Real (2017) Review

“Real” Korean Theatrical Poster

Director: Lee Sa-Rang
Cast: Kim Soo-Hyun, Sung Dong-Il, Sung-Min, Sulli, Jo Woo-Jin, Lee Kyoung-Young, Han Ji-Eun, Kim Hong-Fa, Jung In-Gyeom, Choi Kwon, IU, Ahn So-Hee
Running Time: 137 min.

By Paul Bramhall

Once in a while a production comes along whose reputation for being a complete train wreck precedes it. Who can forget Andy Lau apologising for appearing in the 007-inspired spy caper Switch, or Jackie Chan battling an Australian Borg rip-off on a spaceship in Bleeding Steel? In 2017 Korea unleashed Real onto the world, a movie that piled up so many negative reviews (only equalled by the number of memes it generated) even before it was officially released, that in some publications it was dubbed as the worst Korean movie ever made. Topped off by lead Kim Soo-hyun crying at one of the promotional events while he was introducing a screening (ok, so the incident was later explained that he was overwhelmed by remembering how hard it was to film, but the jury’s still out on that one), and it’s easy to see why Real rarely gets mentioned when discussing Korean cinema.

Looking back with the benefit of 5 years hindsight, Real remains just as mind boggling today as it did when it was initially released. A starring vehicle for Kim Soo-hyun (Secretly, Greatly, The Thieves), who at the time was still hot off the success of My Love from the Star – a 21-episode Korean drama that aired across 2013 and 2014 (notably its popularity in China resulted in Alibaba coming onboard to co-produce Real) – the production itself was just as rocky as its critical reception. Scripted by Lee Jung-sub (The Best Romance, Lost in Love), Real was also set to be his directorial debut, however for reasons which remain unknown to this day, he stepped down at some point after filming had started. He was replaced by Lee Sa-rang (which in English, literally translates to Love Lee), Soo-hyun’s cousin, and owner of the company in charge of the production. Real remains Sa-rang’s one and only film credit.

It’s difficult to describe Real with only the limits of language to play with – is it an Avant Garde psychological neo-noir, an overly stylish gangster flick, or a misguided character study into addiction and identity? I’d daresay it’s all of these things, and in the hands of a director with zero experience armed with a sizable budget, the end result is such a singularly unique experience that it’s highly unlikely something like Real will ever grace Korean cinema screens again. Dig out any of those reviews from the time of its release, and the one thing that’s immediately noticeable is that the plot description is inconsistent across all of them. It’s understandable, as attempting to fathom exactly what’s happening at any given time in Real’s epic 137-minute runtime is a daunting task, and likely one of the factors which left many walking away in bewilderment.

Opening with Soo-hyun’s heavily tattooed gangster attending a therapy session with his psychologist, played by Lee Sung-min (The Man Standing Next, The Witness), he remains semi-silhouetted in the shadows of a sparsely decorated room bathed in garish red. Soo-hyun is seemingly suffering from split personality disorder brought on by a tragic event, with his other identity being that of a gonzo journalist who’s been investigating the effects of a new drug called Siesta. Sung-min’s therapy is aimed at killing off the other personality, which will allow him to concentrate on his glitzy casino full time. The timing couldn’t be better, as both the Chinese Triads and the Russian Mafia have their eyes on getting a slice of the casino action, so he needs to be constantly looking over his shoulder.

Matters are complicated though when another character (also played by Soo-hyun) he was involved in a car crash with enters his life. Clearly rich, the seriousness of this new character’s injuries require him to wear a bejewelled metallic facemask until he’s fully healed, however Soo-hyun gradually becomes convinced that the man is his doppelganger. Proceedings become even stranger when the masked man’s only goal appears to be to imitate every aspect of Soo-hyun’s life, right down to finding a similar looking girlfriend and re-creating the way they have sex. When the masked Soo-hyun offers his gangster counterpart the money required to stay invested in the casino, removing the threat of the Chinese and Russian gangsters who’ve been hovering like vultures, the pair agree to work together. But who is Soo-hyun really – a gangster or a gonzo journalist, and who is this mysterious masked guy who looks just like him!?

Expecting to get easy answers to any of the above, or some may argue any answers at all, is likely to only result in frustration. In fact for that matter, they may not even be the right questions. Lee Jung-sub’s script is both complex and ambiguous (as a sidenote he’d eventually make his directorial debut with 2020’s Fallen, which is also a head trip!), and in the hands of a clearly imaginative but inexperienced director, the end result throws aspects like structure and linear storytelling out of the window. Kicking off with a bombastic openings titles sequence which follows Soo-hyun walking through a 007-esque kaleidoscope of bright colours and images, the in-your-face nature arguably sets the tone for what’s to come. Indeed Real may well be a train wreck, but it’s an impressive one, with almost every shot looking like it belongs on a cinema screen. In an era where streaming dominates, if nothing else, Real looks and sounds cinematic.

Soo-hyun is an effective anchor, convincingly playing both roles and clearly giving it his all. His raid of the triad’s underground drugs factory with nothing but his fists is a worthy highlight, taking on attackers armed with knives and lead pipes in a sharply choreographed sequence placing plenty of emphasis on impact and falls. The rest of the cast is equally impressive, with Sung Dong-il (Metamorphosis, The Great Battle) as the head of the Chinese gang, and special mention should go to Sulli, a former member of K-pop group f(x), who puts in an effective performance as Soo-hyun’s girlfriend. This would be her penultimate role before her untimely suicide in 2019, and the fact that she’s no longer with us makes her role here that little bit more haunting. Interestingly the cast is littered with blink and you’ll miss them cameos from former female K-pop groups, including members of Wonder Girls, Sistar, Miss A, 9 Muses, and solo artist IU.

Far from taking the foot off the gas for the finale, director Sa-rang ramps things up to almost camp levels as the heavily armed Chinese gangsters descend on the casino. Fully embracing the conflicting aspects of his personality, the end result is a superhero-esque scene that plays out in both a perceived reality, as well as a ballet inspired fight scene that concurrently takes place inside his mind. Not a line I ever thought I’d write, but imagine if the finale of The Matrix met the finale of Chang Cheh’s Dancing Warrior and, well, even that probably wouldn’t be sufficient preparation for what goes down. One thing that does become clear is that whenever there’s a scene involving water it’s either a dream or a hallucinogenic sequence, a fact that, once I’m brave enough to give Real a second viewing, I’m sure will make certain scenes make more sense. Who knows, maybe even the whole thing will make sense on a subsequent watch.

So does Real deserve all the hate that was thrown at it? I’m going to argue no. It’s a mess and there’s no discussion as to if it goes off the rails – it does, and more than once. However it’s also such a visionary piece of filmmaking that it’s a wonder it exists at all, clearly being a work of passion that fits so many themes and images into its runtime it’s difficult not to admire the audacity of such a bold effort. Like a noisier and more energetic relative of Lee Myung-se’s M from 2007, which similarly used the noir genre to create a non-linear tale involving reality and identity, Real could well be destined to become a cult classic that’ll be appreciated for what it is (and tried to be) many years from now. As it stands today though, while unlikely to shake off its reputation anytime soon, for fans of cinema which isn’t afraid to play it safe regardless of the outcome, Real is well worth checking out. 

Paul Bramhall’s Rating: 7.5/10