The upcoming black comedy 'The Price of Goodbye' follows two siblings trapped in desperate circumstances. A mistaken text about their father's death leads them to turn the error into a business opportunity. The film evolves from comic farce to a realistic drama reflecting on family struggles.
The film 'The Price of Goodbye' centers on sister Sun-young (Kang Mal-geum), who has cared for her comatose father for years, and her younger brother Il-hoe (Bong Tae-gyu), who hides from relentless debtors with his wife and son. The crushing weight of family obligations defines their existence, with no escape in sight.
A text message mistakenly announcing their father's death sparks chaos, but they seize the moment to set up a memorial altar just before their wealthy aunt arrives, aiming to collect condolence money for nephew Dong-ho's medical school tuition. For Sun-young, the high-school senior Dong-ho represents the family's only hope for a better life.
Dong-ho discovers the scheme and, burdened by debt collectors, boldly suggests staging a fake funeral for his father Il-hoe to end the chase. Starting as a comic farce, the story shifts to a realistic drama, prompting reflection on universal family challenges: What is family? How far will one go to protect it?
Sun-young secretly feels relief at her father's impending death; Il-hoe stages a fake funeral for money; Dong-ho follows suit to escape debts. Yet devotion shines through: Sun-young's years of sacrifice, Il-hoe's leap from a bridge clutching tuition funds, and Dong-ho's quick retrieval of a ventilator to save his father.
Anchored by grounded performances from Kang and Bong, the narrative stays rooted in reality despite its implausible plot. Director Kwon Yong-jae's feature debut, following shorts like 'Goodbye! Good Mommy' (2019), uses gray-toned cinematography to underscore oppression, balancing heavy themes with wit and humor.
The film premiered at the 51st Seoul Independent Film Festival on Nov. 29 and is set for local release on Wednesday.