The London Korean film festival returns this year for its 19th annual edition. Taking place at a number of different locations across London, from the BFI Southbank, Cine Lumiere and the ICA, over 2 weeks, from the 1st to the 13th of November.
It opens with Victory, the newest film by director Park Beom-so, a punky and funny crowd-pleasing movie about two teenagers who start a cheerleading squad in their provincial town. The festival ends on the 13th with Love in the Big City, E.oni’s romantic comedy-drama about two roommates navigating life – and secrets – in Seoul.
Obviously the opening and closing films are going to be rammed – so get your tickets now – but if you’re looking for something else here are some of my picks, chosen from among the festival’s Cinema Now and Women’s Voices strands.
- Alienoid, Return to the Future (10th November)
Choi Dong-hoon’s sequel to his wildly popular 2022 Alienoid, which sees Ancient Taoists travel through time and space in order to retrieve a divine sword. Mixing sci-fi, fantasy and basically every other genre you can fit, this looks to be, if nothing else, an exciting and memorable time. - Following (8th November)
An exploration of obsession and the parasocial relationships we make with social media, Following follows (heh), a real estate agent secretly who enters clients’ homes and becomes obsessed with a deceptive social media influencer. - Mimang (9th November)
A fascinating film shot over four years watches an ever-shifting Seoul, with each chapter dramatizing a different meaning of the film’s title: being unable to make sense from ignorance, being unable to forget what you want to forget, and the act of searching far and wide. - The Noisy Mansion (10th November)
Continuing the strand’s themes of exploring the ways we live, this film sees a young woman who has recently rented a new unit in an apartment complex. She discovers that a loud banging noise occurs from 4am every night, so she sets out to find the culprit, and in the process recruiting her neighbours to her cause. Kyung Soo-jin shines in her role as a nosy do-gooder. - The Tenants (12th November)
Financial desperation forces Shindong to sublet spaces in his tiny apartment. This invasion of privacy soon drives him to the brink of madness. Yoon Eun-kyoung’s futuristic dystopia reminds one of Black Mirror; it’s bleak, claustrophobic and worst of all entirely possible. - Sisters on the Road (5th November)
This delicately made indie film, sees a young woman attempt to reconnect with her estranged father, driving a wedge between her and her sister. Boo Ji-young’s debut film sensitively explores their evolving relationship. - The Truth Beneath (9th November)
A mystery thriller with a political twist, the film follows a politician’s wife desperately searching for her missing daughter amidst a national election campaign. Since writing Lady Vengeance, director Lee Kyoung-mi has proven himself very keen at handling thrillers. - Sandstorm (11th November)
Women’s Voices wouldn’t be complete without a documentary, and this year we see Sandstorm which follows five wrestlers from the Kolping Women’s Ssireum Team over five years, capturing their victories, struggles, and personal growth. - FAQ + Q&A (9th November)
Moving away from drama, FAQ is a quirky story of a student who discovers a talking barrel of rice wine at summer camp. A fun change of pace, with some excellent sci-fi storytelling is exactly what we’ll need after all those thrillers. Includes a Q&A with director Kim Da-min. - It’s Okay! (9th November)
A high schooler, facing eviction, secretly moves into her dance school. The head choreographer (Jin Seo-yeon) eventually discovers her and finds a role for her in an upcoming production. The film features a colourful cast and plenty of humour and will feature a Q&A with director Kim Hye-young.
Check out the strands in detail on the LKFF website – there are plenty of short films and other titles I’ve not mentioned here. And as usual you can grab tickets here.
The Asian Cinema Critic 