By the Stream

Play trailer

By the Stream

Released Aug 8

1h 51m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

100%

Tomatometer

30 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

In the wake of a scandal involving several of her students, Jeonim (Kim Minhee), an artist and lecturer at a women's university, asks her uncle Chu Sieon (Kwon Haehyo) to step in and direct a short play for the skit festival put on by her department. Her uncle is an actor-director, recently blacklisted after a scandal of his own. He decides to direct the short play because of a similar experience directing a play at the same university 40 years earlier. It doesn't take long before Sieon develops feelings for Jeonim's colleague, Professor Jeong (Cho Yunhee), a textile professor. Meanwhile, the circumstances surrounding the scandal grow more complicated, the moon waxes in the sky each night, and every morning Jeonim goes to the stream and sketches to grasp its patterns.

Zachary Barnes

Wall Street Journal

By the Stream thrums gently with the wisdom of artists who, subject to the battery of public opinion, have stayed committed to their craft. It’s a film of slightly drunken, ultimately dignified humility.

Aug 8, 2025

Full Review

Wendy Ide

Observer (UK)

The latest from the prolific South Korean film-maker Hong Sang-soo may feel familiar to fans of the director’s lo-fi work... It remains an effective formula: By the Stream is a wry comedy of manners that muses, in its unassuming way, on the creative act.

Rated: 3/5

Feb 5, 2025

Full Review

David Jenkins

Little White Lies

This is the breeziest, most overtly congenial Hong film for a very long time.

Rated: 4/5

Jan 30, 2025

Full Review

Cameron Ritter

Geek Vibes Nation

As expected, Hong Sangsoo delivers a quiet work on the realities of cancel culture, expectations of being reunited with loved ones, and the infatuation one can feel with someone new and exciting.

Rated: 7.5/10

Aug 26, 2025

Full Review

Kathy Fennessy

Seattle Film Blog

I don't think By the Stream was intended as a film about love, but rather regrets and new beginnings. For me, though, that's what resonated most.

Rated: 3.4/4

Aug 23, 2025

Full Review

Erik Reeds

Spectrum Culture

The veteran South Korean filmmaker’s latest is both heavier on its plotting and more obscure in its intentions.

Aug 14, 2025

Full Review

Read all reviews

Steph B

This movie is painfully long and boring, has no storyline, no drama, no character development, and no statement and no point. The only interesting element was the commentary on Korean alcoholism, but not worth wasting almost two hours. Anyone giving this a high rating must be a fan of the film maker and hesitant to call out a flop by one of their heroes. Do not waste your time.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

08/09/25

Full Review

Stephen C

Success in 1 hour and 51 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dubbed and subtitled in worldwide studios!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/11/25

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Hong Sang-soo

Director

Kwon Hae-hyo

Actor

Kim Min-hee

Jeo-nim

Cho Young

Jeong

Cho Yunhee

Actor

Ha Seung-guk

Actor

View more photos

Synopsis

In the wake of a scandal involving several of her students, Jeonim (Kim Minhee), an artist and lecturer at a women's university, asks her uncle Chu Sieon (Kwon Haehyo) to step in and direct a short play for the skit festival put on by her department. Her uncle is an actor-director, recently blacklisted after a scandal of his own. He decides to direct the short play because of a similar experience directing a play at the same university 40 years earlier. It doesn't take long before Sieon develops feelings for Jeonim's colleague, Professor Jeong (Cho Yunhee), a textile professor. Meanwhile, the circumstances surrounding the scandal grow more complicated, the moon waxes in the sky each night, and every morning Jeonim goes to the stream and sketches to grasp its patterns.

Director: Hong Sang-soo
Producer: Hong Sang-soo
Screenwriter: Hong Sang-soo
Distributor: The Cinema Guild
Production Co: Jeonwonsa Film
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Korean
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 8, 2025, Limited
Runtime: 1h 51m