There’s something about Moon Hyun Sung’s ( ‘ As One’, ‘ The King’s Case Note’) ‘ Seoul Vibe’ that held a lot of potential on paper; a group of 80’s youths caught in between the past memories of the autocratic government of South Korea, as well as the newly democratic era marked by the Olympic Games and economic growth. However , while ‘ Seoul Vibe’ possessed a certain nostalgia of 80’s fashion brands and VHS camcorders, the general progression of the narrative and car chases played out like a paler imitation of a 'Fast & Furious' franchise movie interpolated with a less gritty Scorsese action film .

‘ Seoul Vibe’ opens up inexplicably in 1988 Saudi Arabia, with ace driver Dong Wook ( Yoo Ah-In-‘ Burning’, ‘ Hellbound’) skirting around a rough desert track in his dilapidated Chevy with his videographer and younger brother Joon-Gi ( Ong Seong Wu-‘ Moment At Eighteen’ and ‘Would You Like a Cup Of Coffee?’). Returning back to Seoul, the duo reunite with their old friend and taxi driver friend Bok-nam (Lee Kyu-Hyung - ‘ Life’, ‘ Dr John’ and ‘ May It Please The Court’) , resident DJ John (Go Kyung-pyo) and Dong and Joon’s sister Yoon-hee (Park Ju-hyun), learning that their part of the city has pretty much been demolished to the ground ahead of hosting the Olympic Games. The only thing left is their father’s old auto body garage, somewhere that the group seeks refuge inside.

Enter the big nuisance of the film: Prosecutor Ahn ( Oh Jung-se). Knowing all about Joon’s illegal involvements overseas, Ahn strikes a deal with the group that he will eradicate the group’s criminal records in exchange for the crew bringing down the money laundering operation of underworld kingpin Kang In-sook (Moon So-ri).

As mentioned previously, ‘ Seoul Vibe’ possessed an edge of nostalgia that was as warm and bubbly as its neon palette schemes and Coca Cola bottle shots. However against its sweet and entertaining edge, ‘ Seoul Vibe’ struggled when it came to its execution. The comedy was variable from scene to scene and while the mindless car chases and lack of physics can be taken with a pinch of salt, the writing of the movie was a mixed bag to say the least.

It’s necessarily bad per say that ‘Seoul Vibe’ was heavily inspired by movies such as from the ‘ Fast & Furious’ franchise. However rather than interspersing the film with lively and fleshed-out characters ( aside from a few backstory mentions that rarely play a bigger role), a plot boasting unique, key and central messages against its backdrop of an ever-changing late 1980s South Korea or helping to explore the relationships and dynamics of the group to their full potential ( especially considering most of them or siblings or old friends), the film often felt somewhat cut and pasted from other works. In particular, this was shown by the formulaic events of the narrative; the setup, the big chase scenes, the final showdown and then the fairytale ending for the main characters.

The acting front of ‘ Seoul Vibe’ was fairly consistent. The chemistry between Dong-wook’s gang of old friends and misfits was decent enough but rarely did it feel awe-inspiring. There wasn’t a lot of opportunities given in the movie to actually explore these bonds or for viewers to fully understand the significance of their achievements together. One of the few spotlight performances of the movie was Park Ju-Hyun ( ‘ Extracurricular’) , who starred as the two brothers’ sweet and lively younger sister.

The OST of ‘ Seoul Vibes’ was certainly one of its few soaring prides with tracks such as “You be Illin’” from Run-DMC and " One for the Treble” by Davy DMX, helping to add to the cartoonish and easygoing vibes of ‘ Seoul Vibe’.

‘ Seoul Vibe’ is a fun and energetic action romp which is filled with a lot of lighthearted fun. However while ‘ Seoul Vibe’ was entertaining and did provide a small lens into a bygone era, the storyline felt as though it could’ve been taken from any car chasing action film. Perhaps with better execution, writing and special effects, ‘ Seoul Vibe’ could’ve been a lot more than the finished product.