[Herald Review] ‘Can We Get Married?’ depicts agonies of today’s 30-somethings

Korean cinema has recently seen a number of works that examine in-depth the real-life agony of young people in Korea, such as “Because I Hate Korea” and “Love in the Big City,” which closely depict young Koreans’ hardships in getting a job and embracing one’s identity.

Director Kim Jin-tae of “Can We Get Married?” portrays an average 30-something couple in Korea facing a bumpy ride ahead as they get ready to get married. Lee Dong-hwi (“Reply 1988,” “Big Bet”) stars as Sun-woo, a part-time lecturer at a university in Busan, and Han Ji-eun plays his long-time girlfriend and coffee barista Woo-jung.

While the title suggests that this rom-com may draw its humor from the chaotic couple’s plan to get married, the movie is far less romantic than one might expect. Kim focuses on the tragicomical situations Sun-woo and Woo-jung find themselves in, entangled with their family and social issues.

For instance, Sun-woo’s father, who divorced Sun-woo's mother long ago, is suddenly taken to the hospital only to learn that he has lived his whole life without health insurance. Sun-woo hears from his mom that he has to register his dad as a welfare recipient as soon as possible to avoid having to pay huge medical bills, and so that his father can receive government support.

But that’s only a fraction of the agony Sun-woo must face. No one in the family wants to register the dad as living with them, a prerequisite for the government subsidy. Sun-woo’s uncle leaves only a sarcastic remark: “Poverty is contagious. You have to be cruel to survive.”

In the meantime, Woo-jung finds herself confused and unsure of how to help Sun-woo. Sun-woo’s mom approaches her saying, “After seeing all this happening to Sun-woo and your soon-to-be father-in-law, no one will blame you if you leave Sun-woo now.”

The movie is partially autobiographical, according to the director.

“Six years ago, my dad wasn’t in a good condition. That was when I learned that there is a subsidy for basic livelihood recipients and the process to get it requires certain paperwork. Thinking about it, I realized that this could be not just my story, but anybody else’s,” Kim told reporters following a press screening on Oct. 16.

Lee saw “Can We Get Married?” as a movie that puts 30-somethings’ lives under a microscope.

“Walking down the street, you can sometimes spot a couple in a fight, like a serious fight. I thought that this movie takes a closer look into the situation of such a couple,” he said.

“Can We Get Married?” hits local theaters on Oct. 26.