Haneuleui hwanggeummacha

Pong Ddol dreams of forming a band – he names it Golden Chariot after the old cart full of instruments he pulls around the neighbourhood in hopes of recruiting band members. Money is another problem and there's little chance they'll find any. So Pong Ddol offers Chul-wook the job of band manager if he helps with financing. Strong emotions and subtle humor add depth to a film that may seem reminiscent of the instinctive wit seen in the work of Hong Sang-soo. Although the story involves a heterogeneous group of individuals who have been marked by traumas from the past, music has the potential to bring people together and smooth over old wounds, thereby allowing the story to move toward a positive resolution. But resolution doesn't necessarily mean they'll become stars – and they couldn't care less. Modeled as an unobtrusive road movie, the story may come off somewhat gloomy with its nostalgic mood, but the protagonists never lose heart even when they fail, thereby helping support the overall vitality of this low-key picture. (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)