How Long Is “Daytime Drinking”?

A bad breakup sends a man on a bender that takes on a life of its own in this offbeat independent comedy from South Korea. Hyeok-jin (Song Sam-dong) is in a funk after his girlfriend gives him his walking papers, and he heads to a local bar with his pal Gi-sang (Yuk Sang-yeob) and some other friends to drown his sorrows. After several rounds, Gi-sang decides what Hyeok-jin needs is a few days out of town, and suggests they all head to Jeongseon in the morning, where Gi-sang has a friend who runs a guest house. The nest morning, Hyeok-jin is the only one who can function well enough despite his hangover to drive, and he hits the road for Jeongseon. But Gi-sang's directions weren't very good, and after checking into a hostel where the only other guests are two eccentrics (Kim Gang-heui and Tak Seong-jun) who might be dating (though it's hard to tell), Hyeok-jin begins to believe he's lost. Gi-sang contacts Hyeok-jin and insists he's on his way, but one thing after another delays his departure and after a number of disasters are visited upon Hyeok-jin, he ends up at the bar, where folks keep buying him drinks whether he wants them or not. Natsul (aka Daytime Drinking) was an official selection at the 2008 Locarno Film Festival.