Already Know But – Movie Review

Dojin and Jiahao are a same-sex couple living together in South Korea. Their landlord assumes they're just roommates, and Dojin is happy to let her believe that. He has kept their relationship a secret from most people, including his family. In contrast, Jiahao is much more open about his sexuality. Originally from Taiwan, he has already come out to his mother. She knows about the relationship and talks openly with her son about his partner.

Dojin and Jiahao have been dating seriously for a while. They plan to get married in Taiwan, where same-sex marriage is legally recognized. Once the couple settles down, they also want to open a restaurant there. Before they leave South Korea, Jiahao encourages Dojin to tell his family the truth about their relationship. At the very least, his mother should know the real reason her son wants to move abroad. Right now, she still thinks Jiahao is just Dojin's freeloading roommate. She has no idea there's anything romantic between them.

Dojin remains cautious about coming out. Jiahao grew up in Taiwan, where attitudes toward LGBTQ+ people are more relaxed than in South Korea. Dojin knows the social atmosphere here is conservative. He suspects his family won't react well to two men being in a relationship. Jiahao notices his hesitation and feels insecure about their future together. He tells Dojin, "You should care more about me than the people who might talk behind your back. I'm the one who'll stay by your side." Their disagreement nearly turns into an argument.

Dojin's father died a year ago, and tomorrow marks the first anniversary of his death. His family plans to get together for a small memorial service. Jiahao sees this visit as Dojin's last real chance to come out to his mother and sister before they move away. Dojin agrees and brings him along. Unfortunately, his mother is already annoyed the moment Jiahao shows up. Why would her son bring his roommate to such a private family occasion? To her, it feels so inappropriate!

Dojin's mother stays tense for the rest of the day. Jiahao notices the awkward atmosphere and tries his best to charm his future mother-in-law. He brings homemade meatballs as a gift. He also offers to help prepare food in the kitchen. Sadly, his efforts don't work. Dojin's mother clearly doesn't want him there, and her dismissive comments make Jiahao feel unwelcome. Things get even more awkward at dinner when she tries to set Dojin up with a nice girl. She wants her son to settle down, unaware that he already has a long-term partner sitting right there at the dinner table.

Dojin announces that he's moving to Taiwan. Both his mother and his older sister, Mi Sook, are shocked. His mother gets upset and points to Mi Sook as an example of what happens when someone doesn't follow the "normal" path in life. According to her, Mi Sook "messed up" because she never got married. Now she's a single mother with no prospects. The mother tells Dojin to stay in South Korea, get married, and live normally. With the tension already sky-high, Dojin loses his nerve and decides this is not the right moment to come out.

Already Know But is a short coming-out story. An adult man plans to tell his family he's gay, but nobody handles the situation gracefully. The mom has traditional views. The son feels insecure. His partner puts pressure on him. Each character's flaws make the drama more realistic. Coming out doesn't always unfold like a schmaltzy Hollywood scene. "You get to exhale now, Simon!" Instead, the reactions can be messy. That's where this movie gets interesting. What if our loved ones don't respond with perfect understanding?

I love that Already Know But feels so intimate. The story is like reading Dojin's coming-out diary, capturing his hidden fears and anxieties. Ooh, it can get juicy! That said, this movie follows a very familiar arc. I've seen plenty of gay dramas tackle the same plot before. Is Dojin's journey unique enough to differentiate itself from the crowd? Hmm, not really… To be clear, I still think this short story is lovely and portrays a meaningful experience. Yet, it's almost too safe. After decades of gay cinema, another ordinary coming-out movie can easily get lost in the shuffle. Already Know But needs a new angle to become more memorable.

Dojin and Jiahao's relationship is kinda interesting since they come from two different countries. Sadly, the movie doesn't explore their cultural differences enough. What a missed opportunity! Surprisingly, one of my favourite characters is Dojin's divorced sister. Dojin's conflict with his mom is straightforward, but the sibling dynamic adds more depth to the coming-out story. I love how the sister draws from her own messy life experiences to help Dojin understand Jiahao's feelings. She's like, "Been there! Suffered that!" Their heart-to-heart chat is well-written.

Already Know But focuses mostly on Dojin's coming-out journey, so the romance gets pushed into the background. We know Dojin & Jiahao are serious about each other. They wanna get married and build a life together. Yay! Beyond that, I still don't know much about them as a couple. What do they love about each other? The movie never shows enough sweet moments to make me care about them. That said, I adore the way they switch languages. During intimate exchanges, Dojin speaks to Jiahao in his mother tongue, making their relationship feel more personal.

The acting is solid across the board. Dojin's mother isn't exactly lovable, but the actress (Maeng Ju Won) does a great job showing her emotions underneath all that disapproval. You can tell she's conflicted, which stops the character from feeling like a one-note villain. Also, this movie has a surprising amount of talking. So much chit-chat! Thankfully, the dialogue never feels stiff. The cast knows when to react instead of rushing into the next line. They'll give a pause or an uncertain glance before someone answers. Those little moments make the family rapport feel natural.

Already Know But has a sweet ending. At first, Dojin's mother throws a tantrum. Cue the waterworks! Eventually, she settles down without causing too much melodrama. Seeing the mother and son hold hands beneath the cherry blossoms is reassuring. Aww, my heart feels warm! Overall, I like that the movie is simple and down-to-earth. I can relate to the characters. I respect the messages. I'll smile and write a mildly pleasant review on BL Watcher. Then… I'll probably forget about Already Know But. It's a perfectly nice indie film, but it hasn't left a huge impression on me.