Lee Won-suk’s Killing Romance is equal parts comedy, romance, and musical. The film stars Lee Hanee as Hwang Yeo-rae, Gong Myung as Kim Beom-woo, and Lee Sun-kyun as Jonathan Na.

Beginning as a storybook, a narrator introduces the audience to Hwang Yeo-rae, a woman who is shot into stardom after setting a world record for drinking a lot of soda. Despite garnering a loyal fanbase, Hwang is shunned from the entertainment industry after her performance in a sci-fi movie. Ashamed, she escapes to a mostly isolated island where she meets and falls in love with the ultra-wealthy, Jonathan Na.

It’s seven years later and come to find out that Jonathan isn’t the man Hwang thought he was. Narcissistic and controlling, Hwang becomes desperate for an escape. After meeting her neighbor Bum-woo (who happens to be a superfan of Hwang) the two devise absurd plans to kill Jonathan, concluding that they have to use Jonathan’s competitive nature against him.

The film is filled with vivid and vibrant colors, giving almost comic-book or graphic-novel vibes. I didn’t expect the musical elements in the film, but I really enjoyed the catchy tunes. Although this film is mainly comedic, I was surprised by its more poignant moments (especially the ostrich scene!)

The three main actors in the film were amazing, successfully portraying their character’s unique personalities which balanced and challenged one another. Lee Hanee’s character was full of rage. Gong Myung played a sweet and naive character, and Lee Sun-kyun was a really great villain. Their contrasting personalities really added to the film’s humor. Likewise, I really enjoyed the added comedy that several of the supporting actors provided.

Killing Romance is a really fun film. It’s wacky and hilarious, and filled with passion. This is a much-watch for lovers of comedies and musicals.

We give Killing Romance a 4.5/5.