Thomas Storai 
“Good News is an incisive satire about bureaucracy and the intricacies of international cooperation. With its energetic pace, it keeps you entertained all the way through.”
Good News is a South Korean film directed by Byun Sung-hyun and starring Sul Kyung-gu, Hong Kyung, Ryoo Seung-bum, Takayuki Yamada, Kippei Shiina, Sho Kasamatsu, and Nairu Yamamoto. It releases on October 17 on Netflix.
THE PREMISE
Good News follows a communist group that hijacked a Japan Airlines plane and is trying to divert it to Pyongyang, North Korea. A South Korean fixer called Nobody (Sul Kyung-gu) works to bring the passengers to safety. And an elite Air Force officer, Seo Go-myung (Hong Kyung) is pulled into this mission and double hijacks the plane from the ground. However, troubles are far from over.
STORY
The film is inspired by the events of the hijacking of Japan Airlines Flight 351 in March 1970, but as it says at the beginning, not everything is accurate. Undoubtedly, it’s an intense film because of the subject matter; there are hostages and a group of communists making threats. There are many suspenseful moments. But, at the same time, it’s a hilarious story because of the tone used and the actions of the characters from all sides. In many ways, it feels like a Coen Brothers’ film, think Burn After Reading. Indeed, it’s an entertaining black comedy. The actions of the communist group, the Japanese government, and the Korean government are all completely ridiculous. They are all making a fool of themselves.
Jokes follow one after the other as the decisions made by the characters keep getting more and more absurd. It will make you chuckle. Despite a hefty runtime for a comedy, there is never a dull moment; there is always something happening, always a joke. Good News has an energetic pace with a sense of urgency. The mix of thriller and comedy perfectly works because director Byun Sung-hyun masters his topics. Moreover, at times, you tend to forget what the film said at the beginning, leaving you wondering how it’s possible that all of that happened. At its heart, this film is a witty satire about bureaucracy and the intricacies of international cooperation. It doesn’t hold back and has a lot to say. It will definitely leave you with a lot to think about. Not everything is black and white; there are nuances there.
CAST & VISUALS
Byun Sung-hyun has gathered a talented ensemble cast from Korea and Japan. Sul Kyung-gu is excellent as the fixer. He delivers a clever performance showing the complexity of his character’s role. Nairu Yamamoto and Sho Kasamatsu are both hysterically good as the communists. Nairu is even more unhinged in her performance.
On top of that, Hong Kyung delivers a multi-layered performance. He plays the character who is the most grounded and has the most sincere reactions. Without a doubt, he’s an actor that you notice. Furthermore, the film skilfully recreates the settings of the 1970s. You genuinely feel transported in that decade, whether it’s the Japanese billboards or the costumes; all the details are there.
VERDICT
Good News is an incisive satire about bureaucracy and the intricacies of international cooperation. At the same time, it’s a tense and completely ridiculous film. With its energetic pace, it keeps you entertained all the way through. Byun Sung-hyun has delivered a film that perfectly mixes genres. He has also assembled a talented international ensemble cast.
Good News releases on October 17 on Netflix.
Collectables and Anime Editor for Future Of The Force.
Star Wars expert and Japan connoisseur.
