Tag Archives: South Korea

Berlin 2025 Review “What Does That Nature Say To You”

© Jeonwonsa Film Co. Hong Sang-soo’s latest film, What Does That Nature Say to You, reaffirms the prolific Korean director’s status as a filmmaker capable of uncovering profound insights within the mundane. With this being his 32nd feature film, Hong continues to explore themes of life, art, work, and healing. ​

Locarno 2024 Review: “By the Stream”

Hong Sang-soo’s “By the Stream” marks his 32nd feature film and impressively, once again his second release of the year. With an ever-steady pace that only few filmmakers can match, Hong’s output is impressive not just for its quantity, but for the depth and originality each film consistently brings. In his previous film, “A Traveler’s Needs” Hong turned his attention to the acquisition of language, exploring the way foreign languages can bring new dimensions to one’s understanding of life. Now, with “By the Stream” he shifts his focus to the realm of art—examining the process of creation, the authenticity it holds within the context of reality, and the impact that making art can have. Perhaps even more than his previous works, By the Stream is also a meditation on the blurred lines between truth and fiction, the fiction we can find in truth and the truth that is hidden within fiction.

Berlinale 2024 Review: “A Traveler’s Needs”

“A Traveler’s Needs,” directed by celebrated auteur Hong Sangsoo, is a thought-provoking exploration of how engaging with foreign concepts—be it culture, language, or individuals—can profoundly shift our perspectives and challenge deeply held beliefs and culturally ingrained structures. This film navigates the philosophical and existential terrains of identity, expression and interpretation by focussing on language acquisition and reflections on art. Through a series of conversations, it presents a case for the enriching influence of embracing the unfamiliar, suggesting that our encounters with the unknown can lead to profound self-reflection and a broader understanding of life’s possibilities.

TIFF 2023 Review: “Mimang”

Kim Taeyang’s debut film “Mimang” is a beautiful exploration of time and its inevitable impact on the heart of Seoul and its inhabitants. The Korean word “mimang” embodies a complex range of emotions, including being unable to make sense from ignorance, being unable to forget what one wants to forget, and searching far and wide. Through the lens of Kim Taeyang, these interpretations of “mimang” unfurl in three intertwined chapters, shot over four years, that explore how time, surroundings, and individuals evolve and change over time in the bustling city of Seoul.