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Cheer Up, Mr. Lee

Cheer Up, Mr. Lee

Fun and furious.

2019111 minMidcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
Director
Kae-Byeok Lee
Starring
Cha Seung-won, Um Chae-young, Park Hae-joon, Kim Hye-Ok

Chul-soo is a man with an intellectual disability. One day, Chul-soo finds out that a young girl, Saet-byul, who is in hospital is his daughter. And soon, Saet-byul sneaks out of the hospital and travels by herself to a faraway city for her friend's birthday. As Chul-soo accompanies Saet-byul's journey, friendship develops between the two.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Cheer Up, Mr. Lee?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Cheer Up, Mr. Lee streaming on The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free).

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Highlights

What stands out about Cheer Up, Mr. Lee?

Cheer Up, Mr. Lee earns 2 badges, led by Deeply moving and Standout acting.

Reception

Is Cheer Up, Mr. Lee worth watching?

Cheer Up, Mr. Lee's Midcredits score is the 83rd percentile of all films, from 1.5K ratings across 4 sources. 70% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

83rd percentile

Better received than 83% of films

89th percentile among Comedy84th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)85th
Approval (how many liked it)79th

72 /100

85th percentile of all films

91st percentile among Comedy84th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

Big peaks at both ends — people either love this or bounce off it hard.

Approval

How many liked it

70% liked it

79th percentile of all films

85th percentile among Comedy79th percentile among 2010s
70% rated it 7–1030% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

58th percentile

1.5K ratings across platforms

51st percentile among Comedy61st percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 1% in 30 days

Box office

Worldwide gross$8.7M

71st percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is an emotional family dramedy with moments of humor and tears, featuring a strong lead performance, though its tone can sometimes feel overdone.

Fans praised

  • heartwarming and emotional father-daughter bond
  • top-notch acting, especially Cha Seung Won's restrained performance
  • funny, charming, and cleverly written with an original premise

Detractors panned

  • overacting feels harassing and cringe
  • tries too hard to be funny and emotional, coming off cheesy

What stands out

Emotional impactDivisive90

deeply moving, teary moments, but detractors find it cheesy

ActingDivisive85

lead and child performances praised, one detractor calls it overacting

Plot and story80

original and moving story with a clever incorporation of true events

Originality80

fresh plot line that remains creative to the end

Characters75

charming, loving father-daughter dynamic feels groundbreaking

Ending75

moving and poignant resolution that rewards watching to the end

HumorDivisive70

funny yet sometimes forced and cringe

Pacing60

a little long, typical of oriental films, but improves

Watch experience

What is Cheer Up, Mr. Lee like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Funny and bittersweet: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want to laugh and feel something too.

It takes its time and leaves you wrung out and released. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and patience.

What it feels like

Funny and bittersweet.

Moods
WarmJoyfulBittersweet
Heaviest: late
Warm humor
Register
WarmSentimental · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its emotional and comedic moments sincerely, aiming for heartfelt warmth rather than irony.
The rideThe film balances lighthearted moments with emotional depth, building toward a poignant climax.
StructureThe story follows a linear progression as the father and daughter set out on their trip and navigate their relationship.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Wrung out and released.

The answer rests on this: Cathartic · 6% of filmsHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe film provides an emotional release while leaving the viewer with a sense of optimism about family ties.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).RebirthHealing
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% · Healing 5% (this title) · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Healing: Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).

13% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeA mentally impaired father and his sick daughter go on a journey that heals their relationship and brings emotional closure.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsPurpose · 9% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on the rekindling of the father-daughter bond as they travel together, giving the father a new sense of purpose.
StanceThe film celebrates the rekindled father-daughter bond, affirming the value of family connection.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanIn transitRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score
SettingA road trip across South Korea with a mentally impaired father and his sick daughter

Content guide

Is Cheer Up, Mr. Lee okay for kids?

As of April 1, 2025, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (0/100), sexual content at minimal (0/100), language at mild (33/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at mild (33/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 2 other countries
  • JapanG
  • South Korea12
Overall
Mild · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (5 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Cheer Up, Mr. Lee have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Cheer Up, Mr. Lee?

Cast

Cha Seung-won
as Cheol-Soo
Um Chae-young
as Saet-byeol
Park Hae-joon
as Young-Soo
Kim Hye-Ok
as Saet-Byeol's Grandmother
Ahn Kil-kang
as Mr. Kim
Jeon Hye-bin
as Eun-Hee
Han Bi Ryu
as Min-Jung
Jo Han-chul
as Deok-goo
Sung Ji-ru
as Jung-Kwon
Kim Pub-lae
as Yang Doo-Mok

Crew

Directed by

Kae-Byeok Lee

Written by

Bang Woo-ri

Produced by

Jennice Lee

More like this

What are movies like Cheer Up, Mr. Lee?

Movies like Cheer Up, Mr. Lee include Buen Camino (2025), Piku (2015) and Trouble with the Curve (2012). All three are road movies; all three are stories about parents and children.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

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What else shares a premise, people or place with Cheer Up, Mr. Lee?

2.5K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: road movie. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.