Though bearing a strange similarity to the Hollywood pic, Frequency, Kim Jeong-kwon’s Ditto hardly steals the plot, but simply the premise to form an innately different film—steeped more in romance, relationships and melodrama rather than family and changing the past. Much like Korea’s ‘other’ time travel romance film, Il Mare, Ditto and its characters acknowledge the supernatural aspects of the odd situation, but it’s merely a gateway, a means of exploring themes of fate, love and compatibility.
The story is about a young, awkward girl, Soeun in 1979, who mistakenly acquires a broken ham radio and through a strange phenomenon, is able to make contact with a boy who attends the same school as her—but in the year 2000. They eventually strike up a friendship, inquiring about their respective time periods and soon delve into personal conversations, as they both discuss the on-going relationships in their lives.
While the film has its typical flourishes of melodrama, its script remains solidly crafted with smooth, yet surprising plot turns and a highly affecting relationship. The premise rarely feels like a gimmick, but it is explored well and eases the audience into a strong relationship with the protagonists.
Both Kim Ha-neul and Yu Ji-tae— who were emerging stars at the time— do a fine job with their characters, from Kim’s quiet, shy performance to Yu’s understated and sincere one. They give a valiant effort to battle the light, sad piano score and the more cliché elements of the film. The slow, reflective pace of the film and the juxtaposition of the two distinct time periods do help aid the effort, but ultimately, Ditto isn’t trying to explode the genre film from within—it’s trying to prolong its existence by tinkering with it just enough to keep it interesting.
Reviewed by Tarun
