Yim Soon-rye’s second feature received incredible critical response upon its release in 2001, establishing Yim as one of Korea’s most significant directors. Seong-woo, lead singer and guitarist of Waikiki Brothers—a band originally formed with his friends back in high school—returns to his hometown with his bandmates in the hopes of sustaining their fragile lifeline. Unsurprisingly, the band stagnates, and Seong-woo is torn between the dream that’s out of reach and his thin grasp on reality. Yim’s insightful and humane perception of the cruel split between reality and dream in Korean modern society permeates this portrayal of her sympathetic and intricate characters.