some of the acting immaturity is also regrettable.