[Big Picture] 'Lobby' Director Ha Jung-woo's Competitive Edge

Chang-wook (played by Ha Jung-woo), a startup CEO who knows nothing but research, is striving to win a government project for a smart parking lot worth 4 trillion won. However, he finds himself in a bidding war with his rival, Gwang-woo (played by Park Byung-eun), who boasts a wide network. To win the favor of Minister Jo (played by Kang Mal-geum) and her husband, Chief Choi (played by Kim Eui-sung), who hold the real power over the project, Chang-wook steps into the world of golf schmoozing.

The two find themselves in a situation where they must separately lobby the couple, Chief Choi and Minister Jo, at a golf course. As they form teams of four and play through the course, a chaotic day unfolds filled with flattery, lies, truth games, and romantic entanglements.

'Lobby' uses golf as a backdrop but is not a sports movie focused on the game itself. The film introduces the rivalry between Chang-wook and Gwang-woo before moving to the main setting, the golf course, about 30 minutes in. The film treats the events during the round as a farce, showcasing its unique black comedy style. The camera alternates between Chang-wook's team and Gwang-woo's team, intriguingly portraying the "You're my destiny" scenarios of those trying to win the favor of the power holders.

The original title of the film was 'OB', short for 'Out of Bounds', a term in golf referring to a ball that has left the designated course area. It's a term golfers dread, as it signifies that the game isn't going as planned.

Ha Jung-woo, who both directed and starred in the film, encapsulates the movie with the phrase, "Life doesn't go as planned. It's all chance." He draws parallels between the unpredictability and inevitability of life and golf, delivering humor through the struggles of people on the golf course.

The team play between Chang-wook's team and Gwang-woo's team mirrors our society or social life. People flatter those in power to get what they want, and those in power exploit this. Everyone sets ambitious goals and plans, but unexpected variables often lead to slips and falls. The film uses a series of chaotic episodes to create a comedic ensemble of characters, reaching both humor and satire.

Ha Jung-woo's directorial debut, 'Fasten Your Seatbelt', had a wild comedy vibe with a B-movie sensibility. In contrast, 'Lobby' is a more refined and sophisticated black comedy. Compared to 'Fasten Your Seatbelt', 'Lobby' has a clearer narrative structure and a well-defined plot.

'Lobby' features standout performances from a cast of ten distinctive actors, including Ha Jung-woo, Park Byung-eun, Kim Eui-sung, Kang Mal-geum, and Kang Hae-rim. They deliver Ha Jung-woo's intended dialogue with a sense of rhythm and humor, much like his avatars. Kim Eui-sung and Kang Mal-geum anchor the film with their skillful portrayals of unlikable characters, while Ha Jung-woo, Park Byung-eun, and Lee Dong-hwi provide stable performances. The unique newcomer, Eom Ha-neul, is a major discovery in 'Lobby'.

Ha Jung-woo's black comedy unfolds in a confined space, minimizing movement to create tension and irony among the characters.

While the quality and structure of the dialogue aren't exceptional, the unique rhythm and humor emerge when delivered by the distinctive cast. The characters are exaggerated, yet they handle situations with unwavering seriousness.

However, this style can be polarizing. Some find the back-and-forth banter effortlessly funny, while others see it as a series of pointless jokes. Although Ha Jung-woo has a distinct directorial style, he has yet to achieve broad mainstream appeal.

Over the past 12 years, Ha Jung-woo has directed three feature films. When he attended the Busan International Film Festival with 'Fasten Your Seatbelt', it was seen as a special event by an actor with a unique adventurous spirit. However, 'Fasten Your Seatbelt' exceeded expectations with its distinctive style, making a memorable directorial debut in a Korean film industry saturated with mediocre films.

His second film was the period drama 'Chronicle of a Blood Merchant', based on the novel by Chinese author Yu Hua, with a production budget of 7 billion won. Despite being a decent film, it was criticized for not feeling like a Ha Jung-woo film. Although it attracted over four times the audience of 'Fasten Your Seatbelt' (270,000 viewers), with 950,000 viewers, it wasn't considered a commercial success.

'Lobby' is Ha Jung-woo's third directorial work, released 10 years after 'Chronicle of a Blood Merchant'. While 'Chronicle of a Blood Merchant' was an unexpected choice, 'Lobby' reflects his instincts and identity.

The film's realistic themes and quirky humor are unique to Ha Jung-woo, though they can seem mismatched. As Kim Eui-sung aptly described it, "It's a strange but entertaining movie."

(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)