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Return to Seoul

Play trailer 2:02 Poster for Return to Seoul R 2022 1h 59m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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97% Tomatometer 134 Reviews 91% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
On an impulse to reconnect with her origins, Freddie, 25, returns to South Korea for the first time, where she was born before being adopted and raised in France. The headstrong young woman starts looking for her biological parents in a country she knows so little about, taking her life in new and unexpected directions.

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Return to Seoul

Return to Seoul

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Sensitively attuned to its protagonist's quest, Return to Seoul uses one woman's story to explore universal truths about the human condition.

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Critics Reviews

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Jasmine Liu The New Republic 08/07/2023
Return to Seoul revels in the possibilities of perpetual drift. Freddie’s relationships with her birth parents, her adoptive parents, and herself remain in flux. Go to Full Review Jae-Ha Kim Salon.com 07/26/2023
3.5/4
Don't believe the K-dramas. Look to "Return to Seoul" for a more realistic view on Korean adoptees. Go to Full Review David Sexton New Statesman 07/05/2023
This fantastic film is just as much the creation of its star, Park Ji-min, a French-Korean visual artist who had never acted before. She gives an extraordinary performance as Freddie. Go to Full Review Anna Hoang Boston Hassle Jul 17
3.5/5
Freddie isn’t meant to please, and sometimes not empathize with at times, but it would be useless to watch RETURN TO SEOUL if the character fell in that same pitfall again and again. Go to Full Review Amarsanaa Battulga View of the Arts 08/01/2024
5/5
Return to Seoul is an irresistible work that one is likely to return to again and again. Go to Full Review Jericho Tadeo The Asian Cut 07/12/2024
9/10
Return to Seoul may seem like a quiet film at first...but, in truth, the film is deceptively devastating in its examination — to a forensic degree in some aspects — of its protagonist’s heart and soul. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Will 04/02/2023 Moving, subtle and sharply observed drama about what it means to be truly lost and the frustration of finding answers. See more Brenda T 03/26/2023 I was surprised to see the city streets and buildings looking modern. As far as the lead person, I almost expected her to die before the movie ended because she was reckless and uncaring. I did not like that she disrespected and nearly hated her father, but accepted her mother so readily. Her father should have been more understood even though he drank a lot and wanted to get her married without really knowing how she felt. I liked his family. See more Anna 03/08/2023 It was a very moving show. Unexpected ending. See more Marty 02/27/2023 Acting of characters Freddie and her father was excellent. Film has great flow, editing and mood. Excellent mix of French, Korean and English dialogue with good English subtitles. See more jonathan 02/19/2023 Heartbreaking, in the best possible way. See more w donald s 12/03/2022 Totally up involving. Highly overrated by critic See more Read all reviews
Return to Seoul

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Cast & Crew

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Davy Chou

Director

Oh Kwang-rok

Actor

Kim Sun-young

Actor

Yoann Zimmer

Maxime

Louis-Do de Lencquesaing

André

Park Ji-min

Frédérique Benoît
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Return to Seoul

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Return to Seoul

Return to Seoul (2022) Return to Seoul (2022) Return to Seoul (2022) Return to Seoul (2022) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis On an impulse to reconnect with her origins, Freddie, 25, returns to South Korea for the first time, where she was born before being adopted and raised in France. The headstrong young woman starts looking for her biological parents in a country she knows so little about, taking her life in new and unexpected directions.
Director
Davy Chou
Producer
Katia Khazak, Charlotte Vincent
Screenwriter
Davy Chou
Distributor
Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co
Anti-Archive, Centre National du Cinéma et de L'image Animée, Seoul Metropolitan Government, Vandertastic Films, Filmförderungsanstalt, Doco Digital, Belga Films Fund, Merecinema, Aurora Films, Ciné+, Belga Productions, Tax Shelter du Gouvernement Fédéral Belge, Cinémage 16, Cofimage 33, BE TV, VOO, Frakas Productions, Korean Film Council
Rating
R (Language|Brief Drug Use|Nudity)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
French (France)
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 2, 2022, Limited
Box Office (Gross USA)
$798.5K
Runtime
1h 59m
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)