The great thing about running a drama blog, is that I make lots of drama friends (you guys! <3 ), and as my drama friends get to know me, they start pointing me in the direction of shows that they know will likely be up my ally.
Shout-out to big blog supporter and cheerleader sarahlantz, who sent me a link to this short film – thank you m’dear, you do know my taste in shows. 😉
This mini movie turned out to be so much more than a glorified Samsung CF, that I just had to tell you guys about it.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
In Soo (Park Hyung Sik) suffers from Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) and is slowly losing his sight. He joins a photography club for the visually impaired, where he meets Soo Young (Han Ji Min).
Our story touches on their individual struggles with their physical limitations, as well as covers their growing bond as they get to know each other better.
MANAGING EXPECTATIONS
To maximize your viewing pleasure, here are just a handful of things to keep in mind as you approach this one.
1. This is, after all, a short film made by Samsung to promote Relúmĭno, Samsung’s visual aid application for people with visual impairment. So expect that the device will appear in more than a couple of scenes.
Happily, this is done in a fairly unobtrusive manner, and I personally found its appearance woven quite organically into our narrative.
2. The film’s running time is only 30 minutes, so things can feel a touch abrupt, on the relationship development front. Still, I find that par for the course, for a movie short of this nature, and it didn’t bother me too much.
WHAT I LIKED
Here’s a quick spotlight on the things that I enjoyed about this little filmlet.
1. Our leads are visually-impaired.
While we’ve been seeing more physically &/or intellectually challenged characters on the dramascape lately, these characters tend to cede the spotlight to main characters who are sound in mind and body.
I found it refreshing to have a pair of visually impaired characters take the spotlight this time, as our OTP. Not only that, most of the characters in this drama world are living with some kind of visual disability or other physical disability.
Show treats them with a sensitivity and respect that feels distinct, yet subtle, and I liked that a lot.
2. Show is prettily shot.
A warm color palette, combined with a nice number of outdoor scenes featuring the beach, greenery, and clear blue skies, means that Show is quite lovely to look at, a lot of the time.
3. Our story is sensitively written.
Show isn’t ever heavy-handed, even as it showcases the struggles that our characters face as they learn to live with their disability, and I appreciated that.
In particular, I liked how In Soo’s awkwardness, as he seeks to retain his independence while he navigates his newly-darkened world, is handled with a gentle touch.
4. Park Hyung Sik and Han Ji Min are very good.
Both Park Hyung Sik and Han Ji Min put in believable performances as visually impaired characters. They brought In Soo and Soo Young’s clumsy-yet-endearing interactions to life, and I believed them as this pair of characters.
In addition, I thought that they share a reasonable amount of chemistry for our story (although, I should probably clarify that it’s far from the chemistry that Park Hyung Sik shares with Park Bo Young in Strong Woman Do Bong Soon – but that’s a whole other story).
CLOSING THOUGHTS
In the end, we are treated to a closing that is marked with reunions, warmth and light. In Soo and Soo Young finally find each other again, and share awkward shy kisses while their friends look on with gladness and affection.
It’s a little cheesy, but it’s sweet nonetheless, and I found myself smiling alongside our characters as they celebrated this newly minted couple.
All in all, I liked Show’s message of perseverance, independence and hope amid the darkness; that your life doesn’t have to be dark and gloomy just because you can’t physically see; that there is lots to enjoy in life and love, when you choose to see with your heart.
THE FINAL VERDICT:
Warm, sensitive and sweet. Perfect for a quick drama snack.
FINAL GRADE: B+
TEASER:
MV:
WATCH IT HERE:
…And remember to stay for the epilogue right at the end, for some bonus warm fuzzies.
