Maniac depression, sex addiction, hallucinations, the plot reveals that happen out of nowhere but makes sense relating to small scenes, stylistic camera, editing and vfx. All comes down to a kind of confused film but highly entertaining and thought-provoking. This could have been much better if details were given enough focus.

Director SK Jhung's Searching for the Elephant brandishes bare skin and spews blood with so much gusto that all other considerations seem secondary. The apparent core theme - of people who are lost and spend their lives trying to find their way - seems incidental. Each of the three main characters, childhood friends who are now in their thirties, is struggling with his own particular madness: a photographer battling manic-depression (Jang Hyuk), a sex-addicted plastic surgeon (Jo Dong Hyeok) and a financial trader with a mysterious past (Lee Sang Woo). One reason to watch this film is Jang Hyuk's nuanced and sensitive portrayal of a man with only a tenuous hold on life and reality. His flights to fantasy are given credence by the unexpectedly creative cinematography. In fact, technical coherence is the film's other strength, also evident in seamless jump-cuts through non-linear time phases and across different characters. In the end, I enjoyed the show for what it has to offer - after all, this uneven and quirky film does not seem to take itself seriously.

Technically brilliant movie about memory, love and superficiality. Well it deals with a lot of things, in a humouristical way. It is easy going and tries to raise some questions as well, but just don't take them too seriously. Searching for the Elephant is jam packed with comedy, romance, sex, violence and a wee bit of despair. It wouldn't be too far off to mention Murakami Haruki in this context, actually come to think of it, it is quite apt. Though it is no "Tony Takitani". I took me a little time to be able to separate the male protagonists because of the style of direction, even as they're quite different. 6.5 / 10 stars

I had a chance to see "Searching for the Elephant" at a film festival. Unlike the energetiv responses from the festival audiences, I heard that the Korean audiences had mixed reviews. I think this movie was misunderstood by many. The writer/director of the film seems to have portrayed a very personal tale regarding the psychological state of his 30 something generation in Korea. Despite harsh criticisms from many, I was touched by "Searching for the Elephant"for its raw and imaginative sequences. In a sense this is a 'coming of age' story of Korean young adults who had refused to grow up in the age of economic prosperity. I give it 10/10 more for how the story was told rather than what it was about. I recommend it for Murakami Haruki readers.