‘Wonderland’ Korean movie review: An intriguing premise that needed better writing

The star-studded cast attempts to rise above the uneven writing in ‘Wonderland’, a film which falls short of exploring the potential of its intriguing premise

In Wonderland, soon after we learn that people can continue to stay in touch with their deceased loved ones through simulated video calls, Hae-ri (Jung Yu-mi), who works on keeping this unique calling service running, receives a call from her parents. You are immediately left wondering if this is indeed her actual parents calling, or a simulated call. Has she possibly signed up for the service herself?

Such moments of intrigue are, however, few and far between. Wonderland begins with promise – Artificial intelligence seems to be slowly but surely making its way into every aspect of life, and here, it works on grief. The film takes us through three different stories of people who have signed up to use the Wonderland service. Jeong-in (Bae Suzy) receives constant video calls from her boyfriend Te-joo (Park Bo-gum) who is on a space mission, while in reality, he is in a coma. After having neglected her daughter for years in the past, Bai Li (Tang Wei) signs up for the service to keep in touch with her after she passes away due to an illness. There is also Song Jeong-ran (Sung Byung-sook), who turns to the service to continue speaking to her dead grandson (Tang Jung-sang), a bratty college student. Hae-ri is joined by Hyeon-soo (Choi Woo-shik), in ensuring Wonderland is smooth and running. 

The initial set-up shows potential. We see Hae-ri and Hyeon-soo work on the calling service, and how they go about introducing this to families who want to sign up for it. Among the people they meet, a man spells out how his version of heaven should be – the simulation he wishes to live in, after he dies. As for Tang Wei, she is on an exciting archaeological expedition, showing her daughter the sights and sounds of the desert through her daily phone calls, and even meets a charming stranger (Gong Yoo in a welcome cameo). 

Unfortunately, writers Kim Tae-yong and Min Ye-ji do little to build on this compelling premise. Grief is complex, difficult to navigate and almost never linear. The multiple storylines do little to explore the aftermath of losing a loved one in its entirety. The writing barely scratches the surface, and leaves you wishing for a stronger conflict at its core. Given that the film’s focal point is the unique way in which Wonderlandworks, what little we know about the people who chose to use it seems barely enough. 

The star-studded cast struggles in beautifully shot frames with little to sink their teeth into. Tang Wei probably gets the best role, as a mother torn between guilt and joy. One is left wishing for more screen-time for Suzy and Bo-gum; the pair shares an easy, comfortable chemistry and there is hopefully a K-Drama on the horizon for them. 

Given the cast and premise, Wonderland could have made for an engaging, heartfelt film about love, science, and the permanence of life and death. The writing, however, evades tackling these philosophical wonderings. 

Wonderland is currently streaming on Netflix