Synopsis

A love letter from an indie band based in Tongyeong, at the southern tip of the Korean Peninsula, to all the unknown musicians of the world. In the beautiful seaside town of Tongyeong, a baker, a bookstore keeper, and a pet parent of one dog and two cats live bustling lives. By chance, they come together to form a band called “Listen at Your Own Risk.” Though none of them are musically trained, they begin to create truly one-of-a-kind songs, one by one. From the far-flung fringe of a music scene dominated by professionals, emerges a fresh amateur universe. Their music, born from life in this seaside town, is yours to listen to—at your own risk! It’s okay not to know, it’s okay to get it wrong. A heartwarming, clumsy, yet sincere story of how an indie band is born.

Program Note

The band goes by the name “Listen at Your Own Risk”—perhaps a warning that they can’t vouch for the quality of their music or performance? Based in Tongyeong, the members support themselves with jobs unrelated to music. Writing, playing, and performing songs together simply brings them joy. What started as a casual hobby has gradually grown into something more serious, blurring the lines between amateur and professional as their gigs and original songs have multiplied. They now feel a deeper sense of responsibility toward their music and their band. This documentary beautifully captures that journey against the picturesque backdrop of Tongyeong, offering a glimpse of the happiness that can come when one steps away from society’s conventional expectations and imposed responsibilities. (Hur Nam-woong)

Director

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  • Yu Choe Neulssem
  • Yu Choe Neulssem spent his childhood on Mireukdo Island by the southern sea, his teenage years at an alternative school in the valleys of Jirisan, and his young adulthood in the tough neighborhoods of Seoul. He has worked with Indie Space (a theater for independent films), the Nuljang flea market, Road School, Seoul Youth Hub, and the Island Village Film Festival. He has directed a globe-trotting documentary trilogy—Travels in South Korea (2011), Neulssem’s Indian Odyssey (2013), and Planet Earth Drifter (2021). His other works include The Pain of a Convenience Store Night Shift Worker (2009), Oral Histories of the Yongsan Evictees (2011), and A Tongyeong Family’s Trans-Siberian Journey (2017).