The London Korean Film Festival (LKFF) is set to return for its 18th edition from November 2 to November 16, 2023. Held in cinema venues across London, this year’s festival promises to be bigger and better than ever, A Glimpse into Korean Cinema With the distinction of hosting the most extensive program of Korean cinema…
Category: Asian Cinema
Ryoo Seung-wan’s “Smugglers” Review
Ryoo Seung-wan has done it again with his twelfth feature – albeit in terms of commercial, rather than critical, success. His latest film Smugglers has earned nearly £30 million since its July 26 premiere in South Korea, making it the fourth-highest grossing film of the year in the country and the summer box office champion….
Celine Song’s “Past Lives” Review
The mundane joys of people watching have seldom been caught onscreen as effectively as they have in the opening sequence of Past Lives, the lauded directorial debut of playwright Celine Song. Entering the film from the perspective of two unseen, unnamed narrators, we’re immediately tasked with guessing the relationship dynamics between three people sitting at…
“December”: Crime, Redemption, and Second Chances – In Conversation with Shogen, Ryo Matsuura, and Film’s Producer, Mina Moteki
December, directed by Anshul Chauhan, is a powerful drama that, hypothetically, delves into the Japanese justice system while exploring the possibilities of offering a second chance to criminals. It does so through the story of prisoner Kana (Ryo Matsuura), a young woman who killed her classmate a decade earlier and whose case is being brought…
“Step by Step” Sure Knows How to Take it Slow – Thai BL Drama Review
Warning: This Review Contains Spoilers If there is only one thing that viewers of Step By Step can agree on, it will be about how the show stuck true to its name. The show has an almost agonisingly slow burn with viewers having to wait until episode ten to watch Pat (“Ben” Bunyapol Likhitamnuayporn) and…
Glenn Yong’s Journey: From TikTok to Stardom
In a stunning display of talen, the Singaporean actor and singer, Glenn Yong, has swiftly risen to prominence in the entertainment industry. From his humble beginnings as a TikTok sensation to his breakthrough roles as an actor and the release of his music, Glenn’s journey is quite impressive. He is known for his participation in…
Edison Song Discusses His Music and Explores Depth of His Latest Acting Role in “Bad Education”
Hailing from Taiwan, Edison Song has mesmerised audiences with his performances across various mediums. From his breakthrough roles in popular drama TV Shows, HIStory1: Stay Away From Me (2017), Brave to Love (2019), Moonlight Romance (2020) and I, Myself (2020), to his music career, where he has proven his versatility time and time again. With…
“XO, Kitty”: The Pains of Youth, Wrapped up in a Bow
“My life is a mess… except for you,” confesses Florian (Théo Augier Bonaventure) to Q (Anthony Keyvan) during one tearful moment on a school camping trip. The goals and hardships of the seven main characters envelop one another as their stories unravel in the “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” spinoff series, created by…
76th Cannes Film Festival: “If Only I Could Hibernate” Review
Social realism is the name of the game in Mongolian filmmaker Zoljargal Purevdash’s debut feature If Only I Could Hibernate. Over the past few weeks, the Un Certain Regard title has been widely celebrated as the country’s first film ever in the Cannes official selection. To be accurate, however, Hibernate is the first Mongolian feature-length…
76th Cannes Film Festival: “Tiger Stripes” Review
You don’t need a gross visual metaphor to articulate the horrifying transformation we all undergo during puberty – but it certainly can help. The history of genre cinema is rife with adolescent allegories, from the straightforward telekinesis metaphor of Stephen King’s Carrie, to the superpowered changes that Peter Parker goes through to become a “man”…
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