dream korean movie reviews

• Action/Adventure
• Children's/Family
• Documentary/Reality
• Amazon Prime Video

More From Decider

'The Golden Bachelor' Stars Gerry Turner And Theresa Nist Divorcing Three...

'The View' Reacts To O.J. Simpson's Death: "The Tragedy Was The...

'The View' Forced To Evacuate Their Studio Before Wednesday's Show After...

'X-Men '97' Gives Gambit a Hero Moment You'll Never Forget

Holly Madison Says She “Tried” Exotic Dancing But Doesn’t Have...

'Captain America: The Winter Soldier' at 10: The Movie That Made (and...

Joy Behar Says She Was "Dragged Into" Controversy Over Beyoncé's 'Jolene'...

Guy Fieri Calls Drew Barrymore "Gangster" For Talking With Her "Mouth Full...

Share this:.

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to copy URL

Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Dream’ on Netflix, a Korean Soccer Dramedy With An Unique Angle

• Sports Movies

Stream It Or Skip It: ‘The Beautiful Game’ on Netflix, a Winning Sports Dramedy Set at the Homeless World Cup

Is there a ‘happy gilmore 2’ shooter mcgavin himself christopher mcdonald says adam sandler “showed him” a script, 11 best new movies on netflix: march 2024’s freshest films to watch, stream it or skip it: ‘giannis: the marvelous journey’ on prime video, a feature-length documentary about the basketball superstar’s life and career.

A cranky footballer’s temper has cost him his place in the league, and he’s got to find a way to rehabilitate his image. In Dream , a Korean sports comedy-drama now on Netflix, Park Seo-joon stars as the reluctant coach of a team in the Homeless World Cup, an unexpected role that might be his only way back to respectability. Can he turn his team into a winner, and conquer his demons in the process?

DREAM : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: Dream sets up a rehabilitation arc familiar in sports movies . Korean film star Park Seo-joon co-headlines as Yoon Hong-dae, a footballer forced out of the league after assaulting a reporter. His PR team cooks up a solution: he’ll take over as coach of South Korea’s team in the Homeless World Cup (a real event), and Lee So-min (played by K-Pop star IU) will make a film about him doing it. Those two are the name stars, but there’s a deep ensemble cast filling out the ranks of his soon-to-be team.

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: The bones of Dream are your basic live-action Disney sports movie–a feel-good story with a curmudgeonly character in need of rehabilitation. Think Gordon Bombay in The Mighty Ducks .

Performance Worth Watching: The ostensible protagonist is Park Seo-joon’s wayward soccer star, but the story crackles to life with the sunny screen presence of Lee Ji-eun (also known as the K-Pop star IU), who shines as the documentary filmmaker tasked with bringing his rehabilitation story to television.

Memorable Dialogue: “You take your meds on time?”, Yoon Hong-dae asks gruffly of Lee So-min as she cheerfully describes the roster they’ve assembled. “I’m like this because I can’t afford any,” she giggles in return. This should give you an idea of the often sitcom-level banter that runs through Dream .

Sex and Skin: None.

Our Take: Dream gets down to business quickly. In the first five minutes of the film, we see Yoon Hong-dae playing in a professional soccer game. It’s energetic, lively game footage–something many sports movies struggle to produce–and it shows him as a fiery, fierce player who runs hard and does not smile. Shortly thereafter, we see him in a post-game press conference, being needled by a persistent and smarmy reporter asking off-topic questions about his “fugitive mother” and her apparent legal troubles. In no time, he responds to the reporter with a vicious jab to the eye, and finds himself banned from the league.

In the very next scene, he’s meeting with his PR team as they brainstorm ideas for moving him forward now that his playing career is in tatters. Their solution? Placing him as the new coach of South Korea’s national team in the Homeless World Cup. (It is important to note here that the Homeless World Cup is a real event that has been contested since 1998.) Not only will he take over this job, aspiring filmmaker Lee So-min will be embedded with him, producing a documentary film of the experience that will serve as his ticket back to respectability.

It might seem a bit unfamiliar at first glance, both to viewers unfamiliar with the concept of the Homeless World Cup and to non-Korean-speaking viewers who might not know the two leads (both fairly big stars in South Korea). But at its root, it’s a very familiar formula for feel-good sports movies–a gruff, grumpy figure forced to wrestle with his demons, get right, and maybe even smile a bit on his way to becoming a winner. It’s Gordon Bombay in The Mighty Ducks . It’s Coach Norman Dale in Hoosiers . It’s Tom Hanks’ drunkard Jimmy Dugan in A League of Their Own , or Kevin Costner’s Crash Davis in Bull Durham . It’s a story you’ve seen many times before, and that’s true both for better and for worse–tropes exist because they mostly work.

This all plays out in high-octane fashion; the film bursts with snappy dialogue, high-energy music and energetic cinematography, even if it does start to lag a bit over the film’s slightly-more-than-two-hour runtime. (It could have stood to be a bit shorter.) The film makes some smart gestures toward destigmatizing homelessness, reminding viewers how we’re each only a few bad breaks from ending up in such a scenario. This plays out largely at the surface level, though, and is mostly abandoned in the second half of the film as we get into resolving the on-field drama–honestly, much in the way you’d expect for a sports movie of this ilk.

Dream has some very endearing qualities, but for viewers who don’t speak Korean and aren’t familiar with the leads, it may be hard to find much here that differentiates it from the pack in a genre that’s got no shortage of similarly-structured entries.

Our Call: SKIP IT. Dream is a perfectly nice feel-good sports movie with some winning elements, but there’s not much to distinguish it from other similar entrants in the genre.

Scott Hines, publisher of the widely-beloved Action Cookbook Newsletter ,  is an architect, blogger and proficient internet user based in Louisville, Kentucky.

• Dream (2023)
• Stream It Or Skip It

Is 'Civil War' Streaming on Netflix or HBO Max?

'The View' Reacts To O.J. Simpson's Death: "The Tragedy Was The Injustice" 

Stream It Or Skip It: 'Anthracite' On Netflix, About Four People Trying To Solve A Ritualistic Murder In The French Alps

New Movies on Streaming: 'Kung Fu Panda 4,' 'Sleeping Dogs' + More

Woody Allen in Exile: 'Coup De Chance' Finally Arrives On Streaming, Where No One Will Shame You For Watching

New Shows & Movies To Watch This Weekend: 'Fallout' on Prime Video + More

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

With hard work and dedication on lock, a group of homeless men trains to compete in the Homeless World Cup, despite a cranky coach. With hard work and dedication on lock, a group of homeless men trains to compete in the Homeless World Cup, despite a cranky coach. With hard work and dedication on lock, a group of homeless men trains to compete in the Homeless World Cup, despite a cranky coach.

• Lee Byeong-heon
• Park Seo-joon
• Kim Jong-soo
• 23 User reviews
• 15 Critic reviews

• Yoon Hong Dae

• Kim hwan dong

• Jun Hyo Bong

• Hungarian Sports Commentator

• Jun moon Soo

• Homeless soccer club 13
• Entertainer #1
• German Strieker No.8
• Foreign football player
• Playground thug #1
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

More like this

Did you know

• Trivia The film is lightly inspired by the "Homeless World Cup" of 2010.

User reviews 23

• Infin1teBloom
• Aug 9, 2023
• How long is Dream? Powered by Alexa
• July 25, 2023 (United States)
• South Korea
• Official Sites
• Oktober Cinema
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 2 hours 5 minutes
• Dolby Digital

Related news

Contribute to this page.

• See more gaps
• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Trivia & Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

Movies / TV

No results found.

• What's the Tomatometer®?
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening this week
• Top box office
• Coming soon to theaters
• Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

• Fandango at Home
• Netflix streaming
• Prime Video
• Most popular streaming movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• Civil War Link to Civil War
• Monkey Man Link to Monkey Man
• The First Omen Link to The First Omen

New TV Tonight

• The Sympathizer: Season 1
• Our Living World: Season 1
• Under the Bridge: Season 1
• The Spiderwick Chronicles: Season 1
• Conan O'Brien Must Go: Season 1
• Orlando Bloom: To the Edge: Season 1
• The Circle: Season 6
• Dinner with the Parents: Season 1
• Jane: Season 2

Most Popular TV on RT

• Fallout: Season 1
• Ripley: Season 1
• 3 Body Problem: Season 1
• Parasyte: The Grey: Season 1
• Shōgun: Season 1
• Sugar: Season 1
• We Were the Lucky Ones: Season 1
• Baby Reindeer: Season 1
• X-Men '97: Season 1
• A Gentleman in Moscow: Season 1
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV
• TV & Streaming News

Certified fresh pick

• Fallout Link to Fallout
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

Best Movies of 2024: Best New Movies to Watch Now

25 Most Popular TV Shows Right Now: What to Watch on Streaming

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

Awards Tour

Fallout : What It Gets Right, and What It Gets Wrong

CinemaCon 2024: Day 3 – Disney Previews Deadpool & Wolverine , Moana 2 , Alien: Romulus , and More

• Trending on RT
• Best TV 2024
• Play Movie Trivia
• CinemaCon 2024
• Popular Movies

2023, Comedy/Drama, 2h 5m

You might also like

Where to watch dream.

Watch Dream with a subscription on Netflix.

Rate And Review

Super Reviewer

Rate this movie

Oof, that was Rotten.

Meh, it passed the time.

It’s good – I’d recommend it.

So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

What did you think of the movie? (optional)

You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

Step 2 of 2

How did you buy your ticket?

Let's get your review verified..

AMCTheatres.com or AMC App New

Cinemark Coming Soon

We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

Regal Coming Soon

Theater box office or somewhere else

By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.

You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

Dream   photos.

With hard work and dedication on lock, a group of homeless men trains to compete in the Homeless World Cup, despite a cranky coach.

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Sports

Original Language: Korean

Director: Lee Byeong-heon

Producer: Lee Jong-suk

Writer: Lee Byeong-heon , Mohammed Abdullah

Release Date (Streaming): Jul 25, 2023

Runtime: 2h 5m

Distributor: Netflix

Production Co: October Films

Cast & Crew

Park Seo-joon

Yoon Hong Dae

Kim Jong-soo

Kim hwan dong

Ko Chang-seok

Jun Hyo Bong

Jeong Seung-gil

Son Beom-Soo

Lee Hyun-woo

Daniel Joey Albright

Hungarian Sports Commentator Voice

Lee Hae-woon

Lee Byeong-heon

Screenwriter

Mohammed Abdullah

Lee Jong-suk

No Seung-bo

Cinematographer

Zsolt Ferenc Maier

Veronika Varjasi

Critic Reviews for Dream

Audience reviews for dream.

There are no featured reviews for Dream because the movie has not released yet ().

Movie & TV guides

Play Daily Tomato Movie Trivia

Discover What to Watch

Rotten Tomatoes Podcasts

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

• For Parents
• For Educators
• Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

• Get the app
• Movie Reviews
• Best Movie Lists
• Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

• Best TV Lists
• Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
• Common Sense Selections for TV
• Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

• Book Reviews
• Best Book Lists
• Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

• Game Reviews
• Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

• Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

• Podcast Reviews
• Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

• App Reviews
• Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

• YouTube Channel Reviews
• YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

• Preschoolers (2-4)
• Little Kids (5-7)
• Big Kids (8-9)
• Pre-Teens (10-12)
• Teens (13+)
• Screen Time
• Social Media
• Online Safety
• Identity and Community

Explaining the News to Our Kids

• Family Tech Planners
• Digital Skills
• All Articles
• Latino Culture
• Black Voices
• Asian Stories
• Native Narratives
• LGBTQ+ Pride
• Best of Diverse Representation List

Celebrating Black History Month

Movies and TV Shows with Arab Leads

Celebrate Hip-Hop's 50th Anniversary

Common sense media reviewers.

Unhoused men train for soccer tournament; violence, language

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Don't judge others before you know what they are g

While the main characters have personal interests

The cast is Korean and features a man and a woman

Some scenes of domestic abuse (a man is shown thre

Some references to failed marriages. Some characte

Strong language includes infrequent use of "f--k,"

Some references to social media, the UFC, and Kore

Some scenes show adults drinking to excess. One ch

Parents need to know that Dream is a Korean comedic drama based on the true story of the South Korean "homeless football team" that competed in the 2010 "Homeless World Cup." Actually held in Rio de Janeiro, the cup is hosted by Hungary in the film, but the general messages of effort, bravery, and never-give…

Positive Messages

Don't judge others before you know what they are going through or what kind of lives they live. Do your best. Don't take advantage of people, and don't exploit people. Be positive and encourage others to be the best they can be.

Positive Role Models

Diverse representations.

The cast is Korean and features a man and a woman trying to guide a team of men experiencing homelessness through an international soccer tournament. Some stereotypes of unhoused people. For unhoused people, the film uses "homeless," as the writers clarify during a brief epilogue that South Koreans used to say "street people" instead, but stopped using that term because it "minimized the housing problem."

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Some references to failed marriages. Some characters romantically long for others.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Some references to social media, the UFC, and Korea's Big Issue magazine.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Some scenes show adults drinking to excess. One character is shown losing his job and family because of his drinking.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Dream is a Korean comedic drama based on the true story of the South Korean "homeless football team" that competed in the 2010 "Homeless World Cup." Actually held in Rio de Janeiro, the cup is hosted by Hungary in the film, but the general messages of effort, bravery, and never-give-up spirit remains the same, as the South Korean team wins over the hearts of the crowd. The film has some violence, however, with scenes of domestic abuse, the aftermath of suicide, physical assault, and fist fighting. Some men beat up an unhoused man in the subway with kicks and punches, a man pokes another man in the eyes, and a man falls from scaffolding while on the job, hurting himself. A few scenes show adults drinking heavily, with one showing a man losing his job and family over his alcohol habit. Strong language throughout includes infrequent use of "f--k," "f--ker," "f--king," the middle finger, "s--t," "a--hole," "damn," "bastard," and "hell." Some stereotypes of unhoused people. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

Is it any good, talk to your kids about ....

Families can talk about humor in sports comedy movies. What were the funniest parts of Dream , in your opinion?

How do characters show compassion and teamwork ?

Do you think the film portrays unhoused people fairly and respectfully? If not, what could the film have done differently?

Movie Details

• On DVD or streaming : July 25, 2023
• Cast : Park Seo-joon , Ji-eun Lee , Kim Jong-soo , Ko Chang-Seok
• Director : Lee Byeong-heon
• Inclusion Information : Female actors, Asian actors
• Studio : Netflix
• Genre : Comedy
• Topics : Sports and Martial Arts
• Run time : 125 minutes
• MPAA rating : NR
• Last updated : October 30, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

Our editors recommend.

Shaolin Soccer

Goal! The Dream Begins

Great Sports Movies

Best soccer movies and tv shows, related topics.

• Sports and Martial Arts

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

• Movie-Reviews |
• Soundtrack-Reviews |
• TV Series |
• About the site |

Story: Yoon Hong-dae (Park Seo-joon) is a professional soccer player and comes across a journalist who keeps asking questions about his mother. She is currently on the run after cheating some people out of their money. After Yoon has laid hands on the journalist, he now has to do everything he can to spruce up his image again. And his agent immediately finds a suitable opportunity. A Korean team is supposed to be sent to the World Cup for the homeless and Yoon is chosen to train them. Lee So-min (Lee Ji-eun) accompanies the whole thing with her camera and is supposed to make a documentary out of it. She also contributes significantly to choosing the players, because the sadder their life stories are, the better they fit into her documentary. For example, there is the homeless father Jeon (Ko Chang-seok), whose young daughter will soon emigrate to Australia along with his ex-wife and her new husband, or Son (Jung Seung-gil), who takes care of a mentally handicapped woman with whom he has fallen in love. The problem for Yoon is that none of the men really know anything about soccer. Strictly speaking, the professional soccer player doesn't really care, because he only has to stick to Soo-min's script anyway and nobody expects the team to do anything extraordinary. But even Yoon slowly starts to warm up and finally takes his job more seriously.

Review: You should never underestimate the convenience you can fall victim to because of streaming services like Netflix. Looking for a new movie from the collection for the evening? Why do that when Netflix can simply suggest you a seemingly acceptable comedy? However, the Korean heyday for sports movies was actually around the year 2010 already. And back then it was also about more "exotic" sports such as ski jumping in "Take Off" or the table tennis women from North and South Korea in "As One" . So why make a movie about soccer? Well, just like the former two, "Dream" is based on true events, and a soccer team consisting of homeless people should at least offer room for a little drama. Or humor. Because this sports movie is actually supposed to mainly be a comedy, but when it focuses on the life stories of the individuals, of course, you can expect some room for tragedy.

One example is the young homeless man whose girlfriend was swept away by the sea and for whom he has been looking with flyers ever since. Eventually, he thinks he recognizes her as a member of the Japanese team in Hungary, but absolutely nothing comes of it. One of the most flatly written characters suddenly comes out as gay and asks why this has to be such a big problem in this world. While viewers from most Western countries will only shrug their shoulders and ask themselves, "Who cares these days?", it is still a taboo in Korea - but immediately afterwards the topic is simply dropped again. Instead, we get some funny supporting characters like the self-proclaimed former gangster or an unnecessarily long story about a father, played by Ko Chang-seok ( "The Con Artists" ), whose daughter is soon about to emigrate. There is nothing really original here.

At the latest when slow motion, the enthusiastic commentator and the cheering of the audience start to take over, you feel like you must have missed something. Where does this sudden enthusiasm come from? It's not as infectious as director Lee Byeong-heon ( "Extreme Job" ) intended it to be. Yoon's personal story doesn't work as a framework either, and so "Dream" is constantly torn apart by its subplots. 127 minutes is also clearly too long, and in several places the flick even feels artificially blown up. This could also be due to the fact that nothing about the story is seriously original. "Dream" is not really bad, because as a feel-good flick it is able to do its job most of the time, but everything is extremely average here, and once again, the drama towards the end is focused on so much that the humor seems to completely disappear. In the end, you will therefore probably feel quite empty after watching "Dream" and quickly forget about it.

• Social Affairs
• Foreign Affairs
• North Korea
• Diplomatic Circuit
• Arts & Design
• Performance
• More Sports
• World Business
• #Hashtag Korea
• Hello Hangeul
• English Eye
• Interactive
• PR newswire
• Global insight
• KH Media Kit

• US working to prevent escalation across Mideast
• A decade lost: Sewol survivors on life after tragedy
• Recording of boss cursing in office ruled legal
• BTS' Jungkook creates Instagram account for his dog
• [From the scene] Search for truth on Sewol ferry disaster continues
• Korean sellers going global with Greyd’s video platform
• [Photo News] 23 years, and more
• KAI inks W1tr eVTOL parts supply deal with Brazil's Eve
• KBO umps caught on mic conspiring to cover up missed call
• Samsung, LG showcase built-in lineup at Milan Design Week

Most Popular

Opposition victory upends ruling party's plans

Why don’t trainee doctors, medical professors see eye to eye?

World reactions to Iran strikes on Israel

• Taking risk or targeting global fans? Netflix pushes ahead with 'Goodbye Earth' release

S. Korea to extend fuel tax cut through June amid Middle East tensions

Israel says Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles, 99% of which were intercepted

N. Korea elevates high-level exchanges with China, Russia

S. Korea ups guard against economic impact from Middle East conflict

Ateez incorporates traditional Korean elements into Coachella performance

N. Korea's Kim vows to further develop ties with China

Start your day with a roundup of key stories from The Korea Herald with news and comment on all that’s happening in Korea. 

[Herald Review] ‘Dream,’ yet another ‘we did it’ sports film that lacks Lee Byeong-heon’s true colors

Published : April 20, 2023 - 18:21

Link copied

“Dream,” the country’s third sports comedy film this year, was expected to be different for many reasons.

For one, it was director Lee Byeong-heon’s return after helming the country’s highest-grossing comedy, “Extreme Job” (2019). And the star-studded cast including Park Seo-joon and IU and approachable plot based on the real-life event 2012 World Homeless World cup added expectations for a strong comeback.

The plot rolls along quickly for the first 20 minutes, showing how Hong-dae (Park), a hot-tempered former soccer player, ended up coaching a group of homeless men who have never played soccer before.

But after a promising set-up, “Dream” fails to maintain its grip on the audience's attention for the rest of its 126 minutes. Like many other sports films, it falls into the trap of portraying the underdogs’ stories too dramatically.

Lee told reporters during a press conference that this film was particularly difficult as it was a project from long ago. He was also keen to cover homelessness issues carefully. The film is being released eight years after it was conceived.

"I felt it was like a mission for me to resolve bias against (homeless people) and also felt like a homework to find the middle point to not to comically depict that part,” Lee said, adding that he is also curious about how the audience would view his new film.

The so-called "Lee Byeong-heon clique” -- Heo Joon-seok, Kim Jong-soo, Yang Hyun-min, Jung Seung-kil, Lee Hae-woon and Hong Wan-pyo -- does this pretty well. As with his previous hits “Extreme Job” and “Melo is My Nature,” Lee provides them with realistic lines and character buildup without exaggeration, and the actors make good use of the material, with naturalistic depictions of their characters.

The trouble seems to start with the two lead actors, both working with Lee for the first time. Park struggles to show his usual flair, and IU is lumbered with a role that doesn't play to her strengths.

“Dream” was shot before Hirokazu Kore-eda's award-winning “Broker,” so in a way, this is her first-ever film.

Her transition to the silver screen was a natural one after successful TV roles in “My Mister” (2018) and “Hotel del Luna” (2019).

But her role as a documentary producer Lee So-min, who follows Hong-dae’s team on its journey to the Homeless World Cup in Hungary, is a poor fit.

It does not help that her presence is diminished toward the end of the film, when So-min could have become a more multi-dimensional character and added spice to what, by then, is a flagging storyline.

“Dream” opens in theaters on April 26.

Articles by Kim Da-sol

• [Herald Review] Ordinary woman in midlife ‘Jeong-sun’ shatters preconceptions

More from Headlines

K-MOVIE SPOTLIGHT: “DREAM” Draws Heartening Moments That Inspires Us To Be Always Driven

Something light, fun and probably familiar – still, Dream has an encouraging message from its captivating storyline.

DREAM Movie Details and Recap

Dream is a story of a group of homeless people playing soccer for the first time for the Homeless World Cup. Yoon Hong Dae is a professional soccer player on disciplinary probation and is appointed as the Coach of the soccer team. Lee Seo Min is a struggling director producing a documentary about the team.

Hong-dae is a professional soccer player but he always comes second no matter how hard he tries. During an interview after their game, a reporter keeps on asking him about his mother who is apparently on the run because she scammed some people.

After the interview, on the way out, the reporter continues to annoy Hong-dae with his personal questions and in return, he pokes the reporter’s eyes in front of a large crowd.

The incident becomes viral and affects his reputation. His agency decides to give him some time off from the team. To save Hong-dae’s reputation from the scandal, his agency decides that he will become the head coach of a special soccer team.

The players are homeless people that will represent Korea in the Homeless World Cup. He will be working with Lee So Min, the director that will document the journey of the players.

Who are the Homeless Players?

Kim In-seon is looking for his missing girlfriend after her body was never found in an accident during their company picnic. Hong-dae convinces him to join the team because it would help him to be seen on tv and look for his girlfriend.

Kim Hwan-dong used to be a CEO but because of his bad and corrupt ways, he lost his company and his family.

Jeon Hyo-bong is a super nice guy that you can almost call him an idiot to an extent. He is very helpful to his friends and that got him in trouble. His wife divorced him and he has a lovely daughter.

Seon Beom-soo is an orphan who injured himself while working in construction. He is in love with a disabled woman, Jinju.

Jeon Moon-soo is an ex- gangster.

Young Jin has an aloof personality and doesn’t talk much. His father can’t accept him for what he is that’s why he ended up on the streets.

DREAM Movie Highlights

One night, Hong-dae spots a group of teens trying to harass a disabled woman, Jin-ju. He single-handedly fights the young men to save Jinju. He ends up being in the controversy again. With the help of Soo Min and Jinju, they found a bystander that captured the whole incident and release it online. Hong-dae’s kind gesture goes viral and he gains positive feedback.

As the team prepares for the Homeless World Cup , Hong-dae’s agency tells him to quit being the head coach because his reputation is restored already. Hong Dae agrees at first and says goodbye to the team. But on the day of the teams’ departure, Hong-dae appears at the airport and joins the team as he decides to be their coach until the end.

What awaits them in Budapest?

As the team arrives in Budapest, they noticed right away that the other teams are made of bigger and strong looking men. They realize that they really don’t have a chance of winning. After doing their best to win, they lost their first game. Beom-soo gets injured.

Seo-min tells Hong-dae that they at least need to win one game for their documentary to become successful. She also learns that the tournament allows two people from other countries to join the team with fewer members. Hong-dae doesn’t like the idea and tells Seo-min to coach the team. The two Brazilian members take the ball for themselves.

The Korean players don’t even need to try playing. The game goes well but with the Brazilians’ merit. Hong Dae decides to speak up to the team. He reminds them why they are there. He tells them that they should be the ones playing their game. Win or lose, they are there to make memories and achieve something for themselves or for their loved ones.

Their next game with Germany shows how passionate they are to win. They try to shoot more even when they are hurting or getting injured while playing. No Korean team player is giving up. Everyone plays as if their lives are at stake. The crowd cheer and sees how much effort everyone puts in. Finally, the team scores a goal although they lose the match, 5-1.

The motivation, effort and perseverance they showed in their game captured the hearts of many and they become the crowd’s favorite. The World Cup ends with the Korean team recording 1 win and 10 losses out of 11 games.

At the end of the movie, the documentary becomes a success and the team receives continuous support. The lives of the soccer team become a little better, some begin to meet their families again, and there are some who bid their goodbye, but everyone ends up happy. Hong-dae returns to his team and the whole homeless soccer team watches him as he scores a goal for his team.

DREAM Movie Musings

If you want something that can make you laugh and will touch your heart at the same time, you need to watch this film. The movie has a great casting. From the main leads, Park Seo Joon and IU, the supporting cast did not disappoint. The character actors portrayed their roles very well.

Albeit the story may seem simple, with superb acting and good execution, it’s definitely worth watching. Admirably, with the right amount of comedy, quirky characters, and scenes that touch the heart, Dream is such an entertaining watch.

Dream also sheds light that being homeless doesn’t equally mean they are bad people, sometimes they are just in a bad situation and need help from people around them.

On that note, the viewers will not notice that this is a two-hour film because of the enjoyable scenes. Most importantly, the message of the movie is very clear.

Everyone can dream. Anyone can aspire to become someone they want to be and who knows, slowly, little by little, with hard work, perseverance and a little luck, you’ll get there.

This movie makes you believe that no matter what, you can do anything if you put your heart and soul into it.

DREAM Takeaway Quotes

“I want us to win too. I mean, even if we don’t if we keep playing and not give up, maybe we can even tie a game or two.”

“I just don’t want our players to be scared of the field.”

” Are we here to make history or to make memories? Well, that’s your decision to make.”

“I want to try. I want to win for once.”

“I’m not asking you to bounce back up if you fall. But when you do, trip them and make them fall. Take them with you. That’s how you play.”

Photos: Megabox Plus M

bubbly haruhi

You may also like.

5 Yesung Songs To Set Your Vibe Right For “UNFADING SENSE in MANILA”

“Seobok” & “Life Is Beautiful” Delay Big Screen Premieres

C-Drama Mid-Series Recap: “Who Rules The World” Delves Into The Wondrous Domain Of Martial Arts

Buy Me a Coffee

Follow Us On SNS

• Movie Review
• Release Date
• Privacy Policy
• Advertise with Us

Netflix’s Dream Korean Movie Review: A Heartwarming and Inspirational Journey

Dream korean movie review.

Netflix’s Dream Korean Movie Review: The director, Lee Byeong-heon, deserves applause for skillfully blending comedy, drama, and poignant moments throughout the film. The witty humor provides a refreshing counterbalance to the more emotional scenes, allowing the audience to connect with the characters on multiple levels.

Netflix’s Dream Korean Movie Review Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 4/5

Dream, the 2023 South Korean sports comedy-drama film, directed by Lee Byeong-heon and starring Park Seo-joon and Lee Ji-eun, delivers a heartwarming and inspiring tale that transcends the boundaries of sports and humanity. With a compelling narrative and strong performances from the lead actors, the movie leaves a lasting impression on its audience.

The story revolves around Yoon Hong-dae, portrayed brilliantly by Park Seo-joon, a once-promising football player who finds himself facing disciplinary measures. As his world comes crashing down, Hong-dae is given a chance at redemption when he’s assigned to coach the national football team of homeless individuals preparing for the Homeless World Cup. Park Seo-joon breathes life into his character, skillfully portraying the emotional journey of a man seeking redemption while finding purpose and camaraderie with his team.

Lee Ji-eun, known by her stage name IU, delivers a commendable performance as Lee So-min, an aspiring director who decides to make a documentary about the homeless football team. Her presence adds depth to the storyline, showcasing the power of dreams and determination, not only for the players but also for those documenting their struggles and triumphs.

At its core, Dream is much more than just a sports movie. It captures the essence of the human spirit and the resilience of those who are often overlooked by society. The film highlights the struggles faced by homeless individuals and the stereotypes they have to combat daily. It encourages viewers to empathize with these characters, shedding light on their stories, struggles, and dreams.

Also read: 7 Best Korean Movies on Netflix to Watch in July 2023

The director, Lee Byeong-heon, deserves applause for skillfully blending comedy, drama, and poignant moments throughout the film. The witty humor provides a refreshing counterbalance to the more emotional scenes, allowing the audience to connect with the characters on multiple levels.

One of the movie’s strongest aspects is the camaraderie between the players and their coach, Hong-dae. As the team learns to trust and support one another, their growth as individuals and as a team is heartwarming to witness. The development of the characters is compelling, and the audience can’t help but cheer for them during their journey to the Homeless World Cup.

Dream is elevated by its beautifully crafted cinematography, capturing the grittiness of the streets while also highlighting the breathtaking moments on the football field. The soundtrack further enhances the emotional impact, perfectly complementing each scene.

While Dream delivers an emotionally charged and inspiring storyline, there are some predictable moments in the film. However, the exceptional performances and the heartfelt message of hope and unity overshadow any minor flaws.

In conclusion, Dream is a must-watch for its touching portrayal of the power of dreams and the strength that lies within us all, regardless of our circumstances. Park Seo-joon and Lee Ji-eun’s captivating performances, coupled with Lee Byeong-heon’s skillful direction, make this film a remarkable cinematic experience that will stay with the audience long after the credits roll. Prepare to be moved, uplifted, and inspired by this extraordinary tale of redemption and the triumph of the human spirit.

Dark Matter Series Release Date on Apple TV+, Cast, Crew, Storyline and More

Market mahalakshmi movie release date 2024, cast, crew, storyline and more, the ministry of ungentlemanly warfare budget, cast, plot, box office collection prediction, the lord of the rings: the war of the rohirrim cast, budget, plot, box office collection prediction, mi vs lsg dream11 prediction today match, ipl 2024 match 29, kkr vs lsg dream11 team today match, ipl 2024 match 28, surya dev to apply surya tilak on ram lalla in ram mandir ayodhya on ram navami; trial successful, related articles, haseen dillruba movie review: released on netflix, taapsee pannu and vikrant massey set fire on screens, shaitaan movie review: ajay devgn, r madhavan starrer is a unique horror flick, 7 blockbusters to enjoy this weekend on your favorite ott platform, spy movie review: nikhil siddhartha starrer is an engaging thriller, amar singh chamkila review: a powerful exploration of art, artist & society, good times review: a celebration of community, resilience & love, woody woodpecker goes to camp review: a hilarious & delightful nostalgia, bade miyan chote miyan review: akshay & tiger starrer is a frantically good action-thriller.

Entertainment News, Bollywood, Tollywood, Hollywood, Box Office, Reviews, OTT Updates, Lifestyle & Fitness Tips, Flight Offers, Free OTT Subscription

Popular Topics

• Hottest Photos

OTT Platforms

• Amazon Prime Video
• Disney+ Hotstar

Latest Articles

Rcb vs srh dream11 prediction today match, ipl 2024 match 30.

Copyright @ Flickonclick 2024

Dream Review: Park Seo Joon, IU Deliver Entertaining Korean Film, Packed With Laughs, Tears

Written By : Dishya Sharma

Edited By: Shrishti Negi

Last Updated: July 26, 2023, 14:59 IST

Seoul, South Korea

• 25 July 2023 | Korean
• 2 hrs 07 mins | Sports drama
• Starring: Park Seo-joon, Lee Ji-eun aka IU, Kim Jong-soo, Go Chang-suk, Jung Seung-gil, Lee Hyun-woo, Yang Hyun-min, Hong Wan-pyo and Heo Joon-suk.
• Director: Lee Byung-hun
• Platform: Netflix

Dream Movie Review: Park Seo-joon and IU along with the supporting cast deliver a hilarious yet heart-touching film.

Dream Movie Review: It has been a long wait but it has finally happened! The South Korean film Dream has finally released in India. Released on Netflix, Dream stars Park Seo-joon, Lee Ji-eun aka IU, Kim Jong-soo, Go Chang-suk, Jung Seung-gil, Lee Hyun-woo, Yang Hyun-min, Hong Wan-pyo and Heo Joon-suk. The film revolves around a young footballer who quits the international team after a controversy and is tasked with coaching a team of men for the Homeless World Cup.

With no experience of football and most above the ideal age to play, Park Seo-joon’s Yoon Hong-dae is forced to put on a smile and train the ragtag team. The process is closely covered by documentary director Lee So-min, played by Lee Ji-eun. While Yoon Hong-dae starts off training the team as a pressure from his talent agency, he eventually turns passionate about the team and leaves no stone unturned to help the team perform well at the Homeless World Cup. The slice of life film is created by Lee Byung-hun.

The film opens with Lee Ji-eun promising a tear-jerker and it delivers the promise. Dream is everything that we’d be missing on the small screen — a relatable drama that has its share of heartbreaking moments but ensures to make you laugh as well. The happy ending is just cherry on the icing. Lee Byung-hun’s vision is delivered oh-so-well by the cast of the movie.

Dream doubles up as a great welcome back project for Park Seo-joon. Having seen him last on the small screen in Itaewon Class (and a cameo in Record of Youth) in 2020, his absence on the screen was getting evident. Owing to the delay in Dream’s release and a few other projects, the actor has been away for over three years now. But fortunately for him and his fans, he returned with a bang.

Borrowing a few characteristics from his role in Fight for My Way and What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim, Park Seo-joon added a new flavour to his role in the movie which allowed him to hit the goal effortlessly in Dream. Park Seo-joon reminded us that although he has been experimenting with various roles in his career, he will be forever everyone’s favourite grumpy boy next door.

Sharing the screen with Park Seo-joon for the first time is Lee Ji-eun aka IU and boy, she is a ball of sunshine on the screen. Lee Ji-eun’s energy is so contagious that there are a few scenes you can feel Park Seo Joon is engulfed into her vibrant aura. After having moved everyone with her performance in Broker last year, the actress-singer switched on her chirpy mode and delivered a memorable performance. Their scenes together had me believing that they had a ball filming the movie.

Dream also proves that the singer-actress can share a great chemistry with any actor she is cast opposite. Having said that, I would like to see IU and Park Seo Joon reunite in a romcom series. We’ve only seen half of what they have to offer as an on-screen duo in Dream.

While the lead pair shoulders the film, the heart of the film is the supporting cast. From Ko Chang-seok’s tear-jerking bond with his on-screen daughter to Lee Hyun-woo’s heartbreaking background, the film seamlessly intertwined the subplots with the game, pushing the film to victory. Another supporting character that had me in splits was Baek Ji-won, who played Park Seo-joon’s quirky mother in the film. Although she had only a handful of scenes, every time she would come on screen, she would crack me up. The film smartly uses humour to convey the dark reality of everyone’s lives which also allows it to tug at your heartstrings.

However, Dream is not perfect. The film starts off on a great note but it starts to slow down as it hits the midmark. Although it is only a two hour film, the slowed down pace starts to wear out the impact of the first half of the film. Although the pacing down seems necessary but it results in an uneven pacing of the film. The reduction in pace also impacts the build up of the climax. While Dream has everything in place to ensure the powerful climax, it becomes obvious that the film has to climb the high point yet again.

Bottom Line: Dream is fresh, breezy and just what you need after a long day of work. It makes you laugh, cry and root for the underdogs.

• Korean Entertainment
• Movie Reviews

• Daily BO Update
• Daily Breakdown
• Hits & Flops
• All Time Grossers
• Highest Grossers
• Highest Openers
• Highest Weekend
• Best of Overseas
• Hollywood Highest
• Fact-o-meter
• Entertainment News
• Bollywood News
• Television & Web
• Fashion & Lifestyle
• Bigg Boss 17
• Hollywood News
• What To Watch
• Bollywood Movie Reviews
• Hollywood Movie Reviews
• All South Movie Reviews
• Tamil Movie Reviews
• Telugu Movie Reviews
• Kannada Movie Reviews
• Malayalam Movie Reviews
• Marathi Movie Reviews
• Web Series Reviews
• Music Reviews
• Box Office Reviews
• Trailer Reviews
• BO Filmometer
• Stars’ Power Index
• Directors’ Power Index
• 100 Crore Club
• Worldwide 200 Crores+
• Profitable Films
• Recommended Movies
• Upcoming Movies
• Released Movies
• Web Stories
• About Koimoi

Home » Reviews » Hollywood Movie Reviews

Dream Movie Review: Park Seo-Joon & IU’s Sports Comedy Drama Will Touch Those Strings Of Emotions Which Were Left Unnoticed, Keep Some Tissues Handy!

The emotion of this movie is the key element. the storyline is nothing new, but the portrayal of park seo-joon's dream will keep you hooked..

Star Cast: Park Seo-joon, IU, Jung Seung-Gil, Yang Hyun-Min, Hong Wan-Pyo, Heo Joon-Seok, Kang Ha-Neul, Son Beom-Soo, Jeon Moon-Soo, Young-Jin, Hwang In-Kook

Director: Byeong-heon Lee

What’s Good: The feel-good emotions of this movie will boost your energy to do something which you thought you couldn’t pursue any more.

What’s Bad: It’s the same old wine packed in a new bottle!

Loo Break: Well, it’s on Netflix and not a thriller drama, so yeah, at any moment, you can pause it for a loo break!

Watch or Not?: Only if you love a sports drama and you have already fallen for Park Seo-Joon’s charisma, Dream is a good one-time watch.

Language: Korean (with English subtitle)

Available On: Netflix

Runtime: 125 mins

What happens when all the broken people come together to form a team? Do they weaken each other or make the team stronger? The Korean movie Dream is such a movie that will make you believe no matter what, you can do anything if you put your mind and soul into it. Lee Byeong-heon directorial and Park Seo-Joon and IU starrer this sports comedy-drama is not a new concept that we haven’t seen before, but the way the director packed the emotions on every layer as the movie proceeded is something to look forward to.

Dream Movie Review: Script Analysis

From the house of Lee Byeong-heon, who is best known for his film Extreme Job, is back with another comedy-drama but this time a sports film. Starring Park Seo-Joon and IU as the main leads, the movie revolves around a soccer player Yoon Hong-dae (Park Seo-Joon), who gets caught up in an unexpected incident with a reporter for pestering him by asking controversial questions.

Yoon Hong-dae later gets to serve disciplinary measures for that. He becomes a coach to a ‘thrown-together’ soccer team who practices to compete in 2010’s Homeless World Cup tournament. The team members get selected by a documentary filmmaking crew led by Lee So-min (played by IU).

The team consists of homeless people who have different emotional backstories to become one. None of them have ever played soccer before, which makes Yoon Hong-dae’s job even more challenging. While Hong-dae didn’t want to get involved with the team members in the beginning, he slowly comes to terms with them, and with his earnest sincerity and care, Hong-dae (Park Seo-Joon) becomes a true leader.

Even though the plot is nothing new, and we have already seen the same old storyline in different lingual movies, the emotions made me shed one or two tears. You might wanna keep a few tissues handy if you’re watching this.

Dream Movie Review: Star Performance

Casting Park Seo-Joon as Yoon Hong-dae might have been Lee Byeong-heon’s cleverest decision. Seo-Joon’s character will give away Shah Rukh Khan ‘s Kabir vibes from Chak De! India, so much. Every time the actor starts his speech to motivate his teammates at the World Cup, my mind wouldn’t stop playing ‘Sattar minute. Sattar minute hai tumhare paas…’ from the Bollywood movie. Well, that’s just me being an SRK fanatic. But anyway, Park Seo-Joon did a great job as Yoon Hong-dae, and nobody could have gotten into the comic timing as well as in the emotional run as he did.

All the soccer players of the Homeless team (the supporting cast including Kim Jong-soo, Ko Chang-seok, Lee Hyun-woo, Lee Ji-hyun, and Baek Ji-won) did their part in portraying their stories through emotions, and IU is cute as well as scary as Lee So-min in the drama. Even though she didn’t have a romantic bond with Park Seo-Joon in this drama, their on-screen chemistry is fiery, which made us want to see them together in a rom-com drama soon!

Dream Movie Review: Direction, Music

Lee Byeong-heon’s speciality is his touch of comic timing, even on a serious topic. However, what the film lacked is better editing. It could have been much tighter as it seemed to wander here and there way too much in some places. The cinematography deserves some mention because of the way soccer is showcased in the film. The tension between the players, the goals, the preparation – everything was just in place.

Dream doesn’t have a lot of songs or background scores. But IU’s song ‘A Dreamer’ needs to be mentioned here. It’s a calm and soulful song that arouses inspiration and motivation to do something better in life.

Dream Movie Review: The Last Word

This Korean sports drama truly showed that winning isn’t everything. The memories and the dream to do better the next time matter the most. At the movie’s beginning, Park Seo-Joon’s character can be heard saying through a voiceover, “If one falls behind, we need to help them. This isn’t a one-man sport. I won’t tell you to get back up if you fall. If you fall, trip the opponent and make them fall too.” And that’s what the film preached.

Dream is now streaming on Netflix.

Dream Trailer

Dream releases on 25 July, 2023.

Did you like reading this review about the Korean sports drama ‘Dream’? Let us know in the comments.

For more recommendations, read our Barbie movie review.

Must Read:   Barbie Movie Review (World-First) Out! Ryan Gosling Steals The Show, Margot Robbie Is A Mystery & Film Has Shades Of “Clueless & Legally Blonde”

Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube | Google News

RELATED ARTICLES

Park Seo Joon To Return To Making Romantic K-Dramas? The Marvels Star Opens Up About The Reason Behind Staying Away From The Genre: “I’ve...

‘Dream’ Actor Park Seo Joon Is Not Fond Of BTS V’s This Peculiar Habit, Playfully Asks “Why Should He Do That?”

James McAvoy On Audiobook Adaptation Of ‘The Sandman’: “It’s Like Reading A Book VS Watching A Movie”

Check this out.

Bridgerton Season 3 Trailer Review: Penelope & Colin’s Friends To Lovers...

Maidaan Box Office Collection Day 4: Scores Its Biggest Day So...

Megan Fox Reflects On ‘Night Teeth’ Co-Star Sydney Sweeney’s S*x Symbol...

Maidaan Day 0 Box Office Collection: Best Pre-Eid Collection Stands 170%...

Tiger Shroff’s Rise As An Action Star From Heropanti To Bade...

Bade Miyan Chote Miyan Box Office Day 4 Advance Booking: Akshay...

Don't miss.

Aadujeevitham – The Goat Life Box Office Collection Day 13: Sustains...

Dune 2 Box Office: Timothee Chalamet Starrer Is A Smashing Hit...

Bade Miyan Chote Miyan Box Office Day 1 Morning Occupancy: Below...

Love, Sex Aur Dhokha 2 Trailer Review: Ekta Kapoor & Dibakar Banerjee Are Bringing Bold & Dirty Digitally Drugged World, Will It Have A...

Amar Singh Chamkila Movie Review: Imtiaz Ali Weaves Magic On Screen With His Vibrant Take On Chamkila & Amarjot’s Life And Art

Bridgerton Season 3 Trailer Review: Penelope & Colin’s Friends To Lovers Chemistry Sizzles; New Suitors, Breakups Tease Betrayal & Passion As Whistledown Returns

Fallout Review: Amazon Prime Video Brings One Of The Biggest Video Game Franchises Live With A Production Quality That Only Jeff Bezos Can Afford

• Privacy Policy

• International
• Today’s Paper
• Join WhatsApp Channel
• Movie Reviews
• Tamil Cinema
• Telugu Cinema

Dream movie review: Park Seo-joon and IU can’t save Netflix’s sappy Korean sports drama

Dream movie review: despite the combined star power of park seo-joon and iu, netflix's new korean drama is rather lacklustre..

Two decades after the crossover success of a series of edgy movies that established Korean cinema as among the most exciting in the world, the industry is now best known for saccharine serial dramas and algorithmic pop music that have propelled certain people to icon status across the world. The coming together of two such stars — the television actor Park Seo-joon and the K-pop sensation Lee Ji-eun, better known as IU — in the new Netflix film Dream feels about as important as the return of Jaya Bachchan and Dharmendra in this week’s Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. The jury’s still out on Karan Johar’s film, but sadly, Dream doesn’t live up to the hype around it.

Ostensibly a feel-good drama that follows the basic structure of sports movies so closely that you might be fooled into believing that it was written by The Entity from Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One , Dream strives hard to contrive scenarios designed to pull at the audience’s heartstrings. But it does this with all the elegance of Eric Cantona on a hot summer day at Old Trafford.

Park plays a disgraced football player named Hong-dae, who is suspended after poking a pesky journalist in the eye. As punishment, he is given the job of coaching a team of homeless people, and train them for the upcoming ‘Homeless World Cup’. On his first day at the job, Hong-dae is introduced to the ragtag bunch of characters that he is supposed to train, and also to a chipper young woman named So-min (IU), who is making a documentary film about the team’s journey to the world stage.

So-min isn’t one to sugarcoat things, and she tells Hong-dae quite plainly that she wants to highlight the sad backstories of the homeless characters to manipulate her audiences into caring about them. What she’s making isn’t a sports documentary, but a reality show. As it turns out, she may as well have been directing Dream, as well. Hong-dae, at least initially, is both indifferent towards the whole exercise, and mildly annoyed at being made to ‘perform’ for the camera. It’s added humiliation for him, and he’s barely been able to deal with regularly being recognised as the guy who poked a journalist in the eye.

But somewhat surprisingly, considering the star-power of the two leads, Dream is very much an ensemble piece. In the tradition of films such as Jhund, Gridiron Gang, The Longest Yard and also Lagaan, the movie picks a handful of characters — actually just three, the bare minimum — and gives them one of those Indian Idol-style backstories that make could you feel terrible if you complain about them too loudly. One of these characters was a former CEO who drank his wealth and family away; another is a loveable middle-aged man who is on the brink of losing his daughter to his ex-wife.

These plot lines are only marginally interesting, primarily because there isn’t a single moment in Dream that you don’t see coming a mile away. There’s a difference between embracing tropes and becoming enslaved to them, and unfortunately for us all, director Lee Byeong-heon doesn’t seem to understand this.

His movie isn’t merely manipulative, but it’s also unforgivably boring. There’s no reason, for instance, that it needed to be over two hours long. It’s going through the motions as it is, it could’ve just gone through them quicker. A full 30 minutes at the end are devoted to a match between the Koreans and the Germans, which demands leaps of faith that the movie simply hasn’t earned.

There’s a sense that they’re trying to tap into the same underdog energy that made Next Goal Wins — the fabulous documentary about the American Samoa football team, and not Taika Waititi’s upcoming feature adaptation — a masterpiece, but for that, we needed to watch these characters simply exist , and not function as thinly-written objects. Noble intentions, as Nitesh Tiwari would now know better than anybody else right now, can only get you so far.

Dream Director – Lee Byeong-heon Cast – Park Seo-joon, Lee Ji-eun Rating – 2/5

Tavleen Singh writes: Corruption as an election issue Subscriber Only

How AI could make smartphones great again Subscriber Only

Markets touch new high, but the shadow of war looms Subscriber Only

Why Paris-bound Indian shuttlers should happily shoot insta reels Subscriber Only

Spring flavours: A taste of regional new years Subscriber Only

The art of reality: A look at Gobardhan Ash Subscriber Only

Imtiaz Ali on collaborating with Diljit Dosanjh Subscriber Only

Latest fiction and non-fiction books to read Subscriber Only

Ramachandra Guha on author-editor chemistry Subscriber Only

• Movie Review

17-year-old D Gukesh, currently on top of the standings, is facing off against fellow Chennai prodigy Praggnanandhaa in Round 9 of the Candidates chess tournament. Meanwhile, Vidit Gujrathi is taking on Hikaru Nakamura, and in the women's section, Humpy Koneru is playing against Kateryna Lagno while Vaishali is facing Tan Zhongyi. Follow the live coverage and updates on our blog.

More Entertainment

Best of Express

Apr 15: Latest News

• 01 Lok Sabha polls 2024: Retaining Ramtek seat a challenge for Shinde-led Sena
• 02 Olympic qualification: With women’s 10m air pistol bronze, Palak Gulia makes it 16 out of 16 pistol/rifle quotas for Paris Games
• 03 Shinde calls Sena UBT ‘Uth Bas Sena’, takes a dig at Thackeray
• 04 Can country where 80 crore people survive on free ration become ‘vishwaguru’: Akhilesh
• 05 Man held in Chhattisgarh for using abusive language against PM Modi
• Elections 2024
• Political Pulse
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Gold Rate Today
• Silver Rate Today
• Petrol Rate Today
• Diesel Rate Today
• Web Stories
• Expresso Live
• Premium Stories
• Express Shorts
• Health & Wellness
• Board Exam Results

Home » News

Is the Dream movie on Netflix based on a true story?

Is the Dream movie on Netflix based on a true story? We discuss the 2023 South Korean Netflix film, which contains minor spoilers.

South Korean comedy-drama Dream debuted at the New York Asian Film Festival on July 17th.

The film was directed by Lee Byeong-heon, who had been inspired to make the film after watching a documentary about the Homeless Football World Cup.

The film comes after the director’s successful previous comedy, Extreme Job , from 2019.

Based around the real-life Homeless World Cup events, the film is a comedy-drama that has captured the imagination of viewers, and the subject matter will no doubt bring a new audience to South Korean film, as I know lots of people who will watch anything that involves football (that’s soccer to our US friends).

Football movies will always have a pre-sold public; think about Escape to Victory , Bend It like Beckham, and The Hand of God , and there is a long list of terrific documentaries available too, that should please soccer fans from every corner of the world. So, there is a huge audience out there for films about this sport.

Hopefully, if you have stumbled upon this short article, it may encourage you to check the movie out as we answer the question: is the Dream movie on Netflix based on a true story?

What is the Korean Netflix movie Dream about?

The main protagonist of the sporty flick is Hong-dae, played by Park Se0-joon. If that name sounds familiar, it may be from the news that the actor is set to appear in the upcoming Marvel movie, inventively called The Marvels , later this year. However, the way things are going, it may be longer before that film is released.

We join the story, being introduced to ex-professional football player Hong-dae, who has found himself in a sticky situation after assaulting a journalist.

His temper has led his career to take a nose dive, and in an attempt to try to win back some favor with the public, he agrees somewhat half-heartedly to coach a homeless football team.

Complicating matters is a documentary film crew that is filming the team as they go through their training but are more interested in exploiting the situation than helping it.

As Hong-dae starts to care about the team he is coaching, he learns about the people involved and starts to care more for their well-being.

Yes, aspects of the film all come from the very real Homeless World Cup tournament. The association behind the world-famous competition is an ongoing event that takes place all year round, culminating in the World Cup final.

The object of the foundation is to end homelessness for people from all over the world.

So although the event is real, this particular screenplay uses fictionalized events and characters to present its story.

Is the Dream movie on Netflix based on real people?

No, the characters in the film have been written to explore the narrative and to drive the story forward.

However, the film does have its basis in the real-life tournament that works incredibly hard to provide help for homeless people around the world.

You can visit the website at Homeless World Cup .

More Stories

• Dream (2023) Ending Explained
• Where was the Dream movie on Netflix filmed?
• What happened to Johnny Manziel? Explained

Article by Louie Fecou

Louie Fecou joined the Ready Steady Cut writing team back in August 2018 as an Entertainment Writer and, since then, has published over 1,000 articles for the site. Louie has proven experience in various publications, print and online. To kickstart his journalism career, in 2013, he was a columnist and writer for The Irvine Herald Newspaper.

Chainsaw Man season 1, episode 4 recap - “Rescue”

Duck & Goose season 1 review - simplistic but has no rewatch value

This website cannot be displayed as your browser is extremely out of date.

Please update your browser to one of the following: Chrome , Firefox , Edge

Dream (2023) Korean Movie Ending Explained: What happens in the World Cup?

The Korean movie “Dream (2023),” directed by Byeong-heon Lee, takes the audience on an emotional and exciting trip, combining the world of sports with the complexities of human relationships in a beautiful way. This exciting sports story is currently available on Netflix and shows how powerful dreams can be and how strong the human spirit can be.

Sports dramas always have an emotional aspect that connects with the audience so much that, once in a while, you feel like you are part of the drama. This genre has inspiration, motivation, and everything you need to win in any situation in your life. One of the reasons why sports dramas have a greater audience than many other genres ‘Dream’ is not the most remarkable or stand-alone work in this genre, but the best part of the film is that it doesn’t try to be one. It is simple, it is direct, and moreover, it is seriously funny. So, without saying much, let’s jump into the plot.

*Spoilers Ahead*

Dream (2023) Plot Summary And Movie Synopsis:

The film centers around the character of Yoon Hong-dae, portrayed with remarkable depth by an exceptional cast led by Park Seo-joon. Yoon Hong-dae is a former soccer player who loses everything due to a match that goes wrong. The whole world sees Hong-dae tackle his own teammate, Sung-chan Park. Nobody understands what is happening on the field. The coach is very angry with Hong-dae’s decision. While returning, a reporter questions Hong-dae regarding his fugitive mother. He gets so upset that he punches the man in the eye. The whole federation finds him guilty, and his PR team is now trying to improve his image. They think of Ho-rak as a name for him to promote his brand.

Later, the PR team finds an opportunity through which Ho-rak will be able to reform his reputation and once again play football for his team. Ho-rak is asked to coach the Homeless Football Team of Korea. The federation has arranged a Homeless World Cup as a fundraiser program, and Ho-rak is about to be their coach. Lee So-min is onboard to shoot the whole process and make a documentary out of it, which will eventually help rebuild Hong-dae’s, aka Ho-rak’s, reputation. Hong-dae has no intention of coaching the homeless team, but since he needs money to give her fugitive mother a good life, he agrees to do so.

How is the homeless team built?

Hong-dae is not interested at all in training the homeless team, as they are not professional football players. Because it is a charity tournament, no one is serious about this. Also, Hong-dae just needs to do some drills in front of the camera and give motivational speeches so the documentary can help him rebuild his brand value. But later, So-min tells him about her struggles, which somehow makes Hong-dae a bit serious about forming the team. He then starts exploring the possibilities within the team. Soon he finds out about the backgrounds of the players on the team.

He learns about Mr. Beom-su, who has always been a homeless guy since the day he was born. He moved around, and when he was 17, he started doing construction work. One day, due to an accident, he is admitted to the hospital. All of his savings are gone, and he starts spending his nights on the road. A woman named Jin-ju then takes care of him. She is a dyslexic woman, but since she has taken care of him, Beom-su now sells magazines to help her with the rent. Another guy named Hwan-dong used to be a very successful businessman. But during an economic transition in the country, he loses all his fortune, including his family. He becomes a drunk man, and now, with this homeless world cup to come, he too has something to prove in front of his family.

Kim In-sun also had a pathetic story of childhood trauma and a friend who was lost and never found again. He still shares the leaflet containing her image so that he can meet her once again. Hyo-bong is separated from his beloved daughter, and he wants to prove to society that he is a father capable of taking care of his daughter. These men from such backgrounds together become the homeless football team, and all they need is a leader who can guide them on the right track.

Hong-dae, the man who never takes this Homeless World Cup seriously, gradually becomes the central part of the team and keeps pushing them into believing that they can actually score a goal, if not defend one. Even when the sponsor does not want to spend money, he stands beside them. Once Hong-dae gets into trouble for getting into a brawl with some local thugs to stop Jin-ju from getting molested, the PR team does not want to get involved in the matter. But, since Hong-dae has become an integral part of the homeless team, everyone, including So-min, has helped him regain his reputation. Together, they become more than a team—a family, to be precise.

Dream (2023) Movie Ending Explained:

What happens in the world cup does korea win.

In the first match against Costa Rica, the Korean team of the Homeless concedes 12 goals without scoring any. Everyone except Hong-dae is frustrated over the result. Hong-dae seems to have lost his focus, and he is not eager to win. In the next match, So-min manages two Brazilian players. The regulation allows teams without enough reserve players to allow players from different camps. The Brazilian players play extraordinarily, which helps the Korean team win. But this makes Hong-dae sad to see that no Korean player was able to score goals in that match.

Korea may have won that match, but it is not the victory they are looking for. Hong-dae now understands what to do next, and he speaks freely to the team. He says that whatever they do, win or lose, they will not play other players other than the Korean players. He says that whether they score or not, they are here to make memories. They need to play as a team. Win or lose; this comes after.

In the match against Germany, they are already 4-0 down in the first half. Their main goalkeeper is injured. But, in the second half, the world sees a very different Korean side. They are immensely motivated, and they try shooting more. Their efforts are so honest that the crowd starts admiring them. Soon, the whole stadium starts chanting for the Korean team. The team finally scores a goal. They lose the match 5-1, but they win the hearts of the hundreds of viewers watching the game that day.

Soon after the release of the documentary, Hong-dae starts playing for his club again. Everyone on the Homeless team is now living a better life. Hwan-dong finally gets to meet his family. Hyo-bong is allowed to hang out with his daughter more often than before. Everyone is settled now. So-min also receives acclaim for her direction in the documentary. The film ends with Hong-dae jumping and scoring from a header.

Read More: The 37 Best South Korean Movies of the 21st Century

Dream (2023) movie trailer.

Dream (2023) Movie Links: IMDb , Wikipedia Dream (2023) Movie Cast: Park Seo-joon , Ji-eun Lee, Jong-soo Kim

Where to watch dream, trending right now.

Shovan Roy is an avid filmmaker enthusiast, dedicated to unraveling the magic of the cinematic world. Passionate about understanding the art and craft of filmmaking, he immerses himself in the captivating realm of storytelling. With each passing day Shovan is learning more and more from his fellow teammates who motivate him to write the best content. Aspiring to inspire through his work, Shovan's journey in the realm of cinema is an ever-evolving adventure, fueled by his unwavering commitment to the power of visual storytelling.

Similar Posts

It Lives Inside (2023) Movie Ending Explained: Does Samidha Get Rid of the Pishach?

Denis Villeneuve gave a Wholesome Response to Christopher Nolan’s Compliment on His Upcoming Film ‘Dune: Part Two’

Has ‘D.P’ been renewed for Season 3? Here’s what we know!

Aftersun Soundtrack: Every Song Featured in the Movie

The Regime Episode 2 Recap & Ending Explained: What Happens During Judith Holt’s Visit to the Palace? 

Hunt Her, Kill Her (2023) Movie Review: A Taut Survival Horror that’s Lacking in Motive