Kim Jong-kwan is surely one of a kind as a filmmaker. His work reveals a keen sensitivity to the human condition. His cinema has always been a dialogue between isolation and empathy, often exploring how people drift in and out of each other’s lives, guided by memory and the delicate tremour of feeling. From Worst…
Tag: London Korean Film Festival
20th London Korean Film Festival: “The Land of Morning Calm” Review
Set against the subdued beauty of a Korean fishing village, The Land of Morning Calm, written and directed by Park Ri-woong, is a restrained and moving exploration of displacement and the tensions beneath everyday life. This is not a story about national identity or grand political themes; it is about people: ordinary and flawed. The Land…
20th London Korean Film Festival: In Conversation with Kim Jong-kwan, Director of “Frosted Window”
Within the subtle intimacy of Kim Jong-kwan’s films lies an entire universe. His cinema captures the delicate spaces between people; the brief moments of longing, love, hesitation, and loss. The South Korean filmmaker, a graduate of the Seoul Institute of the Arts, has built a reputation for making films of profound emotional delicacy. From his…
20th London Korean Film Festival: In Conversation with Yeon Woo-jin of “Frosted Window”
Yeon Woo-jin is one of South Korea’s most versatile and compelling actors. Rising from a background in modeling to presence on screen, Yeon’s early recognition came with his role in Arang and the Magistrate (2012), which earned him a Best New Actor nomination. Since then, he has consistently demonstrated an ability to inhabit a wide…
Celebrating 20 Years of Korean Film: LKFF 2025
Now in its landmark 20th year, the London Korean Film Festival (LKFF) returns from 5 to 18 November 2025. Organised by the Korean Cultural Centre UK (KCCUK) and supported by the Korean Film Council, this year’s anniversary edition will unfold across BFI Southbank, Ciné Lumière, and ICA London, offering an ambitious lineup. The festival opens…
19th London Korean Film Festival: “The Guest” Review
The slasher genre has long been a cornerstone of horror cinema, terrifying audiences with its iconic villains, suspenseful storytelling, and gruesome kills. From the masked killers of Halloween to the supernatural terrors of A Nightmare on Elm Street, slashers continue to draw viewers into their blood-soaked worlds. At the heart of the slasher genre lies…
19th London Korean Film Festival: “The Truth Beneath” Review
Lee Kyoung-mi’s The Truth Beneath, a superb dark thriller, served as the Opening Night film at the London Korean Film Festival in 2016, and now it has returned to the festival once more. Co-written by Park Chan-wook, The Truth Beneath takes audiences on a harrowing journey through the grimy underbelly of politics and the personal…
19th London Korean Film Festival: In Conversation with Kim Hye-young, Director of “It’s Okay!”
With the 19th London Korean Film Festival on the horizon, audiences will be able to experience many wonderful films, and one of those films is It’s Okay! (Also known as It’s Okay It’s Okay It’s Okay! – 괜찮아 괜찮아 괜찮아!), a tender coming-of-age story that presents Kim Hye-young’s impressive directorial debut. First premiering internationally on…
19th London Korean Film Festival: “It’s Okay!” Review
It’s Okay!, the directorial debut of Kim Hye-young, is a coming-of-age film centered around the trials and tribulations of In-young (Lee Re), who in a cruel twist of fate loses her mother and sole caretaker during a triumphant performance of a traditional fan dance by the Seoul International Arts Company. As the beat of the…
KCCUK Announces London Korean Film Festival Programme
The 19th edition of the London Korean Film Festival (LKFF), organized by the Korean Cultural Centre UK (KCCUK) with the support of the Korean Film Council, proudly presents its 2024 programme. The festival will run from November 1 to November 13 at venues including BFI Southbank, Ciné Lumière, and the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA)….
