Return to Seoul
While on a spontaneous trip to her birth country South Korea, 25-year-old Freddie, who was adopted and raised in France, decides to look for her biological parents on a whim. The fierce young woman embarks on a journey of self-discovery that takes her from quiet villages to bustling nightclubs. In an elliptical narrative spanning eight years, Freddie’s life takes unexpected turns that challenge who she thought she was and who she could become.
Director Davy Chou returns to CinemAsia after winning the Jury Award in 2017 for his previous film Diamond Island. With Return to Seoul, Chou resists the sentimental tropes of roots-searching narratives, instead playing with the unpredictable strength of Freddie’s persona to craft a cinematic tour de force. With a star-making performance by first-time actress Park Ji-min, Return to Seoul is a bold quest for meaning and stability amidst the existential drift of life.
After the film: Q&A with director Davy Chou and lead actress Ji-Min Park.
