Radio Star
This is a surprisingly small film considering that it stars two of Korea’s
biggest male actors – Ahn Sung-kee and Park Joong-hoon. It is a love story
of sorts but not a typical one. Choi Gon (Park) is a washed up rock star
who had his moment of fame back in the 1980’s when he won a major music award,
but after years of struggles with drugs and his temper he is currently playing
in near empty restaurants or wherever his doggedly loyal manager Park Min
Soo (Ahn) can pull in a favor and get him work. Park has been with Choi through
the good and bad times and this has nearly destroyed his relationship with
his wife and daughter – but he can’t give up on his quickly failing friend.
A perhaps final chance is offered to Choi – a DJ gig in a small radio station
out in the boondocks. He wants nothing to do with it but Park drags him there
and forces him to work.
Choi reluctantly finds himself actually enjoying the job and the typical
film group of local eccentrics who follow his show. It begins to have a healing
effect on him and with the growing popularity of the show he may even have
a chance to hit it big one more time. This is a fairly sweet feel good film
that gets by with its good will, simplicity and lovable side characters.
It takes a while before it gets going but once it does it will slowly pull
you in to the grudging deep unspoken friendship between the two old warhorses.
My rating for this film: 6.0
Trailer
Reviewed: 02/07