Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
“How can being yourself be your weakness?”
When Jang Heung Su is approached by Koo Jae Hui, an infamous girl on campus known for ‘using’ men, he warns her that he won’t bend to her will just because she found out his ‘weakness’. However, within days, the two become best-friends, united in their rebellion against what’s considered ‘normal’. While Jae Hui falls in love too easily, constantly changing boyfriends, ready to try ‘everything’, Heung So grasps his ‘love’ card too tightly, unwilling to commit to a serious relationship.
Based on Sang Young Park’s novel “Love in the Big City”, the 2024 Korean film by the same name stars Kim Go Eun and Steve Noh as lead protagonists Koo Jae Hui and Jang Heung Su respectively. But unlike the title, the movie adaptation takes a deep dive into the tumultous friendship between Koo Jae Hui and Jang Heung Su and only fleetingly explores their love lives. For a more faithful adaptation of the book, viewers will have to watch the series version of “Love in the Big City” starring Nam Yoon Su.
Unlike the novel, the movie tends to focus a wee bit more on Koo Jae Hui, the free-spirited college student, often victim to campus rumors and slander. Jang Heung Su on the other hand tries to keep a very low profile. He is in the closet and doesn’t want anybody to uncover the truth about his sexual preferences. So, when Jae Hui accidentally finds out Heung Su’s secret, instead of judging him or outing him, she becomes an ally, and very soon – his best-friend & flatmate.
Love in the Big City begins with a memorably striking sequence of Jae Hui in a stunning bridal dress, smoking on a terrace, while Heung Su joins her, dressed sharply in a suit, as her best-man. The background music swells nostalgically, striking an emotional chord even before the story begins. From the very first seconds, the creators get their visual and audio elements just right. However, the plot has its highs and lows, spanning several years, which are clearly marked by numerical graphics on the screen showing the protagonists’ ages. We see them evolve from carefree 20-year-old university students, partying the nights away, to struggling 30-somethings facing the challenges of their careers and the mundanities of adult life.
Through its protagonists, Love in the Big City delivers an emotional, feminist, sex-positive tale set against the conservative, homophobic backdrop of Korean society. While Koo Jae is branded a ‘slut’ by her peers for exploring all her options, Heung Su is shackled by his own fears of being discriminated against for being gay. Their problems are ironically different: Koo Jae loves too much, while Heung Su holds back too much.
Kim Go Eun is a firecracker as the spirited, bold Koo Jae, rarely afraid of trying anything new but almost always falling for the wrong guy – until the right one comes along. Steve Noh as the handsome Heung Su is charming, however, the character isn’t explored fully. The writers make a huge change from the novel by showing Heung Su dating the same guy for almost a decade, yet, we learn very little about the couple’s dynamic, except that Heung Su if afraid of commitment and being outed. Things already established at the beginning of the runtime.
Although Love in the Big City makes several nods to iconic queer artists and films, such as Leslie Cheung and Call Me By Your Name, it ironically holds back from boldly exploring Heung Su’s love life. If you’re watching for romance, you might be disappointed, but the deep friendship between the leads will likely leave you feeling fulfilled. The climax features a perfectly chosen song that Heung Su sings for Koo Jae at her wedding, bringing their story to an uplifting and celebratory conclusion.
Rating: 3.5 stars on 5.
Read Next: Exhuma Review: Shamans, Spirits & a Grave Mistake
Also Read: Sikandar Ka Muqaddar Review: A Heist of Time (Audio Version Below)
