Looking for a fun movie to watch from the comfort of your sofa? Check K Town cowboys (available in iTunes, YouTube, Vudu, Google Play, other popular streaming services, and all cable/satellite providers). This independent film, directed by Daniel Park, is based on the popular web-short series of the same name. It combines the risqué comedy style and bromance elements of popular Judd Apatow films with an inside perspective of several aspects of Korean-American culture. Woven through the story, the film incorporates tutorials about the underground nightlife in “Ktown” (Koreatown), Los Angeles, such as “dohmies,” also known as hostess bars, where attractive women are paid to entertain men – but not the way you think. Don’t worry ladies, this movie also covers the opposite concept of the “host” bar. There’s also the practice of “booking,” a kind of normal speed dating.
The story follows five friends who struggle to move on from their current stale jobs and pursue their career passions: from opening a bar, to succeeding in the competitive world of fashion design, to traveling the world, to becoming a famous standup. comedian. With calling crises interspersed with romantic hits-and-misses, and obviously, hijinks, this film will be akin to a millennial “follow your heart” themed story. But K Town cowboys adds another dimension: specifically a powerful sense of responsibility towards the family and respect for elders. As the cowboys pave their way to self-fulfillment, they must also keep this element of family honor intact and find creative ways to resolve any conflicts between the two.
Made on a shoestring budget, with largely a novice cast—except Ken Jeong (Hangover, Dr. Ken) and Daniel Dae-Kim (from the tv series Hawaii Five-0 And Is lost)—K Town cowboys not an Oscar contender. But it is a crowd pleaser, at 97% fresh audience ranking on RottenTomatoes.com. The film was one of just 15 independent films selected out of thousands of entries to screen eventually year’s South By Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival and Conference. Funny and fresh, with genuine chemistry between the five friends played by Danny Cho (one of the film’s writers), Sunn Wee, Peter Jae, Bobby Choy, and Shane Yoon. You could tell they had an amazing time making this film.
Warning: K Town cowboys it does contain some graphic sexual humor and one very funny surprise scene that’s possibly unique in all of film history, so please do not watch this with your kids, grandparents, or in-laws! But if you are hanging out with the crew, squad, BAE, or any combination of the three, get ready to laugh out loud, grimace and groan loudly, learn something new, and depart from your typical nightlife to experience Ktown’s nightlife from an insider’s perspective. .
Want to get inspiration for your trip to KTown? Try the cowboy cocktail idea for Soju tea.
