Solastalgia – Movie Review

Seunghun is a film student directing a nature documentary for his graduation project, and the topic is the climate crisis. After a few days of filming outdoors, the crew is pissed off at him. They're tired. They're hungry. Seunghun has a stubborn habit of revisiting the same locations to reshoot footage they already have. The other students feel like they've been walking around in circles, making little progress. They only agreed on five days of filming, but the shoot has dragged on past the deadline. Everyone is fed up with Seunghun.

To make matters worse, they've run out of budget. With only a few hundred dollars left, the crew complains that they don't have enough money for food. Another day of cheap ramen? No thanks. Three of the students decide to quit on the spot, making up excuses about their busy schedules before leaving the team. The only one who stays is Jihun, the cinematographer. He wants Seunghun to chase after the others and convince them to come back. How are they supposed to finish the film with just the two of them? But Seunghun is too stubborn to beg, and decides to handle everything himself.

Jihun is extremely annoyed. He wants to follow the others and quit too. Before leaving, he demands that Seunghun give back the credit card. Seunghun is reluctant, but he eventually hands it over. This cuts off the remaining funds, making it almost impossible to finish the movie. As Jihun walks away, he suddenly turns back. He has a change of heart. Seunghun might be stubborn and terrible at managing a film production, but he's still a friend, and Jihun cant bring himself to just walk away.

So Jihun returns, and the two of them agree to shoot the rest of the film together on their own. That night, they set up camp on the beach. Seunghun mentions that this place, Donghae City, is actually his hometown. He grew up here with his family, but left after starting college and never came back until now. It has been seven years. They keep talking inside the tent, and lying side by side, Jihun reminds Seunghun of an intimate moment they shared back on campus. Seunghun quickly changes the subject. He doesn't want to talk about what happened.

The next day, shooting is supposed to continue. The original plan is to interview local residents and get some city footage. But instead, Seunghun and Jihun decide to just explore their surroundings. They spend a cozy afternoon lounging on the beach, flying kites and sunbathing. That night, they sit on the beach and drink. Both guys talk about their love of filmmaking. Seunghun wants to keep making movies even after he graduates, and Jihun feels the same way. He even jokes about creating a masterpiece one day.

A few other people on the beach are setting off firecrackers, sending fireworks into the sky. Jihun is delighted by the show, and feeling a little drunk, he gets up and does an excited little dance. Seunghun doesn't join him. Instead, he sits wistfully on the beach, staring at the sky, lost in thought. After Jihun passes out on the beach, Seunghun lies down next to him and gently rests a hand on his cheek. He's still staring at the sky, and he wont say it out loud, but he clearly has a lot on his mind.

Solastalgia is about two students filming a nature documentary. They talk. They walk around. Then, they yap some more. Okay, it might seem like nothing is really happening. The plot moves slowly, so many of you will find it awfully boring. There are no action scenes or steamy romance to grab your attention. With that said, Solastalgia actually has some thoughtful messages that become clearer as the story unfolds. It can be an interesting movie, but only if you have the patience for it.

Our main character, Seunghun, is a gigantic question mark. He's the type who bottles up everything and never shares his feelings. Naturally, that only makes us more curious. The audience becomes just like Jihun, being super nosy and trying to understand this mysterious man. Who are you, bro!? What secrets are you hiding!? For me, solving The Mystery of Seunghun is the most compelling part of the movie. I'm desperate to know his backstory. Little by little, the movie peels away his defences and reveals the trauma buried inside. He's like an onion. Every new layer makes him more fascinating.

This movie has a small cast, so the two leads must carry most of the scenes on their own. Thankfully, both guys deliver solid performances. Seunghun's actor (Park Kyung Bok) gets the meatier role, playing a reserved character who slowly unravels towards the end. Early on, he's cool as a cucumber. Yet, he's mysterious enough to make you feel intrigued about him. Later, he handles those emotional moments like a pro. I also enjoyed his co-star (Hong Seong Gwan), who brings a lot of liveliness as Jihun. He's endearing and kinda reminds me of a big teddy bear.

Yes, there's a subtle romance between Seunghun and Jihun. These guys spend almost the entire movie glued together, sharing intimate little moments. Their interactions are suggestive enough to make you think, "Oh, these two are into each other!" While their attraction is obvious, they don't act on their feelings. We wait for a confession. We wait for a kiss. Instead, Jihun gives Seunghun one tiny peck on the cheek. Is that it!? After 90 minutes of romantic tension, this mild affection is so unsatisfying. Solastalgia could've delivered way more BL content!

Seunghun and Jihun are making a documentary about wildfires, particularly the 2022 wildfire in Donghae. Thousands of firefighters were deployed. Entire neighbourhoods got destroyed. Solastalgia even includes real footage, showing just how deadly it became. These scenes give the movie a deeper purpose, bringing attention to an important issue. In recent years, similar disasters have happened all over the world. You turn on the news, and there's another wildfire. It's damn scary! I appreciate Solastalgia for raising awareness about the climate crisis.

For most of Solastalgia, fire represents destruction. But near the end, the movie gives us one tiny sign of hope. A plant has begun to grow in the scorched earth. Look at you, little survivor! Similarly, I liked the clever symbolism in the final scene. Fireworks used to remind Seunghun of his painful loss. Now, he can watch them with Jihun and smile. In both cases, the movie reassures us that healing is possible after trauma. Overall, Solastalgia offers a meaningful story with deep messages. Even though it's slow and lacking in romance, I still think it's a decent film.