Nostalgic about 90s K-pop? Wild Sing offers a brand-new world for K-pop lovers by paying homage to the old-school moves and tunes from the rise of the K-pop industry. A cast that seems like it was part of the music industry and a narrative that is both nostalgic and humorous; the Netflix movie is just another way of saying that K-pop is yet to come. Starring The Tempest actor Kang Dong Won as a singer and dancer throwing off some old-school hip-hop moves; Um Tae Go, popularly known for his role in My Sweet Mobster as the rapper Sang Gu; and glueing this trio is the only female singer, Byeon Do Min, played by Park Ji Hyun, known for her popular role in See You At Work Tomorrow.
This group navigates some hilariously tough times and makes an impactful comeback, all while telling an interesting story about 90s pop culture budding in South Korea. A roller coaster of events and a heartfelt, sarcastic comedy build the plot that leaves fans in amazement. Let's get into the details of the movie and look for parts that were totally relatable over time.
Wild Sing Review: Three Hopelessly Talented Dreamers Risk It All for One Last Comeback
The movie opens in the 90s of South Korea, where a dreamer, Hwang Hyeon U, is spotted by a talent manager and meets two members of his group, TRIANGLE, Do Min and Sang Gu, who are the vocalist and rapper. At first, the trio seemed indifferent to each of their talents, but with their first song out, they became an instant hit. In the old days, when rapping and hip-hop had just entered Korea, this trio made quite a name for themselves.
However, things came up short when they were accused of plagiarism, and their craze among fans was short-lived. Their manager, too, fled, giving all the blame to the band member, and hence the downfall for TRIANGLE. Years have passed, but still the passion for singing in Hyeon sparks. His life now is simply a jockey who makes lame jokes, and now his small gig too seems to have come to an end. Amidst this, an expo reaches out to Hyeon for a small concert. This brings light to Hyeon, for this could be their chance to have the comeback he has been waiting for.
Seeking his teammates, he finds Sang Gu selling insurance and is quite bad at it, and a huge sum is piling onto his shoulders that may lead to him getting killed. Hyeon tries to patch things up with him and somehow gets what he needs. Now for Do Min, she gets married to a chaebol and becomes the real estate CEO with money pouring like water. Though her success gets her whatever she points at, her real fun was that she used to sing. The trio finally makes up for this one last chance, but this is not all. Many old rivals are also attempting to make a comeback.
Despite the chaos and havoc to reach the event, they journey through some real mess that they might never forget. Hence, they finally make it, and a real comeback gets fans to relive those old days when they were getting recognized. A show that brings fans to remember TRIANGLE and a new hope that they might be back for good.
The movie is an absolute delight, with a few minor elements missing. While the narrative was quite a banger, the elements of emotion and depth were still lacking. The point where the trio breaks up after the scandal and they part ways feels like it was missing something. Was there a fight? Did they make Hyeon take all the blame? Was there a backlash post the scandal? Questions like these left fans in confusion. Sang Gu, who felt he was being sidelined and wanted to be respected, seems underrated and never fought back.
As the story progresses, the trio seems more disinterested than making it an experience worthwhile. The backstories of Sang Gu and Do Min could have also added another layer to their journey and would have made their comeback even more impactful.
Fans across the globe quite loved it, and from the Indian perspective, the movie has great potential. Adding some layers about music and the pop culture budding into global recognition could have escalated the storyline. So, to review it out of 10, it's an 8 out of 10. Completely unexpected and filled with lots of comedy elements.
