Detour (2016 South Korean Film)

Detour (Korean: 올레; RR: Olle) is a 2016 South Korean comedy-drama film directed and written by Chae Doo-Byeong. The film follows the lives of three lifelong friends who reunite for a trip to Jeju Island, reflecting on their personal struggles as they approach their 40th birthdays.

Detour promotional poster — Promotional poster for the film Detour.

Plot

The story centers on three friends, all 39 years old, who find themselves at a crossroads in their personal and professional lives. Joong-Pil (Shin Ha-Kyun) is a single corporate section chief who remains emotionally attached to his first love. Soo-Tak (Park Hee-Soon) is also single and has spent 14 years studying for the bar exam, a goal complicated by the impending abolition of the exam system. Eun-Dong (Oh Man-Seok), the only married member of the group, works as a news anchor and faces a sudden health crisis. Seeking a change of pace, the three friends travel to Jeju Island.

Production

Principal photography for Detour commenced on May 14, 2015, at Jeju International Airport. Filming concluded on July 5, 2015. The final scene captured during production involved the character Joong-Pil preparing for his bar exam while discovering that his first love is set to marry.

Cast

The film features an ensemble cast portraying the three friends and their associates:

Shin Ha-Kyun as Joong-Pil
Park Hee-Soon as Soo-Tak
Oh Man-Seok as Eun-Dong
Yoo Da-In as Na-Rae
Han Ye-Won as Ruby
Jo Seung-Hee as Cho-Rong