Sunset in My Hometown (Korean: 변산; RR: Byeonsan) is a 2018 South Korean drama film and the thirteenth feature film directed by Lee Joon-ik, starring Park Jeong-min and Kim Go-eun. It follows struggling underground rapper Hak-soo as he returns to his hometown Byeonsan (Buan County) after a fateful phone call, reuniting with childhood friends like Sun-mi and experiencing a journey filled with laughter and heartfelt moments. The film was theatrically released on July 4, 2018.
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Plot
Juggling valet parking and convenience store shifts, Hak-soo, an aspiring rapper known as Simbbuk, endures a tough and unrelenting youth. Despite six consecutive years of competing in Show Me the Money, he remains unknown. Then, at the lowest point of his life after yet another failed audition, he receives an unexpected call that drags him back to the hometown he desperately wanted to forget: Byeonsan.
Lured back by a sneaky trick from his old crush Sun-mi, Hak-soo is reluctantly forced to return home. As he reconnects with persistent childhood friends, embarrassing memories he wanted to erase start resurfacing one by one. Desperate to escape, he finds himself caught in unpredictable events, pushing him into the biggest crisis of his life.
Cast
Park Jeong-min as Hak-soo, an unsuccessful rapper in Seoul who returns to his long-abandoned hometown of Byeonsan in the countryside following a phone call from home.
Kim Go-eun as Sun-mi, Hak-soo's childhood classmate.
Jang Hang-sun as Hak-soo's father
Go Jun as Yong-dae
Kang Hyun-goo as Young Yong-dae
Shin Hyun-been as Mi-kyung
Jung Kyu-soo as Sun-mi's father
Kim Jun-han as Won-joon
Bae Jae-ki as Sang-ryul
Choi Jeong-heon as Goo-bok
Im Seong-jae as Seok-gi
Andup as himself
Song Duk-ho as Rapper
Cha Soon-bae as doctor
Production
Production began in Seoul on September 11, 2017. Filming wrapped in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province on November 18, 2017.
Release
Sunset in My Hometown opened in local theaters on July 4, 2018.
Reception
Yoon Min-sik of The Korea Herald praised the characters and dialogue for being charming and natural; as well as the chemistry between lead actors Park and Kim. Shim Sun-ah of Yonhap News Agency praised the film for being heartwarming, inspiring and humorous.