By the Stream

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By the Stream

2025

1h 51m

Drama

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31 Reviews

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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.

Thomas Flew

Sight & Sound

Dec 19

As in In Front of Your Face (2021), the beauty is in the performances.

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Zachary Barnes

Wall Street Journal

Aug 8

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.

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Wendy Ide

Observer (UK)

Feb 5

3/5

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.

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Cameron Ritter

Geek Vibes Nation

Aug 26

7.5/10

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.

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Kathy Fennessy

Seattle Film Blog

Aug 23

3.4/4

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.

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Erik Reeds

Spectrum Culture

Aug 14

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

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Steph B

@gotham-movie-lover Aug 9

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.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Aug 8

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

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Hong Sang-soo

Director

Kwon Hae-hyo

Actor

Kim Min-hee

Jeo-nim

Cho Young

Jeong

Cho Yunhee

Actor

Ha Seung-guk

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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