What’s the happiest film you can think of? Is it one painted with flowers, and a dreamy major-key score? Is it about the ending, or is it the journey the characters took together that filled your heart with the most warmth? Perhaps the happiest film isn’t the one so sickly-sweet that it veers from realism, but rather aligns with the unpredictability of life itself, and conveys to viewers that they, too, can find happiness through whatever hindrance they’ve inherited or come across. Jo Seon-ho’s Hear Me: Our Summer is one of the happiest films to come out this year, and it incorporates pretty much all of the above. 

This adaptation of the 2010 Taiwanese hit Hear Me does pretty much the same as its inspiration, but with that obvious Korean flair. Yong-jun (Hong Kyung) is working for the family business when he meets Yeo-reum (Roh Yoon-seo), whose apparent hard-of-hearing doesn’t stop her from being a hard-working student, a part-timeer, and her competitive swimmer sister’s number one supporter. The two communicate in sign language that is coloured with their actors’ expressive performances, crafting a chemistry that is just so magnetic to watch. 

Everything is sunshine and rainbows for the longest time, but when there’s even a slight tone change, it gives whiplash to the viewer. The dreamlike feel of the near-2-hour run is hardly escaped, however, and for the most part, our ears are cradled with a hearty score while dialogue remains thin for obvious reasons. There are a handful of creative scenes that make something uniquely beautiful about the situation, such as a particular moment at a club where Yong-jun helps Yeo-reum and her sister Ga-eul (Kim Min-ju) “hear” the music through vibrations. Until this moment, audio for the viewer is muffled like the lonely oasis at the bottom of a pool, and we’re only allowed out of the water when the characters are.

The big twist reveal might subtract from the profoundness of some earlier scenes for some, but it does explain why Yeo-reum is just so protective of her sister, beyond the still respectable but substance-less reason of being a good person. Besides being able to smile and express themselves well, Hong and Roh are captivating as leads, and their sheer joy is felt through the screen for a truly feel-good film. Side characters have their party too; acting veteran Hyun Bong-sik is adorable as Yong-jun’s clueless father, but delivers perhaps the most profound quote of the entire film: “Being able to hear and speak doesn’t mean you know how to communicate.”

And we couldn’t agree more. Hear Me: Our Summer may be a light and airy watch, like a coffee table book or a fleeting sunrise, but its heart and essence can reach those who let it in. Its philosophy is surprisingly mature for a flick that doesn’t dress itself up as such. All who need a refresher on the importance of empathy and understanding in our widely diverse world are welcome to Jo Seon-ho’s harmless masterpiece.

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Written by Maddie Armstrong

Featured image courtesy of the Far East Film Festival

_{View of the Arts is an online publication dedicated to films, music, and arts, with a strong focus on the Asian entertainment industry. With rich content already available to our readers, we aim to expand our reach and grow alongside our audience by delving deeper into emerging platforms such as K-pop and Asian music more broadly. At the same time, we remain committed to exploring the vibrant and ever-evolving global landscape of film, music, and the arts, celebrating the immense talent and creativity that define these industries worldwide.}