Min-Soo (Kim Dong-yoon) is a thriving doctor who is out to everyone in his life except for this elite group of gay friends. To satisfy his relatively conservative parents, he accepts to marry Hyo-Jin (Ryu Hyun-kyung) who is a gay woman who is looking to adopt a child with her partner Seo-young (Jung Ae-yeun). At first, this seems to be a perfect plan as the marriage would facilitate the adoption process for Hyo-Jin. However, things take a drastic turn when Min-Soo starts dating a new exciting man named Suk (Song Yong-jin). Now, Suk and Min-soo the colorful newlywed couple are attempting to juggle with their real lifestyle, marital responsibilities and Min-soo’s overbearing parents.
This is a set-up that is full of funny set pieces and funny misunderstandings. The script of Park Hae Young and Kim Yoon-sin does justice in finding laughter in the awkwardness of the moment. However, excitingly enough, the story evolves greater when it moves away from the fake marriage and instead gives focus to the connection that is building between Min-Soo and Suk. In terms of the wider narrative, the rest of the movie can be classified as a message movie about being a gay in South Korea but the core love story is really cute and funny and comes to life in the hands which is notably relaxed about sex in early relationships. In fact, the affectionate portrayal of queer love is all the more interesting if one remembers how few Korean films have LGBTQ characters even in supporting roles.
It helps that Kim and Song have enough chemistry to carry a movie. And I guess it can be said that Ryu and Jung have a similar dynamic, but the female half of the equation has much less screen time. It is very much a film about gay men, after all; Min-Soo’s wonderful portrayal of the struggle of self acceptance is the focus of the film while Hyo-Jin and Seo-young mostly serve as background rather. A more balanced script would have paid more attention to their more platonic relationship as the husband and wife pair learn to know each other at a deeper level (This is the route “Badhaai Do” followed a decade later). But of course, no one can complain four emphasis is placed on Min-Soo because his endearing circle of friends have a significant amount of screen time. A romantic comedy is only as good as its most memorable characters and they are more than good enough in this case. The comedy works best when they are bombing each other and talking about Korean gay slang.
After everything that has been showcased up until this point, the very last thirty minutes comes off as a very odd choice of direction. In a sense, the title of the meeting that takes place after all of the events is referred to as ‘Two Weddings and a Funeral’ Isn’t False Advertising’ makes sense as that is exactly what ends up taking place. The falling over of a brash secondary character who was supposed to assist Min-Soo in his coming out feels weak and perhaps even crude, and even a gay romance, simply isn’t sufficient by itself. Why is it expected that there be more than just a romance about gay characters? A secondary character has to die just so that a side character’s story continues or have a side character join in, to add to the misery it seems like it is a staple to always have a tragedy. Besides, Kim Jho does not seem to be adept in performing such tone changes.
There is, however, something that is promising. For example when he is Jamie, a good deal of what he is capable of is mind boggling. The visuals (Kim Jho and DP Kim Myeong-joon) certainly are not the most impressive thing about the film but advertisements pop against breezy direction, what elevates the typical K-Drama atmosphere away from the ordinary are people talking. And in the beginning, there is actually something engaging as well: montages of over the top love that is hand in hand with outlandish physical funny, the first half is never short on and without the conflicts we’re bound to see in the unaesthetic part of the film, fits together too well.
Kim Jho is one of a small handful of Korean directors who identify as gay and still manage to get bums on seats, and it’s heartening that he continues to produce films with gay leads like 2022’s ‘The New Employee.’ Plus, while ‘Two Weddings and a Funeral‘ may come across as a bit old fashioned or quaint for some audiences today, the success of something like ‘Badhaai Do‘ proves that it is. It’s a more than a decade later but still the kind of simple romance that remains all too rare.
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